Crème fraîche, French for “fresh cream,” is a popular and versatile cooking ingredient. It adds a creamy texture and tangy flavor to many dishes. Even better? You can make it at home with just a few ingredients.
If you’ve been to the supermarket lately, you’ve probably noticed that creme fraiche is expensive. Making your own saves you money and you can decide what’s in it. No funky, hard-to-pronounce ingredients.
Keep reading to learn how to prepare this delicious ingredient and how to use it in your next cooking experiments.
What is fresh cream?
It can be confusing to understand the difference between creme fraiche, regular cream, cream, yogurt and sour cream. These dairy products are made from bacterial cultures and cream, but each tastes different.
Compared to some yogurt, one of the world’s most popular forms of fermented milk, or sour cream, crème fraîche has a thicker, creamier consistency that sets it apart. In Eastern Europe, sour cream is a common ingredient used in cooking.
Traditionally, sour cream was prepared by leaving the cream at room temperature until partially fermented. Then the acid produced by the lactobacilli acted as a preservative and created a thick, tart flavor.
On the other hand, fresh cream is thicker and contains more fat. This means that when cooking with fresh cream, you don’t have to worry as much about curdling, making it ideal for throwing in sauces for pasta portions or stews.
Sour cream tends to curdle from heat, so it is often provided as a side dish for dipping and serving on a plate to complement other flavors rather than being used in recipes.
Creme fraiche versus Mexican cream
Another common comparison to creme fraiche is Mexican creme. It is a slightly sweet and thick cream often confused with fresh cream. To create Mexican cream, you need the help of mesophilic bacteria.
It is also possible to make this cream at home with buttermilk. The good thing about Crema Mexicana is that it can also be included in cooking because it does not curdle.
Of course, the choice is personal, but creme fraiche is the best choice for a tangy and thick texture. Crema Mexican is a bit thinner.
Now that you know about crème fraîche and how it compares to other dairy products, let’s move on to making it at home.
How to make fresh cream
You only need a few ingredients to start this recipe. You will need buttermilk and heavy cream.
You should also have a container to hold the finished product. Take a jar or a small bowl. A jam jar is great if you already have some in your house, but you can also recycle honey jars, fruit jars, or whatever else you can find in your kitchen.
Then you will also need cheesecloth or a napkin.
To make about two cups, use two cups of cream and three tablespoons of buttermilk.
Start by pouring the cream into a jar or bowl. Next, pour the buttermilk into the bowl or pot. Stir gently to combine the two ingredients.
Some people find that 2 tablespoons of buttermilk is not enough to thicken the mixture, so you can add an extra tablespoon. You can always modify the recipe according to your personal taste.
Finally, cover the jar or bowl with cheesecloth or a thin towel. Place the jar in a warm place for at least 12 to 36 hours to allow the mixture to bind. Once you notice the mixture thickens to the texture you like, you can seal it with a lid on the jar.
Move the jar of creme fraiche to the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Making fresh cream is not complicated; it’s about practicing and finding the consistency you want through trial and error.
Tips for making fresh cream
In general, you should avoid placing the jar of fresh cream in a cool place. Don’t be afraid to place it near a wood-burning stove or radiator. This is the best way to speed up the process and ensure it gets thick.
The mixture should be somewhere around 70-75°F.
It’s best to check the mixture every 6-12 hours as this allows enough time between watching for the cream to thicken and you to see the results. Less than that, and you won’t be able to notice much of a difference. Usually it only takes 24 hours to set up.
If you live somewhere with freezing winters, it’s a good idea to make crème fraiche when the weather is slightly warmer. You can choose a sunny day or wait for spring or summer.
But if you can’t wait, place it near an oven or on top of the refrigerator. Do not place it in front of an air register or it may dry out.
Use sour cream at home
After preparing your fresh cream, it’s time to use it in your kitchen!
To give you some inspiration, this section brings together the best crème fraîche recipes that you can start using right away!
Chicken with fresh cream
There’s nothing better than a creamy chicken meal after a long day of working on your property or tending to your plants. So why not put homemade crème fraîche in your chicken dish?
All you need are the following ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts
- Olive oil
- Fresh cream
- Old-style mustard
- 2 cloves garlic
- Thyme (dried or fresh)
- Chicken stock cube
- Parmesan cheese
- baby spinach
This is a great recipe if you have friends or family coming over for a meal or want to cook something simple and nutritious. Pour a drizzle of olive oil in a large casserole dish and brown the chicken.
Fry the garlic cloves and the thyme together in a pan for two minutes with a little olive oil. Pour in the broth, mustard and fresh cream and whisk until it becomes creamy.
Add grated parmesan for a little cheesy taste. Then add the chicken and baby spinach and let the ingredients simmer. Finally, season with pepper and additional spices and serve.
Mushroom Linguine With Crème Fraîche Sauce
If you don’t eat meat, there are still delicious options for using fresh cream. For example, you can make mushroom linguini with fresh cream with simple ingredients.
Here are the main ingredients of this recipe:
- Mushrooms (white or brown)
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1-2 shallots
- Fresh or dried thyme/parsley
- Long pasta (linguine, spaghetti or fettuccine)
- Lemon juice
- Fresh cream
- Crushed red pepper
- Parmesan pieces
Start by browning the mushrooms in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Ideally, you want to use a non-stick pan, which makes cooking the mushrooms easier. Once the mushrooms are tender, you can sauté the garlic and shallots.
Next, you can boil the pasta, so it is ready at the same time as the mushrooms. Then add the lemon juice (one teaspoon) and the fresh cream. Finish by tossing the pasta with the mushroom sauce.
Grab bowls of pasta and serve this amazing meal.
Add it to dishes
You can use fresh cream for sweet and savory dishes.
For example, here is a list of savory dishes that go perfectly with fresh cream:
- Add to pasta sauce for a creamy texture
- Make a dip for vegetables using herbs
- Spread on pizza instead of tomato sauce
- Mix into a savory like quiche or onion pie
But if you are more greedy, these options are for you:
- Fruit cocktail garnish
- Use for strawberry pies
- Decorate other desserts with a spoonful
- top ice cream
Crème fraîche is a great choice for cooking because it doesn’t curdle but also provides a wonderful flavor.
It’s also perfect for low-carb diets and packed with probiotics, which is great for your gut health.
Was this article helpful?
Yes No ×
We appreciate your helpful feedback!
Your response will be used to improve our content. The more feedback you give us, the better our pages will be.
Facebook pinterest