Eishta or Kaymak
The rich gamoussa (buffalo’s) milk of the Middle East yields, when it is boiled, a cream which rises to the top and is so thick it can be cut with a knife. It is eishta in Arabic and kaymak in Turkish. Every family collects layers of this cream whenever the milk is boiled, to eat with bread and honey or jam for breakfast, or with a variety of pastries. A substitute, though not as splendid, can be made with a mix of heavy cream and milk.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Stir 4 1/2 cups milk with 1 1/2 cups heavy cream. Pour into a wide, shallow dish. Use the widest available, to give the cream the greatest possible surface. Bring to the boil slowly and simmer gently over very low heat, so that it barely trembles, for about 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the heat and let stand for 7 hours before putting in the refrigerator. Chill overnight before using.A thick layer of cream will have formed on the surface of the milk. Using a sharp-pointed knife, detach the edges of the cream from the pan and transfer to a flat surface or a large plate. Cut into squares.
Step 2
Lay the cream flat on pastries or curl it into little rolls.
Step 3
Ordinary thick clotted cream, mascarpone, and whipped double cream are good enough substitutes.
