Add One Ingredient And Your Sour Cream Will Become Crème Fraîche

At first glance, crème fraîche and sour cream may seem almost identical, but the two are very different. Crème fraîche can be found in the grocery store, but it's usually much more expensive than sour cream or other tangy dairy products like yogurt, since it is often perceived as a more artisanal or fancy product. Luckily, there is a low-cost, low-effort way to make crème fraîche at home with sour cream and heavy cream.

Crème fraîche, French for simply "fresh cream," has origins in France and was once made by leaving cream freshly milked from a cow out at room temperature for a while. That might sound unsafe, but the bacteria naturally present in the dairy actually inhibit spoilage while also lending the cream a sour tang. Unless you're milking your own cow, though, it's difficult to find unpasteurized dairy in the United States, so those beneficial bacterial cultures need to come from another source — and sour cream is the perfect option. Using sour cream as the culture to create crème fraîche will yield a thick and tangy result. You only need to mix a few tablespoons into a cup of heavy cream to transform the dairy products. Let the mixture sit covered at room temperature for at least 12 hours, and if it's not thick enough to your liking, leave it out for a few more hours.

If you're out of sour cream, don't fret — you have other options. When I worked for an upscale catering kitchen, we frequently made large batches of crème fraîche with heavy cream and buttermilk. The two ingredients sat out at room temperature in covered hotel pans for a day or so until they thickened and turned tangy. We then moved it to the refrigerator, where it continued to thicken and develop slightly. Although the transformation happens at room temperature, once the crème fraîche reaches your desired thickness, it must be stored in the refrigerator in a container with a lid. Your homemade crème fraîche will last in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

If you're looking for the best ways to use crème fraîche, start with places you'd normally use sour cream. Its thick, tangy richness is a great addition to fold into whipped cream for cakes or baked goods for a slightly sour twist, but it also shines in savory applications. Saute mushrooms with garlic and butter and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche sprinkled with chives, swirl it into pureed vegetable soups, spoon it on savory chickpea pancakes, or top almost any kind of potato with it, from garlicky smashed potatoes to a classic baked potato.