Ingredients
Skyr
- 2 litresskimmed milk
- 3 tbsplive skyr, as the starter culture
- 2 dropsvegetarian (microbial) rennet, diluted in 2 tbsp cool boiled water
To serve
- 200 mlsingle cream or whole milk, to loosen
- 4 tbspsugar or a little honey (optional)
- 250 gbilberries, blueberries or crowberries
Directions
- Heat the skimmed milk slowly to 85–90°C (185–195°F), stirring so it does not catch, and hold it there for 10 minutes. This denatures the whey proteins and is what makes skyr thick rather than merely strained.
- Cool the milk quickly in a sink of cold water to 38–40°C (100–105°F), checked with a thermometer.
- Whisk the live skyr into a cupful of the warm milk until smooth, then stir it through the whole pot.
- Stir in the diluted rennet with about 20 gentle strokes and then stop moving the milk entirely.
- Cover and hold at 38–40°C (100–105°F) for 4–5 hours, in a switched-off oven with the light on or a wide vacuum flask, until the milk has set to a soft curd that pulls cleanly from the side of the pan.
- Ladle the curd gently into a colander lined with damp muslin set over a bowl, without stirring or breaking it up more than necessary.
- Drain in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours, until the mass has lost roughly two thirds of its volume in whey and is thick enough to stand a spoon in.
- Beat the drained curd smooth, loosening with a little cream or milk to a spoonable consistency, and serve cold with berries and a dusting of sugar.
Technique
- Skyr is technically a fresh acid-set cheese, not a yoghurt, though it is eaten and sold as a dairy dessert; it has been made in Iceland since settlement.
- The 85–90°C (185–195°F) hold and the low fat of skimmed milk are both essential. Whole milk gives a softer, greasier curd that never reaches the classic dense texture.
- Traditional skyr is set with rennet from a calf stomach; use microbial rennet to keep it vegetarian, and expect a very slightly softer set.
- Keep the drained whey (mysa). Icelanders drink it, and it was historically used to preserve food through winter.
Substitutions
- No live skyr for the starter: a plain live yoghurt with Streptococcus thermophilus works and gives a slightly tangier result.
- Rennet can be omitted altogether; culture alone gives a looser curd that needs an extra 4 hours of draining.
Variations
- Hraeringur is skyr beaten with warm oatmeal porridge, a traditional Icelandic breakfast.
- Skyrkaka is a baked cheesecake made on a skyr base, now standard on Reykjavik dessert menus.
History
A strained cultured dairy made in Iceland since Norse settlement and mentioned in the medieval sagas; it is technically a fresh cheese, not a yoghurt.
Frequently asked questions
What is Skyr?
Skyr is a cheese & dairy from Iceland: thick tangy cultured dairy with berries or cream. A strained cultured dairy made in Iceland since Norse settlement and mentioned in the medieval sagas; it is technically a fresh cheese, not a yoghurt.
How long does Skyr take to make?
Skyr takes 20 min of preparation and 5 hr culturing + 12 hr draining of cooking. The recipe makes about 700 g skyr from 2 litres milk. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Skyr?
Yes, within limits. No live skyr for the starter: a plain live yoghurt with Streptococcus thermophilus works and gives a slightly tangier result. Rennet can be omitted altogether; culture alone gives a looser curd that needs an extra 4 hours of draining.
What is the most important thing to get right in Skyr?
Heat the skimmed milk slowly to 85–90°C (185–195°F), stirring so it does not catch, and hold it there for 10 minutes. This denatures the whey proteins and is what makes skyr thick rather than merely strained.
