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.
I made this using 1 cup heavy cream and 3 tbsp yogurt. Left it for 20 hrs, and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe! So easy, will definitely make more in the future!
I forgot just how easy it is to make your own creme fraiche. I will be making a fresh batch tomorrow with your recipe for my mushroom soup!
Oh there is nothing like an amazingly creamy creme fraiche topped on sliced fresh fruit, or anything really! Yum! Thanks for the great directions!
This is so much more simple to make than I ever would have thought – I will definitely be making my own creme fraiche from now on 🙂
I had no idea Creme Fraiche was so easy to make! This recipe looks easy to follow and delicious. Yummy!
What a convenient recipe. Not only is creme fraiche expensive but not at the local market which means I usually have to travel to the gourmet market to get it. Thanks so much for this. Will definitely keep it on hand the next time I need creme fraiche
Can you freeze the rest of the buttermilk in ice cube trays, and use it for future creme fraiche? I can’t think of anything else I want to make that involves buttermilk. (Oh, wait, biscuits!) Actually, I might try with heavy cream and yogurt … surely, that will work as well as buttermilk?
Great question, first of all, I never have an issue with the rest of the buttermilk because I use it in so much of my baking, and it keeps a really long time. And as for yogurt, I haven’t tried that, I’d be curious to hear how it turns out if you try.
where can I get the jar?
I just used a recycled jam jar, Thomas, but mason or canning jars work great, too.
What if you don’t have buttermilk ?
You’ll need buttermilk for this recipe, but you can find it right with the regular milk in most grocery stores.
Have you tried making this in the instant pot on the yogurt setting? I’m betting the results would be great.
I will try this next!
Great idea, I’m on the verge of getting an instant pot, I keep hearing great things about them…let us know if you try!!