Karnemelk

Ingredients

Cultured buttermilk

• 1.5 litressemi-skimmed or whole milk
• 4 tbspcultured buttermilk, as starter

To serve

• cold by the glass with a meal
• or in pancakes and porridge

Directions

1. Warm the milk to 22°C (72°F) — barely warm to the touch. Karnemelk is set by a mesophilic culture that works at room temperature, and yoghurt heat kills it.
2. Stir in the starter until evenly mixed.
3. Pour into a jug or a bottle, cover with a cloth rather than a lid, and leave at room temperature for 18 to 24 hours.
4. It is ready when it has thickened slightly and tastes cleanly sour. It should pour easily — karnemelk is a drink and if it has set thick it went too long or too warm.
5. Stir smooth and chill for at least four hours. It keeps two weeks in the fridge, sharpening as it goes.
6. Serve very cold by the glass alongside a meal, which is how the Dutch drink it — with dinner rather than as a snack.
7. Keep four spoonfuls back to culture the next batch; it will run indefinitely.
8. Its acidity also reacts with bicarbonate of soda, which makes it excellent in pancakes and quick breads.

Technique

• Room temperature, not warm.
• Cover with cloth; a sealed lid traps gas and the milk separates.
• The original was the liquid left from churning butter; this cultured version is what the cartons contain.

Substitutions

• Live sour cream or crème fraîche as the starter.
• Whole milk for a richer drink, semi-skimmed for the standard Dutch one.

Variations

• Karnemelkse pap is a thin porridge cooked with buttermilk, eaten hot.
• The Estonian hapupiim, Latvian rūgušpiens and Finnish piimä are the same drink.

History

A byproduct of Dutch butter making that became an everyday drink, also used in pancakes and porridge.

Frequently asked questions

What is Karnemelk?

Karnemelk is a cheese & dairy from Netherlands: sour buttermilk drunk cold by the glass with meals. A byproduct of Dutch butter making that became an everyday drink, also used in pancakes and porridge.

How long does Karnemelk take to make?

Karnemelk takes 10 min plus 18 to 24 hours culturing of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes makes 1.5 litres. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Karnemelk?

Yes, within limits. Live sour cream or crème fraîche as the starter. Whole milk for a richer drink, semi-skimmed for the standard Dutch one.

What is the most important thing to get right in Karnemelk?

Pour into a jug or a bottle, cover with a cloth rather than a lid, and leave at room temperature for 18 to 24 hours.