Homemade Crème Fraîche

Filed in archive Recipes on March 31, 2008

Crème Fraîche is often described merely as French sour cream. But that is far too simple of a comparison.




Crème fraîche has a more complex flavor than standard sour cream. It is at the same time tangy as well as velvety smooth and rich.
It can be used to make lovely, moist cakes, as a delicious topping for strawberries or as a nice contrast to the sweetness of brownies, and is spectacular when swirled into creamy soups.

I often find recipes in my French cookbooks that call for crème fraîche and before we moved to France it was impossible to find. So I made my own. I understand that it is now available at some grocery stores in America, but it can be ridiculously expensive. I suggest you try making it yourself. The process is relatively simple, and once you get a taste for crème fraîche, you'll be hooked!

To make 1 cup of crème fraîche, pour 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream into a clean jar, add 2 tablespoons buttermilk or yogurt, cover the jar tightly, and shake it for about a minute. Then just leave the jar at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, or until the crème fraîche thickens slightly. How quickly it thickens will depend on the temperature of the room - the warmer the room, the faster it will thicken.
When it is nice and thick, chill the crème fraîche in the refrigerator for a day before you use it.
It can be kept in the refrigerator, covered, for about 2 weeks and will get a bit tangier day by day.