🥣 Skyr
Also known as: Icelandic skyr
A thick Icelandic fermented product made from skimmed milk, similar to very dense yogurt.
Skyr is a traditional Icelandic fermented milk product with the consistency of a very thick strained yogurt and a mild taste. Skim milk is pasteurized, cooled and inoculated with thermophilic lactic acid cultures (traditionally a spoonful of the previous batch); sometimes a little rennet is added. After fermentation the curd is drained — once through cloth, now with separators or ultrafiltration — to remove most of the whey.
Skyr has been part of Icelandic cuisine for several centuries; the tradition is thought to have been brought by settlers from Scandinavia. Today it is produced and exported to many countries, often with added fruit.
Technically skyr can be classed as a fresh acid-set cheese, similar to quark. It differs from regular yogurt in being made from skim milk and heavily strained, so it is high in protein (about 10–11 g per 100 g) and low in fat. Skyr is eaten with berries, milk and sugar, and used in baking and smoothies.
How it connects to milk
Links
- Made from
- 🥛 Milk
- How it is made
- 🔄 Fermentation
- Where it is traditional
- 🌍 Northern Europe
- Which peoples make it
- 🧑🤝🧑 Icelanders
- Product type
- 🏺 Traditional dairy products
- Part of
- 🥣 Fermented milk products
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between skyr and Greek yogurt?
Both are strained, but skyr is made from skim milk, often with a drop of rennet, so it is even thicker and has almost no fat.
Is skyr a yogurt or a cheese?
Technically skyr is closer to a fresh acid-set cheese like quark, but it is eaten like yogurt.
How much protein is in skyr?
About 10–11 g per 100 g, roughly three times as much as regular yogurt.
Similar
🥣 Viili · 🥛 Filmjölk · 🧀 Soured milk · 🧀 Matsoni · 🧀 Varenets · 🍶 Ayran
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.