Crème Fraîche | Mexican Crema

by Dawn T in Rouxbe Recipes

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Step 1: Making the Crème Fraîche

Making the Crème Fraîche

To make the crème fraîche, pour boiling water into an earthenware crock or a heavy, glass measuring cup.

Allow the container to heat for a minute, then pour out the water. Add the whipping cream, buttermilk and lemon juice. Stir well and cover with plastic wrap.

Store at room temperature for two days or until the mixture reaches the consistency of thick cream. It will thicken even further once refrigerated.

If stored properly, crème fraîche will last up to a week in the refrigerator.

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream (33% M.F.)
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • juice from 1/2 a fresh lemon

Notes

Crème fraîche is available in specialty or gourmet markets, but making it is easy and much less expensive. Plus, making it yourself allows you to personalize it. To do this, add a herb or spice, such as lemongrass, tarragon or even cinnamon after you add the lemon juice. Then let it set and enjoy!

Crème fraîche can be added to soups and sauces and it is less likely to curdle or split due to the high fat content in the cream.

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Mike W

Bad video

Video does not provide any proportions. Weak.

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Text Recipe

Sorry the ingredients were not showing up, it is fixed now. Thanks for pointing this out. Good luck.

Coco H

Substitute for buttermilk

Dawn, is there any substitute for buttermilk as i couldnt find any in m hometown.

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Substitutions for Buttermilk

Hi Coco, there are substitutions for buttermilk; however in the case of Creme Fraiche I am not sure that just any substitution will work. I think you may be better off just doing the Creme Fraiche Shortcut - instead of the buttermilk that is called for, just use a bit of milk instead.

For future reference here is a link (from another site) to some
Substitutions for Buttermilk that you may find helpful. Hope this helps!

Andrew D

Crème Fraîche

I've made this without the lemon juice before. Is the lemon juice added for safety, flavor or both?

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Lemon Juice in Creme Fraiche

This is mostly just for flavor. The bacteria in the buttermilk is what makes it safe to eat.

Andrew D

Crème Fraîche

That's what I thought. I have Made a lot of Crème Fraîche, but next time I'll try the lemon juice never used that before, thanks!

Coco H

Sour creme

Dear Dawn
Can u show us how to make shortcut for sour creme?

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

RE: How to Make Sour Cream

There are a few ways to make sour cream. As for a "shortcut for sour cream?" I would say buying it already made is the best shortcut I can recommend.

However, if you want to make it yourself there are a few ways to go about it. For example, you can strain yogurt and add lemon juice...you can also make it like much like we made the creme fraiche (cream, buttermilk and lemon juice). For specifics you may want to google "How to Make Sour Cream" as I am not sure which method you would like. Cheers!

Caroline D

use this in gratin potato

May I use the creme fraiche in the gratin potatoes instead of heavy cream?

Joe G
Rouxbe Staff

Replacing Heavy Cream w/ Creme Fraiche

I am not 100% but I'm 99% sure this won't work very well. It would likely be too think to cook ingredients in (like simmering heavy cream is). Wish I could give you 100% certainty but I can't without trying.

Is there a reason you would want to use creme fraiche over the heavy cream in the first place?

Caroline D

creme fraiche

Saw a recipe online that's all thanks

Joe G
Rouxbe Staff

If it's a trusted resource, then I say try it...

...and let us know... might be great. Experimenting with cooking is where some of the best learning happens.

Sophia K

creme fraiche

I have been making creme fraiche for year in a small canning jar (such as for jams). I pour in the buttermilk and then warm the heavy cream for 30 seconds in the microwave and pour it in the jar, stir, cover lightly and voila-tomorrow it will be creme fraiche and then refrigerate. This is fast and easy, but your way sounds classier.

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