Icelandic Curds (Skyr)

Posted for Zaar World Tour 2006 Icelanders eat skyr as a dessert with sugar or cream. (Or fruit.)

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 4  quarts milk
• 1⁄2 pint sour cream
• 1⁄2  rennet tablet

Directions

1. The milk is brought to a boil without burning it, and then cooled to blood heat (98F).
2. A cupful of the sour cream is whipped and mixed with some of the milk until thin and smooth, then it is poured into the milk.
3. At the same time, one-half rennet tablet is dissolved in a little cold water (about a tablespoonful) and poured into the milk, which is stirred to mix the ingredients.
4. The mixture is allowed to stand at room temperature for 24 hours.
5. Then the skyr is scooped from the pot and strained gradually through a fine linen sieve (several layers of cheesecloth may be used instead).
6. It is thus separated from the whey.
7. The skyr which is left in the sieve should be about as thick as ice cream.
8. Four quarts of milk should make about one and a half quarts of skyr.
9. When serving, whip skyr well with a spoon or whipper to a smooth ice-cream-like consistency.
10. The consistency should not be grainy or like cottage cheese.