How to Make Homemade Crème fraîche (2024)

FAQs

How is crème fraîche made? ›

A classic French ingredient (the literal translation is 'fresh cream') made from dairy cream that's been soured using bacteria in the form of a starter culture, to slightly thicken and acidify it. Crème fraîche is usually made with cream that has at least a 30% fat content.

Creme fraiche is thicker, richer (see: fat content), and less tangy than sour cream, and since it won't curdle if you boil it, it's great to use in soups and sauces.

Let stand at room temperature for 16 to 24 hours. Once cream has considerably thickened, place in refrigerator to set up completely, about 4 hours. Homemade Crème Fraîche should keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Sour cream (which has less fat) is the best and easiest substitute, but it's not as rich or tangy as crème fraîche. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt is another substitute, but it doesn't have the same smooth texture or mild flavor.

How to Make Crème Fraîche. Combine cream and buttermilk in a glass jar, cover tightly with cheesecloth, and let sit at room temperature until thickened. Stir the mixture, screw on the lid, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before using. That's it!

Creme fraiche is a rich, tangy dairy spread made from fresh heavy cream that has been soured and thickened by carefully added live cultures. Creme fraiche can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, and can be added before, during or after cooking.

Crème fraiche and sour cream are alike in a lot of ways and they can be substituted on a 1:1 ratio (if your recipe calls for ½ cup crème fraiche, use ½ cup sour cream).

The flavor of crème fraîche is slightly less tangy than sour cream but the texture tends to be thicker, and the taste overall is richer because it gets about 90% of its calories from fat. Unsurprisingly, crème fraîche is French for "fresh cream." Crème fraîche is phonetically pronounced "krem fresh" in English.

Crème fraîche and crema are both less tangy than sour cream, but crema (also known as Mexican crema) has a thinner consistency than both sour cream and crème fraîche. Crema also has a slightly sweeter flavor and works well to balance smokey, spicy flavors.

Typically, crème fraîche will keep for up to eight weeks if refrigerated. If separation occurs, gently stir the liquid back into the crème fraîche. If any mold forms on the surface of the crème fraîche, discard it immediately.

Can you use sour cream in place of crème fraîche? ›

Choosing between the two all depends on how you plan to use it. Because sour cream has less fat but more protein, simmering or boiling it will result in curdling, so use crème fraîche in sauces or soups instead (unless you just stir sour cream into something once it's cooked and off the heat).

Another creme fraiche substitute in a pinch? Greek yogurt! However, keep in mind that Greek yogurt is not nearly as rich and creamy, and the flavor is much tangier than creme fraiche. This substitution can work in baking recipes, but it will change the texture because there is less fat.

Terminology. A literal translation of crème fraîche is "fresh cream." However, in French-speaking countries, crème fraîche may refer to either: (A) the thick fermented product, crème fraîche épaisse or fermentée, or (B) a liquid cream, crème fraîche liquide or fleurette.

Heavy Cream

Cream has a high fat content and won't curdle, so use it as you would creme fraiche in soups and sauces. You can also whip your cream to use as a substitute for creme fraiche. Whipping your own cream allows you to make it whatever thickness and consistency you want, from runny to almost buttery.

Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta cheese and creme fraiche both have a tangy taste, but creme fraiche wins out on smoothness and richness. Because of its lumpy and slightly grainy texture, ricotta works better as a substitute for creme fraiche in pasta dishes rather than in a silky and creamy sauce.

Double cream has a higher fat content – around 48-50 per cent, and it's not commonly available here. Crème fraîche, on the other hand, is cream that's had a culture added, making it slightly sour in flavour. It's around 40 per cent fat. If you're trying to cook healthily, however, cream is not an everyday ingredient.

The main difference between Cream and Crème FraÎche is that the former is made from the higher-fat layer that appears on top of the milk, while the latter is a type of Cream that is made after fermenting the Cream. It is done so by using lactobacillus, a kind of bacteria.

In industrial settings, both crème fraîchee and sour cream are made with pasteurized milk inoculated with specific bacterial cultures, with the main difference being that crème fraîche is fattier and thicker, and sour cream is tangier, lower in fat, and has a more liquid texture.