Summer in my family starts when the first Koldskål and Kammerjunker are served!
The classic Danish summer dessert, Koldskål, which literally means “a cold bowl”, is a refreshing, cold, custardy buttermilk soup with vanilla and lemon, served with crumbly cardamom crackers (which may or may not be totally addictive!). I like to add fresh strawberries or other fruit to my Koldskål or when feeling extra fancy some shaved dark chocolate on top.
I am absolutely 100% confident when I say that this will become your go-to summer dish when you give it a try – Koldskål with Kammerjunker will make anyone’s heart sing on a hot summer day. It is the optimal snack, the easiest dessert, and hey, if you are melting, make it your dinner!
My koldskål recipe is easy and fast and can absolutely be made in advance and the same goes for the Kammerjunker (the biscuits).
Traditionally Koldskål is made with Buttermilk and full-fat yogurt (tykmælk), lemon, and/or vanilla. You can of course get creative and make it into various flavors and combinations thereof. But I do encourage you to try the traditional first, it might sound simple, but it is unbelievably refreshing and surprisingly lovely.
I’ll never forget when I was offered this classic danish summer dessert for the first time on a warm summer night in Copenhagen for what feels like hundred years ago (but truly it’s almost been 20 years!). I was majorly skeptical about a dish described with the words buttermilk and soup right after one another, and truth be told, I passed on it that very first time.
The second time I didn’t pass and since then there have been no regrets and no looking back. Koldskål and Kammerjunker are the true essences of summer, then, now and forever.
My 6-year-old is unfortunately allergic to dairy, but that doesn’t stop us from making Koldskål, today we made a dairy-free version using plant-based almond yogurt and believe it or not it tastes amazing! Who would have thought that a buttermilk soup without the buttermilk would taste so authentic?
Scroll down to find both the dairy-free Koldskål recipe and the original buttermilk one along with the Kammerjunker recipe.
Looking for more Danish or Scandinavian desserts and recipes? Check out my book From The North, it is jammed packed with easy, authentic recipes such as this one!
Here is my FAVORITE Strawberry Summer Cake recipe if you are in more of a cake kinda mood.
Recipe: Koldskål
If you do not have a vanilla bean you can use 1 tsp good quality vanilla essence. Just add it to the buttermilk/yogurt and not the eggs when mixing.Ingredients
- 3 large (or 4 small) egg yolks
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) Sugar
- 1 Vanilla Bean
- 2 cups (500 ml) Buttermilk
- 2 cups (500 ml) Plain Yogurt (or Plain Skyr)
- 1 Lemon, Juice and Zest
Directions
- Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer if you have one. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out, add them to the eggs. Whisk until light and fluffy.
- Gently fold in buttermilk and yogurt, lemon juice and zest.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Serve ice cold with kammerjunker and fresh strawberries or other summer fruits.
Recipe: Kammerjunker
If you do not have a vanilla bean you can use 1/2 tsp good quality vanilla essence. Just add it along with the other wet ingredients.Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 cup (50 gr) Sugar
- Seeds from 1/2 Vanilla Bean
- Zest from 1 Lemon
- 1 heaping tsp Cardamom (ground)
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Buttermilk (or nutmilk)
- 3/4 stick (85 grams) Butter, cut or crumbled to small pieces
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
- Stir the flour, baking powder, sugar, vanilla bean, lemon zest and cardamom in a bowl
- Add the egg, buttermilk (or nut milk), (vegan) butter. Use your hands and fingers to knead and pinch the dough together in the bowl. It will come together quickly and easily.
- Form small balls (approximetly the size of 1/2 tbsp) and place on the baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove froom the oven and when cool enough to handle split the cookies in two (horizontally) and lay, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Turn the oven down to 375°F (180°C) and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Recipe: Dairy-free Koldskål
If you do not have a vanilla bean you can use good quality vanilla essence. Just add it to the yogurt and not the eggs when mixing.Ingredients
- 3 large (orr 4 small) Egg yolks
- 1/4 cup (50 gr) Sugar
- 1 Vanilla Bean
- 16 oz (450 g) Plain plant based yoghurt (I use Kite Hill)
- 15 oz (450 g) Vanilla flavored plant based yogurt (I use Kite Hill)
- 1/2 cup Almond milk
Directions
- Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer if you have one. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out, add them to the eggs. Whisk until light and fluffy.Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer if you have one. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out, add them to the eggs. Whisk until light and fluffy.
- Mix together the two yogurt types, lemon juice and zest (and vanilla essence if using)
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
