Highly protein and low in calories, skyr is particularly trendy. But this Icelandic yogurt is quite expensive in stores. Here’s how to do it yourself.
To be enjoyed plain, with fruit (fresh or stewed), honey and / or granola, skyr – a yogurt of Icelandic origin – has many advantages, due to its low calorie characteristics and high protein content (approximately 10 grams of protein per 100 grams of skyr). As easy to make as a classic yogurt, you just need to have a yogurt maker to be able to make your own skyr.
What’s the point of making your own skyr? The first reason is to know exactly what you are eating and to be able to choose high quality raw materials (milk in particular). The other advantage is that skyr is sold quite expensive in stores (often more than 3 euros per 500 gram jar, more if it is organic). Making it yourself reduces the bill. Always useful when you have to feed a whole family.
Note that you will need a yogurt maker. We recommend the model Seb Multidélices 12 pots, sold for example on Amazon.
Homemade Skyr: the recipe for making it with a yogurt maker
To make your skyr, no need for complex ingredients, this cooking recipe is very simple.
For 500 to 600 grams of skyr, you’ll need :
- 1 liter of skimmed milk (fresh milk, it will be even better but it is not mandatory)
- 1 skyr (about 50 grams) to start the production or 50 ml of skyr’s whey recovered from a previous burst of homemade skyr
The steps to make your homemade skyr
Here is the traditional Icelandic recipe:
- Heat the skimmed milk. Take a non-stick pan in which you will have quickly poured a little water to moisten the pan. Discard the water then pour in the milk and heat it over low heat (around 95 ° C). Keep the milk at this temperature for 10 minutes. Stir the milk throughout this process to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside at room temperature. Let cool for about 30 minutes.
- Add the skyr or skyr’s whey. Whisk the large tablespoonful of skyr (or whey) into the skimmed milk once it has come to room temperature.
- Place the mixture in a large bowl in the yogurt maker. Avoid putting in individual pots, prefer a dish or a large block that can be placed in the yogurt maker. Run a cycle and let the mixture sit for 12-15 hours, until it has thickened to the consistency of Greek yogurt and the curds have separated from the whey.
- Finalize your skyr. At this point, you can either mix the whey in the skyr to thin it out, or drain it through cheesecloth for a thicker consistency. You can also detail the sky in individual pots for more convenience. Cover tightly and refrigerate until chilled (2-3 hours).
- Storage instructions: skyr, diluted with whey or drained, will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Whey will keep for the same amount of time in an airtight container (or you can freeze it in ice cubes to keep it longer). It can be used to remake skyr or it will be delicious to integrate into the bakery.
- Enjoy! With a few seeds, a little compote, honey or even a little jam, it’s a delight. Highly protein, skyr is particularly recommended for athletes and here is a particularly healthy and low-calorie snack.
The variants to make your own skyr
It is also possible not to heat the milk. It is then enough to pour half of it into a salad bowl and to pour a pot of skyr in it before whipping vigorously to mix it well with the liquid. Then pour in the rest of the milk and whisk again. Then pour into a container that will go into the yogurt maker for 12 to 15 hours.
If you want to perfume your skyr. You can put a vanilla pod (cut in half and in which you will have extracted the beans with a knife, which you will then put in the milk) or even drops of vanilla, coffee extract, orange blossom, etc. You can also make your skyr then, just before putting it in individual jars, line the bottom of each goblet with jam or stewed fruit.
For a smoother skyr. Place the container with the skyr mixture in the yogurt maker (Seb multi-delight or another brand) in which you put a little water at the bottom. Start the process for 10 hours, mix the tank to see the consistency and possibly restart for 2 hours if necessary. Then put the container in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (without draining). Once this period has passed, proceed with the draining. To do this, tilt your container slightly (or more if you have a white forming container which has a sieve) and let the whey flow (which you can collect for reuse). Once the operation is complete, put it back in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours before putting it in individual jars or consuming it as is.