History

Skyrterta emerged in Icelandic home baking in the mid-20th century as fridges arrived and households began folding skyr with whipped cream for a no-bake cheesecake. The wild blueberry crown comes from the late-summer aðalbláber and crowberries that locals still pick on highland walks. Sandholt and Mokka Kaffi serve the modern bakery version year-round.

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Common allergens: Milk, Gluten, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 10Hands-on 30 minTotal 5 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • For the base: 250g digestive biscuits (or graham crackers)
  • 120g unsalted butter melted
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • For the filling: 500g plain skyr (full-fat if available), 300ml double cream, 100g caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, zest of 1 lemon, juice of half a lemon, 8g gelatine leaves
  • For the topping: 300g wild blueberries or crowberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 80g caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

  1. Crush biscuits to fine crumbs. Mix with melted butter, brown sugar, and cardamom. Press firmly into the base of a 23cm springform tin and chill 30 minutes.
  2. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes until floppy.
  3. Whip the double cream to soft peaks. In a second bowl, beat the skyr with sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and juice until smooth.
  4. Warm 3 tbsp of the skyr mix in a small pan with the squeezed-out gelatine; stir until dissolved, do not boil.
  5. Whisk the warmed gelatine mix back into the skyr, then fold in the whipped cream gently to keep the air.
  6. Pour onto the chilled biscuit base, smooth flat, refrigerate 4 hours minimum.
  7. Simmer berries with sugar and lemon juice for 6 minutes until syrupy but with whole berries intact. Cool.
  8. Unmould the cake. Spoon the cool berry compote across the top just before serving.

Tip from the editors. Frozen wild blueberries work better than fresh supermarket cultivated ones; the tart-and-musky flavour is what distinguishes skyrterta from a generic cheesecake.

Where to eat skyrterta (skyr cake)

Skyrterta (Skyr Cake) in Reykjavik

Sandholt ★ 4.4

$$ ISK 2,500 to 4,500BrunchBakery brunch101

Sandholt on Laugavegur serves an all-day bakery brunch in Reykjavik, with shakshuka, sourdough toasts and savoury waffles by the pastry counter.

OrderThe shakshuka, or sourdough toast piled with eggs and cheese.

TipThe pastries come straight from the bakery in the same room. Arrive early at weekends to beat the queue.

Directions

Cafe Loki ★ 4.2

$$ Nordic101

Family-run Icelandic kitchen across from Hallgrimskirkja on Lokastigur serving meat soup, fermented shark and rye-bread ice cream from 8am to 10pm daily.

Why locals goMost visitors photograph Hallgrimskirkja and leave, missing the small cafe opposite that serves the city's most accessible traditional Icelandic plates.

TipThe easiest place to try rye bread with mashed fish and rye-bread ice cream. Walk-in only.

Directions

Grai Kotturinn ★ 4.3

$$ ISK 2,500 to 4,000BrunchAmerican-style breakfast101

Grai Kotturinn on Hverfisgata is the classic Reykjavik breakfast den, a tiny basement famous for the Truck, a plate of pancakes, bacon and eggs.

OrderThe Truck, a loaded plate of pancakes, bacon, eggs and potatoes.

TipOnly a handful of tables, so a queue is likely. Mornings only, closing mid-afternoon.

Directions

Mokka Kaffi ★ 4.3

$$ Coffee roaster101Public cafe

Mokka Kaffi on Skolavordustigur has roasted its own beans since 1958, the first cafe in Reykjavik to serve espresso and still grinding its in-house roast.

BeansBrazil, Colombia

BrewsEspresso, Whole bean retail

TipThe roasting is part of the heritage here, unchanged for decades. Come for the waffles, stay for the espresso.

Directions

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