Kaymak is usually bought at the market, but making it at home is possible; it only asks for time. The whole thing comes down to the fat content of the milk: supermarket milk will not do, and you need fresh raw milk or milk with at least six per cent fat. The cooking has to be over a low heat and uncovered, because without steam escaping no kaymak gathers.
Ingredients
For the kaymak
Method
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Milk into the pan
Use a wide, shallow pan; the surface area needs to be large.
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Heat it
Bring it to the boil over a medium heat, without letting it boil over.
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Hold it on a low heat
Turn the heat to its lowest and hold it uncovered for 90 minutes. Do not stir it or disturb the surface.
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Off the heat
Without moving the pan, leave it uncovered until it comes down to room temperature.
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Into the fridge
Still without moving it, put it in the fridge for 12 hours. A thick layer will gather on the surface.
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Lift off the kaymak
Loosen the layer at the edge with a knife and lift it off in one piece with a wide spatula.
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Store it
It keeps for three days in a covered container in the fridge.
Tips
- Do not try it with supermarket UHT milk, as neither its fat content nor its structure gives kaymak.
- Do not stir it at any stage. Leaving the layer that forms on the surface undisturbed is the whole job.
- The wider the pan, the more kaymak you get; a deep pan gives a poor yield.
- Do not throw away the milk underneath; use it in muhallebi or rice pudding.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.