With just 2 ingredients you can make thick and creamy crème fraîche ~ no more last minute trips to the supermarket to buy one of those overpriced little tubs!
Never run out of crème fraîche again
The other day I was making my Simple Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart and I was so frustrated when my regular grocery store didn’t have any crème fraîche available. That’s one of the few downsides to the explosion of so many different types of foods we now have available to us in grocery stores…there simply isn’t the shelf space for all of them. It got me thinking about trying a homemade version of crème fraîche.
Crème fraîche is basically a cultured cream
Crème fraîche (pronounced “krem fresh”) is a type of cultured dairy product that originated in France. It is made by adding bacterial culture to heavy cream and allowing it to thicken and sour over time, giving it a tangy flavor and creamy texture. Basically, it’s a French version of sour cream, but more luxurious and subtle. Not quite as sour, or as thick as sour cream, though. It’s more of a tangy custard.
making crème fraîche is so simple!
You can make crème fraîche at home with just two ingredients: heavy cream and a bacterial culture.
what you’ll need
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk or sour cream
how to make it
- In a clean, dry jar or container with a lid, combine the heavy cream and buttermilk/sour cream.
- Stir well to fully combine the ingredients.
- Cover the jar/container with a lid or cheesecloth and let it sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
- Check the mixture after 12 hours to see if it has thickened and developed a tangy flavor. If not, let it sit for a few more hours until it reaches the desired consistency and taste.
- Once it has thickened, stir the mixture and then cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight to fully set.
- Your homemade crème fraîche is now ready to use!
It’s a little like making yogurt only with a cream base instead of milk, but nothing gets heated or cooked. And it’s much easier. All you need to do is stir a little buttermilk into heavy cream, and let it sit so the bacteria can do their job. It will thicken into a silky crème fraîche in about 12 to 18 hours. You can literally do it in your sleep!
Homemade Crème fraîche replaces mayo, cream, sour cream, yogurt, and mascarpone cheese
Crème fraîche has a slightly higher fat content than sour cream, so when you add it to hot food it won’t break down or curdle like sour cream sometimes does. You can stir it into a sauce at the end to get a beautiful glossy finish and rich flavor. You can mix it with mayo when you’re making potato or shrimp salad. Stir it into an omelet or scrambled eggs. It makes amazing dips, salad dressings, and frostings. Sweeten it and use it like whipped cream with desserts and fruit.
how long will it last?
Homemade crème fraîche typically lasts for about 1 to 2 weeks when stored properly in the refrigerator. However, the exact shelf life can vary depending on factors such as the freshness of the ingredients used, the temperature at which it was stored, and the level of acidity in the crème fraîche.
To maximize the shelf life of homemade crème fraîche, store it in an airtight container and make sure your refrigerator is at least 40°F (4°C) or below. It’s also important to use clean utensils when handling the crème fraîche to prevent contamination.
Recipes using crème fraîche
- Crème fraîche forms the base layer in my Simple Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart
- Stir it into Wild Mushroom Soup for a creamy finish.
- It makes a rich sauce for my Cocktail Meatballs Stroganoff.
- Use it in place of mascarpone cheese in this fruit tart.
Homemade Creme Fraiche
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp cultured buttermilk (look for it with the regular milk in your supermarket) You can also use sour cream.
Instructions
- In a clean, dry jar or container with a lid, combine the heavy cream and buttermilk/sour cream. Make sure you stir to combine everything completely.
- Cover the jar/container with a lid or cheesecloth and let it sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
- Check the mixture after 12 hours to see if it has thickened and developed a tangy flavor. If not, let it sit for a few more hours until it reaches the desired consistency and taste.
- Once it has thickened, stir the mixture and then cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight to fully set.
- Your homemade crème fraîche will last 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Great looks on the new site design!
I was forced to make creme fraiche when I wanted to try Smitten Kitchen’s peach pie recipe two years ago. The pie was awesome to eat and the creme fraiche was a cinch to make using her recipe. I was so stoked being able to use it in a variety of recipes now that I could make it and not hunt it down in a specialty store. I tried making it again this past winter. It was a fLoP! Never thickened. After reading your post I wonder if it was because I screwed a cover onto the jar while it cultured? I will try it again hoping the loose cloth cover does the trick. I have to make another fresh peach pie before the peaches are a distant summer memory :-\
I read that you have to let air circulate while it is culturing, so that could have been it. The cover just has to keep bugs, etc, out, so you can use cheesecloth, or whatever you have around. You said it was winter, and that could be a problem, too. It sits at room temperature, but try to find a warmish spot.
Thanks for this!! I love being able to make things myself. Small amounts and SO inexpensive, perfect for one. Love your blog 🙂
never thought to make my own creme fraiche and never thought it would be or look this easy. You did an amazing job! it looks perfect
I had no idea it was so basic! I guess the french words intimidated me right off the bat 😉 Thanks for sharing this… for some reason I always shy away from recipes involving heavy cream because I’m afraid it’ll overpower everything with an abyss of creamy richness, but creme fraiche might be a good alternative because I just love the tang of buttermilk.
I know just what you mean, I hesitate to use heavy cream, but creme fraiche just has that chic French way of making it all seem ok 🙂
I don’t think my comment published – so I’ll try again. I am with you on not being able to find what I’m looking for in just one store. It often requires a trip to 3 stores to find less main stream products. I always have buttermilk so thanks for this easy recipe! I still love your site so much – beautiful job!
You are so right Sue – sometimes I have to go to several different stores to find everything I need. Sad but true so thanks for this wonderfully easy recipe! Buttermilk I’ve got!
Wow. This is SO much less expensive than creme fraiche! Especially since I always seem to have buttermilk around!
I know, what’s up with the price of food these days? I think some of the fancy brands are actually from France…can you imagine paying for it to be flown over? This is waaay better!
I am so pleased you have posted this. So many times I have gone to buy creme fraiche and there is none and so I have used sour cream instead. Don’t know why the penny has not dropped before …………of course a little buttermilk. I wonder if sour milk would work as well? I have been using sour milk in bread and pastry making lately and it is amazing. Maybe I have a cast iron stomach too!
Hi Mary — I’m not sure about the whey, but I think you can substitute a few tablespoons of the yogurt for the buttermilk. Try that and see. Let me know how it turns out!
It’s so pretty here!
I love the sray of flowers above the title..LOVE.
And your pic too..Well done!
I will make this Sue..Thanks..