Making crème fraîche is really simple. You’ll find it difficult to resist repeating this mysterious exercise once you’ve experienced the wonder of this handmade sour cream. Yes, it takes a few days, but there is very little work involved, and the results are wonderful.
| Prep Time: | 5 mins |
| Additional Time: | 2 days |
| Total Time: | 2 days 5 mins |
| Servings: | 32 |
| Yield: | 1 pint |
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons cultured buttermilk
Instructions
- Combine cream and buttermilk in a glass jar. Cover tightly with cheesecloth (or any breathable material) and let sit at room temperature (70 to 75 degrees F (21 to 24 degrees C)) until thickened, about 24 hours.
- Stir mixture, then screw on the lid. Refrigerate for 24 hours before using.
- Be sure to use the best, freshest cream you can find. Look for pasteurized, not ultra-pasteurized heavy whipping cream.
- Make sure to use cultured buttermilk. Otherwise, you will wait a whole day to see nothing happen.
Reviews
Ultra pasterized heavy whipping cream worked just fine with the requisite cultured buttermilk. Washed and sterilized a quart mason jar, letting it “air dry” to avoid contaminating. Shake the cream and pour in (1 pint = 2 cups) and shake the container of buttermilk and add the 3T. Covered with a clean new tea bag and elastic band. It’s summer so plenty warm but I placed it into the water used to sterilize the jar (it was 110 degrees), it cooled quickly and then put it in my microwave overnight. Checked it in the morning – it was already thick and gorgeous. Gave it a stir and a taste after 14 hours and it’s perfection already. Going to pop into the fridge tonight following the 24 hour advise. Going to buy more cream to make another batch to use up the remaining buttermilk. So easy and is LITERALLY foolproof!
Buttermilk tends to be higher in sodium. Creme fraiche and mascarpone have no added sodium. Sodium is an issue for hypertension, heart issues, kidney stones, and other health concerns. This substitute may not be appropriate for those of us who need to control sodium. Luckily, I live in a large urban area and I can find creme fraiche and mascarpone. It may be something you may want to address for those of us who have these concerns.
How do you use creme Fraîche from the last batch to make the new batch? This is the first time I made it and used ultrapasteurized whipping cream. It turned out great, nice and thick!! Thank you!
The first time I saw Crème Fraîche as an ingredient in a CJ recipe I thought there was no way I could afford to go get it every time he used it (because it is a lot!). However, this recipe is dead simple and ends up being a fraction of the cost at the grocery. The result is a very unique taste that adds a pleasant tang to any recipe you would use cream. I use a mason jar and leave a paper towel over the top and under the ring without the lid. Definitely a new cooking staple in my fridge. Thanks, Chef John!
We use Creme Fraiche for over 20 years in Sweden. We have even creme Fraiche with different flavors. Then I ‘ve move to US in 1999 and couldn’t find it in US. I have asked my Supermarket and they finally brought it . Until then I have made my own recipe !
I had been hearing about “Crème Fraîche” for years, and like many, just skipping right on by and using whipped cream, whipping cream, sour cream, etc.. A few years ago I made this very recipe, mostly out of curiosity… sort-of a personal funny, ha-ha science project. WOW, was I delightfully surprised. My refrigerator has not been without Crème Fraîche ever since. It is so far and away so much better than any of its cousins; I love it. And it loves me. Right after it has made (right after that 24 hour wait), just before I give it a brisk shaking and refrigerate it, I usually add a tiny bit of simple syrup, but only because I have a bit of a sweet tooth. I have no problem using Crème Fraîche a-la natural without any sweetener. If you are used to sweetening whipped cream when whipping cream, you too will probably prefer sweetened Crème Fraîche as well. In any case, Crème Fraîche is way more healthy than any of it’s cousins (hey, it’s cultured… it has all those oh so good for your gut bacteria). I even use it in my bullet-proof coffee instead of cultured butter. I also use it to restore good gut bacteria while using, and especially after using, antibiotics. Don’t be like me and miss out on enjoying all the amazing benefits of this wonderful delicacy any longer… try it!
I used dried Buttermilk and the culture became active when mixed with water, worked perfectly. I guess it acted like dried yeast for baking. Thanks again John…
I filtered the mix through a coffee filter in a funnel over a jar. That way I can control the viscosity from very thin to very thick. Same great taste.
I was trying to make cultured butter and made this on accident. I was searching the web to find out what the heck I made.
Love this recipe, tastes better than store bought and use it on everything.
Wonderful recipe!! These days very difficult to find whipping cream that’s not ultra pasteurized so I had to use that. I did warm the cream and buttermilk up to room temperature and kept it in a warm space. It thickened up beautifully. Delicious!!! Thank you Chef John.
I made this and it turned out perfect. I put it on homemade carrot cake. Everyone was asking for the recipe. Said it tasted like cheesecake on top of the carrot cake.
It’s really good. I only had ultra pasteurized cream, so thought why not try. It seemed to work. I have just stirred it and put into refrigerator. Licked the spoon after, delicious.
Super easy! I am so pleased with this recipe I used ultra pasteurized organic heavy whipping cream and it worked just fine. I had some old buttermilk I had been ‘growing’ by adding whole milk to it. Was interested to see if it would still work and it did. Thank you again, Chef John!
After 24 hrs. using cultured buttermilk pasteurized, heavy cream and in house over 70F it’s still very runny (not at all like video). In fridge now. Should I wait ‘til tomorrow or just buy crepe fraiche? Need fir dinner party on Sat.
I love this recipe! Made exactly as written and it came out a perfect consistency with a great taste. Thank you Chef John for all your contributions . ??
Perfectly easy and so delicious. I’ll never buy crème fraiche again! I used ultra pasteurized cream because I couldn’t find pasteurized and it set up beautifully.
Because my kitchen wasn’t warm, I used my crock pot filled partially with warm water. I left the crock pot on warm. When I went to bed, I turned off the crock pot but left my jar in the water overnight. In the morning it was thickened. I placed it in the refrigerator for the additional 24 hours. It was thickened with a watery substance on the bottom of my jar. I decanted the liquid by placing a knife to the bottom of the jar and letting the liquid pour off down the knifes edge. My creme fraiche is perfect.
You CAN use yogurt INSTEAD of buttermilk! Buttermilk is a byproduct of cultured butter. Cultured butter is made by mixing cream and yogurt! I did a side by side test one batch using buttermilk 3 Tbls …..Another batch using 4 tsp of plain yogurt (sigis) BOTH turned out great and I couldn’t tell the difference between the two! No need to BUY buttermilk or search for Cultured buttermilk! Just make sure the yogurt has live and active c ultures in it! Use the same procedure as chef johns recipe ( sit 24 hours …refrigerate 24 hours) I PROMISE IT WILL WORK!!
At some point, creme fraiche became hard to come by at our local Kroger (even though it’s the nicest one around). Found Chef John’s recipe for it and I never even check for it at the store anymore. This is far less expensive, very easy, and results in a perfect product.
Works like a charm. The only downside is buying a quart of buttermilk for the 3 Tablespoons you need.