Icelandic Skyr Bowl with Wild Bilberries, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Birch Syrup and Cardamom Granola

Make the cardamom granola: preheat oven to 160C (320F). In a large bowl, combine oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds, coconut, cardamom, cinnamon and salt. In a small saucepan, gently warm the birch syrup with the oil until just liquid. Pour over the dry mix and stir thoroughly until every oat is coated. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer.

Ingredients

• For the skyr base:
• 500g (2 cups) plain skyr — substitute thick Greek yogurt strained for 2 hours through cheesecloth if skyr is unavailable
• 60ml (1/4 cup) cold whole milk — to slacken the skyr to a creamy spoonable consistency
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp Icelandic birch syrup or pure maple syrup
• For the cardamom granola:
• 200g (2 cups) rolled oats
• 60g (1/2 cup) raw pumpkin seeds
• 40g (1/3 cup) chopped almonds
• 30g (1/4 cup) flaked coconut
• 60ml (1/4 cup) Icelandic birch syrup or maple syrup
• 30ml (2 tbsp) neutral oil
• 1 tsp ground cardamom — freshly ground from green pods is best
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• For the topping:
• 200g (1.5 cups) wild bilberries or blueberries — fresh or frozen and thawed
• Extra birch syrup for drizzling
• Edible Icelandic angelica or fresh thyme leaves for garnish
• Lemon zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Make the cardamom granola: preheat oven to 160C (320F). In a large bowl, combine oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds, coconut, cardamom, cinnamon and salt. In a small saucepan, gently warm the birch syrup with the oil until just liquid. Pour over the dry mix and stir thoroughly until every oat is coated. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer.
2. Bake the granola: bake for 22-25 minutes, stirring once at the 12 minute mark to ensure even browning. The granola is done when it is uniformly golden and smells deeply toasted. Cool completely on the tray — it crisps as it cools and forms larger clusters if left undisturbed.
3. Prepare the skyr: in a bowl, whisk the skyr with cold milk, vanilla and 2 tbsp birch syrup until smooth and creamy. Skyr is much thicker than yogurt — the milk is essential to achieve the proper creamy bowl consistency. Taste and add a touch more syrup if you prefer a sweeter base.
4. Prepare the berries: if using frozen bilberries, thaw briefly until they release a little juice but remain whole. If using fresh, gently mash a third of them with a fork to create a natural berry compote and leave the rest whole.
5. Assemble the bowl: divide the sweetened skyr between 2-3 wide shallow bowls. Use the back of a spoon to create a swirl in the surface. Spoon the mashed berries over the swirl and then scatter the whole berries on top.
6. Add the granola and finish: shower a generous handful of cardamom granola over half the surface — leaving the other half showing the white skyr and berries for visual contrast. Drizzle birch syrup back and forth across the bowl in thin lines.
7. Garnish and serve: finish with a small pinch of lemon zest and a tiny sprig of angelica or thyme. Serve immediately while the granola is crisp and the berries are still cold.
8. Skyr (pronounced skeer) is a cultured milk product that has been made in Iceland since the Viking settlement era of the 9th century — it is technically classified as fresh cheese rather than yogurt because it is made by separating the curds from the whey. Skyr was historically the daily food of Icelandic farmers and an essential portable protein source for shepherds working the highlands. Modern Icelanders eat skyr at every breakfast and the country produces nearly 4 kilograms per person each year. Birch syrup is tapped from Icelandic birch trees in spring and reduced to a dark caramel-flavored syrup with a uniquely smoky profile that pairs perfectly with the tart skyr. Wild bilberries (aðalbláber) are foraged across the Icelandic highlands in late summer and are smaller and more intensely flavored than their cultivated American cousins.