Where it comes from
A specialty especially of the Čačak area west of the Great Morava river, with deep roots across the Balkans and the broader former Ottoman world. See.
On the plate
Cool, dense, and almost buttery, melting into warm bread with a faint dairy sweetness when young. Aged kajmak turns firmer and pleasantly sharp, like the cultured tang of a fine soured cream, and dissolves into a glossy slick over hot ćevapi.
How it works
Gentle simmering drives milkfat and denatured whey proteins to the surface, where they bind into a cohesive cream skin as the liquid cools. Repeated skimming and light salting concentrate the fat, and slow cold storage allows beneficial cultures to develop the characteristic aged tang.
Variations
young fresh (mladi) vs aged/matured (stari/zreli) kajmak, smoked versions, kajmak whipped into komplet lepinja or spooned over grilled meats
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 8How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓30 min active · 2880 min waiting
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓- 15 min
Pour full-fat fresh milk (ideally unhomogenized) into a wide shallow pot to maximize surface area.
- 28 min
Bring the milk slowly to a gentle simmer over low heat without letting it boil over.
- 320 min
Keep it at a bare simmer for about 20 minutes so a thick skin of cream forms on the surface.
- 4240 min
Turn off the heat and let the pot stand undisturbed at room temperature so the skin sets as it cools.
- 510 min
Carefully lift the cooled cream skin off the surface with a slotted skimmer and lay it in a clean dish.
- 615 min
Repeat skimming over the next day or two as new skins form, layering them up and lightly salting.
- 72880 min
Leave the collected layers to rest in a cool place, where fresh kajmak stays mild and aging deepens the tang.
- 85 min
Serve at room temperature, scooped onto warm bread or melting over hot grilled meat.
