Ryazhanka (Fermented Caramelized Milk)
Published May 18, 2022
- Total Time
- 3 days
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 8cups whole milk
- 3 to 4tablespoons plain whole-milk kefir (see Tip) or sour cream
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
212 calories; 12 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 142 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
If using an oven, heat to 225 degrees. Place the milk in a Dutch oven (if baking the mixture) or large, heavy saucepan (if using a slow cooker) and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring from time to time so the milk doesn’t scorch. It will take about 15 minutes to get to a simmer.
- Step 2
Transfer to the oven, if using, and bake, uncovered, until the top is a deep caramel brown, about 6 hours. If using a slow cooker, transfer the milk to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours, until the top is caramel brown. You can discard or save the skin that develops on top of the milk, refrigerating it in an airtight container. Traditionally, the skin is served on top of a glass of ryazhanka.
- Step 3
Transfer the cooked milk directly to jars or first to liquid measuring cups to cool the milk and determine how much you have. Let cool at room temperature, uncovered, to 115 degrees. You do not want to add kefir to hot milk, as the heat will kill the bacteria. Add 1 tablespoon kefir for every 2 cups cooked milk. (You’d use 1 tablespoon kefir per pint jar, 2 tablespoons per quart jar, or 3½ tablespoons kefir total for 7 cups cooked milk.) Stir or whisk the kefir until fully incorporated. If the mixture isn’t already in jars, divide among jars. Cover the jars with coffee filters and secure around the tops with rubber bands or string.
- Step 4
Leave the jars in a warm place until the ryazhanka develops a consistency that’s thicker than kefir but thinner than yogurt, 24 to 48 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. You might see some separation between liquid and solids. The flavor will be both sweet and sour from the fermentation. Cover the jars with their lids and refrigerate until chilled. The ryazhanka can be refrigerated for up to 7 days.
- Packed with probiotics, kefir is a fermented dairy product that is tart and tangy. Often likened to a drinkable yogurt, it can be found in the dairy section of most supermarkets.
Private Notes
Comments
I’m eager to make this, but there may be an important cultural culinary difference here. Most sour cream in the US is store-bought and not live-cultured. I’m assuming that is different in Ukraine, because most American sour cream won’t ferment a thing. You’ll just be eating 2-day hot milk (yikes). Stick to kefir or yogurt or something else with live lactic acid bacteria for a safe drink. This sounds DELICIOUS and I will be making it ASAP!
It is best to substitute with sour cream, creme fraiche or a piece of sourdough rye bread to ferment the baked milk! Hope that helps.
There may be valid reasons to avoid ultra-pasteurized dairy, but the false notion that "the culture can't grow in it" is not one of them. Lactobacilli will ferment the ultra-pasteurized lactose as well as the caramelized lactose in this recipe; I make creme fraiche from ultra-pasteurized heavy cream and a bit of cultured buttermilk regularly.
followed the instructions to the letter, and its perfect. Exactly how i remember it tasting tin my small hometown in Ukraine. Try this, its worth the effort.
Made this for the first time on a whim, with high quality whole milk and kefir. After fermentation there were some chewy, waxy bits in the mix, so I poured it through a fine mesh sieve into jars. Fabulous! So refreshing. It is definitely on the tart and tangy side, which I like, but blended with some frozen blueberries would probably be amazing for those wanting some sweet.
I'm wondering if the simmering step at the beginning is really necessary for this recipe? Could you just plop it into the slow cooker with the same result? I made this as described, however found that the milk curdled in the slow cooker - I still saw the whole thing through and enjoyed the flavor but ended up straining it to remove the small milk pieces that coagulated which interfered with the overall texture. Did others experience this?