Our French Crème Fraîche Recipe tastes amazing it’s very similar to sour cream in the United States. Creme fraiche is a thick fermented dairy product–sour cream in french means “Fresh Cream”. French sour cream is simple to make at home plus it tastes far better than store bought sour cream. Sour cream in France is perfectly simple to make at home… we share how to make french creme fraiche!
Why we love French Crème Fraîche Recipe
We’re going to be exploring it through the eyes of the at home french cook. I’m a classically trained French Chef and I love it!
However, classical french cooking is typically a special occasion way of preparing food and not what most people typically eat in France on a daily basis.
Culinary School + French Crème Fraîche Recipe
When I was in culinary school, I remember making Crème Fraîche all the time! In all my classes we used it in both savory and sweet applications; it’s just that versatile. Quite frankly, I simply adore it.
It’s worlds above the ‘normal’ sour cream that we’re used to here in the states. Maybe because it’s made in small batches right at home?
It’s so easy to make and tastes fresh and fabulous!
How to make French Crème Fraîche Recipe at home!
French Crème Fraîche is something you’ve just got to try in your kitchen. It stores beautifully in the fridge for up to two weeks and it tastes amazing on pretty much everything! I’ve even been drizzling some on my morning oatmeal.
Oooooh la, la!
Instructions forFrench Crème Fraîche Recipe
- In a small glass mixing bowl, whisk together cream and buttercream.
- Cover with a clean dish towel and allow to sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours or until the mixture thickens.
- Pour into a clean air tight jar and refrigerate.
- Use within 2 weeks.
Now, were turning back the hands of time to 2007 when my sister, Camey, and I visited France and Italy together! Holy Moly these photo’s old and poor quality but at least you get the idea…
I love our Culinary Journey Around the World … have you had a chance to make some crêpes with our French Pâte à Crêpes recipe? Be sure to save a 8-10 crepes to make FrenchGâteau de Crêpes à la Florentine!
Oh my goodness. Both of these recipes are completely delightful.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time12 hours
Total Time12 hours 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk
Instructions
- In a small glass mixing bowl, whisk together cream and buttercream.
- Cover with a clean dish towel and allow to sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours or until the mixture thickens.
- Pour into a clean air tight jar and refrigerate.
- Use within 2 weeks.
- Enjoy French Crème Fraîche Recipe!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 136Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 18mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
More French Recipes
•
• French Gâteau de Crêpes à la Florentine
•
• French Pâte à Crêpes Recipe
• French Potage Saint-Germain
• French Pâte Brisée Sucrée
• French Tarte Au Citron
French Crème Fraîche Recipe is a French home cooks staple ingredient, a must have in every kitchen!
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One more thing before you go. . .
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FAQs
Crème fraîche is essentially the European equivalent of sour cream. It's used widely throughout Europe but less commonly in the United States and Canada. Crème fraîche is a dairy product much like sour cream but it has a higher fat content.
What is a substitute for crème fraîche? ›
Easy Substitutes For Crème Fraîche
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.
Does Trader Joe's sell crème fraîche? ›
Trader Joe's Crème Fraîche Review, $3.99 - Trader Joe's List.
What is French crème fraîche? ›
What is crème fraîche? 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.
Is crème fraîche just sour cream? ›
Sour cream may contain thickening agents like gelatin or polysaccharides to create a smooth texture, while creme fraiche's fermentation process naturally produces a thicker texture than sour cream. Plus, sour cream has a tangier taste than creme fraiche, which has a rich and creamy taste.
Can you use cottage cheese instead of crème fraîche? ›
Crème Fraîche Substitutes
In addition to sour cream, other ingredients that can be used instead of crème fraîche include thickened cream, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, cottage cheese, mascarpone, ricotta, and Mexican crema.
Can you buy crème fraîche in the grocery store? ›
Though crème fraiche is a staple in Europe, it's not so common in the United States. You can find it in some grocery stores and specialty shops, but many American home cooks choose to make their own (more on that later) or use sour cream as an easy-to-find substitute.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of crème fraîche? ›
Tangy full-fat Greek yogurt is a great substitute for crème fraîche in a pinch. Though it isn't as high in fat, it will provide a similar creamy texture and can be subbed at a 1:1 ratio. It works in both sweet and savory recipes.
Can you make your own crème fraîche? ›
Crème fraîche is so easy to make at home with just heavy cream and cultured buttermilk. Sure, it takes a couple of days to make, but the effort is minimal, and the payoff is marvelous! It has a higher fat content than sour cream which makes it less likely to curdle when you cook with it.
Is crème fraîche hard to find? ›
Crème fraîche is harder to find and more expensive than sour cream. So it's natural to wonder if you can just sub in sour cream when a recipe calls for it.
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.
Is crème fraîche expensive? ›
I buy creme fraiche once a year, tops. At around $7 for the tiniest tub, it's not something that really makes sense in my grocery budget, especially in this moment of ever-increasing prices at the supermarket.
What is the American term for crème fraîche? ›
Creme fraiche, called the same in America as in France where it originates (properly spelled "crème fraiche"), is a cultured cream, meaning it has been soured and thickened with bacterial culture. Compared to sour cream it has a lower water content and a higher fat content.
Where would you find crème fraîche? ›
Crème Fraiche - Tesco Groceries.
Can you buy crème fraîche in us? ›
Buy your favorite Creme Fraiche online with Instacart. Order Creme Fraiche from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
Does crème fraîche have another name? ›
Crème fraîche, French for “fresh cream” and anglicized simply as creme fraiche, is a thick cultured cream. Cultured cream is cream soured with a bacterial culture, similar to sour cream or Mexican crema.
What's the difference between mascarpone and crème fraîche? ›
How Do Mascarpone and Crème Fraîche Differ? Mascarpone and crème fraîche, a French cultured cream, share a rich, creamy consistency. However, crème fraîche is more acidic and has a 30-percent fat content (compared to 50 to 85 percent fat content in mascarpone), which results in a lighter, thinner cream.
Is crème fraîche the same as heavy cream? ›
In a way, creme fraiche is just soured heavy cream, but soured in a very precise way that can be controlled by whomever is making it. That would be you, we hope, because it's easier to make at home than yogurt, ice cream or even a simple salad dressing.
