Cremé Fraiche in French means fresh cream but it is actually a sour cream which is luxurious in flavor and texture.
2 cups of heavy-pasteurized cream. Do not use ultra pasteurized. On a low flame warm it slightly then turn off the heat. Do not boil! Add 3 Tablespoons of Buttermilk and and stir in. The cultures in the Buttermilk turn the cream into Crème Fraîche.
Thickening the Cremé Fraiche:
Put the warmed through Buttermilk & heavy cream in a glass jar with a lid on it. Leave out at room temperature for 24 hours. The cultures in the Buttermilk will protect it. Every 6-8 hours, stir it. After 24 hours put in refrigerator for another 24 hours. This is when it will continue to thicken and turn into Crème Fraîche.
How to Use Cremé Fraiche:
It’s like sour cream but it has many more advantages. You can whip it into fluffy whip cream, you can add sugar and serve with fresh berries or piesè, or add a pinch of salt and serve it atop soup in a squeeze bottle, you can make zig zags or spirals or just put a dollop of it in the Butternut Squash soup. Add chopped chives.
The best advantage of Crème Fraîche is you can cook with it in a cream sauce and it will not separate or curdle like sour cream.
I really encourage you to try this at home!!! It keeps at least 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
