Panna cotta is Italian, skyr is Icelandic, and the combination is exactly what a Nordic dessert should be: short ingredient list, technique that looks harder than it is, and a pure, clean flavour from good dairy. This version swaps most of the cream for skyr, so the set is lighter and the tang is real. ## The short version Bloom gelatin in cold water. Warm cream with honey and vanilla, whisk in the gelatin, then fold the warm base into cold skyr. Pour into glasses, chill overnight, serve with a spoonful of compote or just a drizzle of honey. ## What you need (Makes 4 small glasses.) - 4 g gelatin sheets (or 4 g powdered gelatin + 3 tbsp cold water)

• 200 ml double cream
• 60 g good honey, plus extra for serving
• 1 vanilla pod, split and scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• A pinch of fine salt
• 300 g plain organic skyr, cold ## How to make it 1. Bloom the gelatin. Submerge the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes until soft. If using powdered gelatin, sprinkle it over 3 tbsp cold water in a small bowl and leave for 5 minutes.

2. Warm the cream. Combine the cream, honey, vanilla seeds (and pod), and salt in a small saucepan. Heat gently, whisking, until the honey dissolves and the cream steams. Do not let it boil. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the gelatin. Squeeze the water out of the sheets and drop them in. (Or scrape in the bloomed powdered gelatin.) Whisk until fully dissolved, 30 seconds. Fish out the vanilla pod.
4. Temper. Put the skyr in a cold bowl. Whisking constantly, pour in the warm cream in a slow stream. Whisk until completely smooth. The base will still be quite liquid.
5. Pour and chill. Divide between four glasses. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. The panna cotta is set when the surface barely wobbles when you tilt the glass.
6. Serve. Drizzle with extra honey, add a spoonful of berries or compote, scatter crushed spelt crackers if you want crunch. ## Why it works Skyr is a strained fresh cheese, not a yogurt, it is high in protein and low in fat. Mixing it cold with a warm gelatin base keeps the fermented tang sharp; heating skyr directly makes it taste cooked and dulls the culture. The small amount of cream carries the vanilla and smooths the texture. ## Notes - Sheets vs powder. Sheets give a cleaner texture but the total weight (4 g) is what matters.

• Less sweet? Drop the honey to 40 g. The tang of the skyr is the whole point.
• Dairy-free version. Not really the dish. The skyr is the dish.
• Unmoulding. Easier if you oil the glasses first with a neutral oil. Dip briefly in warm water, invert onto a plate, shake gently.
• Pairs with. Roasted barley tea, a strong espresso, or a glass of cold pressed apple juice.