No crème fraiche? No problem. Here's everything you need to know about what to substitute for crème fraiche — and how to make your own DIY alternative:
What Is Crème Fraiche and What's a Good Substitute?
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.
Crème fraiche and sour cream are alike in a lot of ways and they can be substituted on a 1:1 ratio (if your recipe calls for ½ cup crème fraiche, use ½ cup sour cream).
Crème fraiche and sour cream are both creamy, rich, and tangy, but they do have some very notable differences that will affect the outcome of your recipe.
Crème Fraiche vs. Sour Cream
Sour cream is about 20 percent fat and crème fraiche is about 30 percent fat. This small — yet important — distinction means crème fraiche is not prone to curdling. Sour cream, meanwhile, is prone to curdling when heated.
This means you should really only try to substitute sour cream for crème fraiche if it's being used cold or at room temperature. If you must use sour cream as a thickener, wait until the soup or sauce is off the heat source before stirring it in.
Crème fraiche is also thicker, richer, and less tangy than sour cream, so you should consider how important those factors are before substituting ingredients.
Sour cream isn't the only perfectly adequate crème fraiche substitute. You can also try one of these alternatives:
DIY crème fraiche: Your best bet is, without a doubt, making your own substitute. All you need is buttermilk, heavy cream, and a little bit of patience. Scroll to the next section for more information about how to make your own crème fraiche.
Mascarpone: If you're short on time, try using mascarpone. The Italian cream cheese has a comparable texture and taste, but mascarpone is sweeter. It works best as a substitute in dessert recipes. Substitute on a 1:1 ratio.
Full-fat Greek yogurt: Though it isn't nearly as rich as crème fraiche, you can use full-fat Greek yogurt as an alternative in a pinch. Substitute on a 1:1 ratio.
How to Make Crème Fraiche
You really don't need a recipe to make crème fraiche at home, but you may find it helpful to have specific measurements and instructions — that's where Chef John's super simple, one-step recipe comes in.
All you have to do is combine two cups of heavy cream with three tablespoons of buttermilk in a jar, then wait for two days for the mixture to magically thicken.
Make sure to use cultured buttermilk and the freshest pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) cream you can find. You can use your new DIY crème fraiche anywhere you'd normally use store-bought sour cream (but it'll taste so much better).
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.
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.
Creme fraiche has a lower fat content compared to mascarpone, typically around 30-40%, and is known for its velvety texture and rich taste. Mascarpone and creme fraiche can be used interchangeably in some recipes, but their distinct flavors and textures make them better suited for specific applications.
If you can't find crème fraîche at your local grocery store, sour cream can be used as a 1:1 substitute, and vice versa. Just keep in mind that sour cream is a bit more sour in flavor and less rich than crème fraîche. "Crème fraîche can substitute in any recipe that calls for sour cream," suggests Druart.
Can I use mayonnaise instead of creme fraiche? While you can easily replace mayonnaise with creme fraiche in most recipes, it's harder to use mayonnaise to replace creme fraiche. That's because creme fraiche is often used in sweeter, dessert style recipes and isn't quite as tangy as mayonnaise.
Creme fraiche is thicker, richer (see: fat content), and less tangy than sour cream, and since it won't curdle if you boil it, it's great to use in soups and sauces.
Terminology. A literal translation of crème fraîche is "fresh cream." However, in French-speaking countries, crème fraîche may refer to either: (A) the thick fermented product, crème fraîche épaisse or fermentée, or (B) a liquid cream, crème fraîche liquide or fleurette.
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.
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.
There is a product out called Philadelphia Cooking Creme. Some find it to be a great substitute for creme fraiche and it doesn't separate at high temperatures.
Crème fraîche is incredibly simple to make at home: You simply combine cream with a small amount of buttermilk and allow it to rest in a covered container at room temperature for about 12 hours. Within the day, the cream will have transformed into a thicker, tangier, and more spoonable version of itself.
Sour cream is the most common substitute for crème fraîche, since both have a slightly sour taste and are cultured. You can substitute an equal amount of sour cream for crème fraîche in just about any type of recipe.
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.
Coconut cream is an excellent substitute for creme fraiche in recipes that call for a creamy, tangy flavour. It has a slightly sweet taste, but it's not overpowering. Coconut cream is also high in healthy fats, making it a good choice for recipes that require a high-fat content.
Creme fraiche is made entirely from heavy cream, which is 36 to 40% butterfat. Sour cream is made in a similar process, but it is only 20% cream. The extra cream in creme fraiche imbues it with the magical properties of more butterfat.
All right, ricotta presents a tangy-sweet dance that nicely graces your baked treats instead of crème fraîche. Of course, other options on my list might come in handy in recipes where the crème fraîche tang is the MVP. Otherwise, this Italian cheese works just fine as a 1:1 substitute.
So essentially the major difference as it relates to your cooking is in fat content. Sour cream is about 20 percent fat. Creme fraiche is around 30 percent.Yogurt is only around 10-12 percent fat.
Introduction: My name is Gregorio Kreiger, I am a tender, brainy, enthusiastic, combative, agreeable, gentle, gentle person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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