Crème Fraîche - Everything You Need to Know
Crème Fraîche is that one ingredient that is not often used, more commonly misunderstood, and sometimes made into a synonym for sour cream. Today we are going to change all of this. So after hours of research, here is what I came up with.
Crème Fraîche is a French word that translates into “fresh cream”. In all reality it is a quite simple product to make. However, only until recently has it become widely available in the states.
How to make Crème Fraîche at home:
Combine 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 2 tbsp of buttermilk. Put into a glass jar. Some people heat the mixture for a bit, but do not heat to more than 85 degrees F, this will destroy the bacteria cultures. Let sit at room temperature for 4-12 hours, then mix it all up. Voila!
How Crème Fraîche is produced on a farm:
After the cows are milked, they let the cream sit out and let the natural lactic bacteria work. The cream would thicken to produce a tart cream called Crème Fraîche.
Benefits of Crème Fraîche:
- Unlike sour cream, can be mixed with air and whipped
- Can be cooked without curdling
- Has a longer shelf life than sour cream
- Has a consistency like cream cheese
