Eggs & dairy · Milk & cream

Kajmak

Thick Balkan and Turkish clotted cream skimmed from simmered milk, eaten fresh or slightly aged.

Also called: kaymak, clotted cream, skorup

Around the world: kajmak (sr) · kajmak (bs) · kaymak (tr)

A kind of cream

3 recipes with it

Photo: E4024, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Kajmak (Turkish kaymak) is made by gently heating milk and letting the cream rise and set into a thick, rich layer that is skimmed off in sheets. Fresh kajmak is sweet and mild; Balkan kajmak is often salted and aged until it turns tangy and cheese-like. It resembles British clotted cream but is often saltier and tangier.

How it’s used

Spread on warm bread, lepinja or flatbread
With honey for a Turkish breakfast
Served with grilled meats such as ćevapi
Topping baklava and kadayıf-style desserts
Stirred into hot dishes for richness

Characteristics

Taste: Very rich and creamy; mild when fresh, tangy and salty when aged.
Texture: Thick, dense and spreadable, sometimes in layers.
When cooked: Melts into a buttery sauce on hot food; it behaves more like soft butter than cream when heated.
Sold as: fresh, fermented
Cooking uses: Usually eaten raw, Used as a garnish
Common in: Balkan, Serbian, Bosnian, Turkish, Montenegrin, Macedonian

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep covered in the fridge; fresh kajmak is perishable, aged kajmak keeps a little longer. Discard if mouldy or off-smelling.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Milk.

Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Soy-free
Caffeine-free

Contains milk (allergen).
Traditional homemade kajmak may be made from raw milk; this is not advised for pregnant people, young children, older adults or the immunocompromised.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy: 350 kcal
Protein: 6.15 g
Carbohydrate: 5.52 g
Fat: 34.44 g
Fibre: 0 g
Sugars: 3.76 g

USDA FoodData Central: Cheese, cream (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Mascarpone — Closest for fresh kaymak with honey; add a pinch of salt for savoury uses.
Cream cheese — Beaten with a little butter and salt for the aged, salty style; tangier and less rich.