My Motto

May the muffin rise to greet you, may your friends be always at your door, and until we meet again, warm a single-malt in the palm of your hand and make something homemade for someone you love.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Home Made Crème Fraiche

This is the instant version and it was fab too!
Every once in a while a recipe I'd like to make calls for creme fraiche.  My local market doesn't sell it, so when I learned you could make it yourself, I jumped at it.  What can I say?  I'm a Yankee.  There are specialty markets around that sell it, but it can be expensive, and why make a special trip when you can make it yourself, very easily?  And it's not as if you're making a substitute, this is the real thing.  The recipes came from the regional cookbook, Marblehead Cooks.  Creme fraiche has a slightly tangy taste and a velvety, luxurious texture that can really dress up a dish.  I love all things cool and creamy and where that is concerned, creme fraiche is just the Belle of the ball.  If a doctor ever told me I was lactose intolerant, I might actually want to shoot myself.
This took about 18 hours to thicken

Home Made Crème Fraiche

1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons buttermilk

Combine cream and buttermilk in a glass jar and whisk until well blended.  Cover and let stand at room temperature in a draft-free area, whisking several times, until mixture has thickened (about 24 hours).  Chill thoroughly before using.  Crème fraiche will keep covered in a refrigerator for 10 days to 2 weeks.


Instant Crème Fraiche


1 cup whipping cream, whipped with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons sour cream

Fold whipped cream into sour cream.  Cover and chill until serving time.  Instant Crème Fraiche will keep covered in refrigerator for 1-2 days.

     10 Easy Uses of Crème Fraiche:
  1. On toast with jam or smoked salmon and capers
  2. Anywhere you would use whipped cream, or whipped together in equal parts with whipped cream
  3. Add a dollop on soup (hot or cold)
  4. Add a dollop on scrambled eggs or an omelet
  5. Add a dollop on a baked potato
  6. Add a dollop on fresh berries or cooked fruit (baked apples, bananas foster, grilled peaches)
  7. Add a tablespoon to pesto before you toss it with pasta
  8. Stir in horseradish with a squeeze of fresh lime as a topping for fish or roast beef
  9. Add a spoonful to sauteed mushrooms and shallots for a creamy finish
  10. Stir together 1 1/2 cups creme fraiche with 1 1/2 cups gruyere cheese and pour over 3 pounds peeled, thinly sliced potatoes for a lovely gratin (bake 1 hour at 350).








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