Tuesday’s Tip with The Kitchen Whisperer – How to make homemade Crème Fraiche

Crème Fraiche is something I never can find in the store. Thankfully on today’s Tuesday’s Tip with me I’m sharing with you how to make homemade Crème Fraiche!

Crème Fraiche is one of those things that, living in countrybumpkinville, is something my grocery store never carries. It took me almost 10 years for them to carry Irish Butter and my holding out for them to carry crème fraiche is something I don’t have time for. So I had to become resourceful and make my own.

But first do you know the difference between this and sour cream? Sour cream has about a 20% fat content while the crème fraiche has 30%. Sour cream has a thickener it in like gelatin or rennin while crème fraiche doesn’t. Sour cream is well, sour in taste where crème fraiche isn’t. And since crème fraiche doesn’t contain any additive to thicken it, it’s naturally thicker.

The usage of these 2 items are pretty interchangeable to a degree. Since sour cream is higher in protein (thanks to the addition of the gelatin or rennin) and lower in fat, you have a higher chance that it will curdle when added to hot liquids.

So how do you make it?  Easy!

1. Combine 2 cups heavy cream (pasteurized, not ultrapasteurized) with 2 Tbl buttermilk in a glass jar. Don’t use metal as this can potentially cause a reaction to the mixture.
2. Let it sit at room temperature partially covered for 24 hours.
3. Stir and then put it in the fridge to chill.
4. Use within 2 weeks.