If you’ve ever heard of Creme Fraiche as a recipe in anything, you might get curious as to what its superpower is and what it does to your meal. Does it add the same touch to your food, like yogurt or other types of cream like whipped or sour cream?
What exactly makes this french type of cream special? Or is it special at all? Whatever questions might be running a relay race in your head right now, we’re here to answer it all. But, for the sake of knowledge, let’s take it from the top.
What, exactly, is the creme fraiche? Just as you might have guessed, it is a classic French ingredient, and its name translates in English to “Fresh Cream”. Please think of this cream as another version of sour cream, especially because they share some striking similarities.
But, its effect tends to be mild and sweet. We’ll take a deep, curious dive into the world of this thick cultured cream, so you’ll know what you’re dealing with and a possible substitute for the creme fraiche,
especially if you don’t like the touch it gives your food. Keep reading to find out which ingredient does the magic.
Will Crème Fraiche Cool A Curry?
Yes, a creme fraiche would cool a spicy curry, and here’s why. While yogurt might seem like the best way to tone down the spiciness, it doesn’t do this without affecting the curry.
The taste of the yogurt might overpower your curry spice taste. But of course, the goal is to tone down the spiciness, not the overall taste of the curry.
That’s one of the reasons Creme Fraiche is one of the best dairy products for the job. The Creme Fraiche would come out pretty mild in the curry paste, but it would do the job well compared to yogurt. More so, the curry would be tastier while it retains its original taste.
Although, in Indian dishes, they prefer adding a fine blend of Yogurt and Creme Fraiche rather than only the creme fraiche.
The reason is that they think that adding Creme fraiche alone in a meal is not authentic. Hence, plain yogurt is the best. But you can get away with a blend of Yogurt and Creme Fraiche.
Can I Substitute CRÈME FRAÎCHE For Heavy Cream ?
Yes, you can. However, before you substitute creme fraiche with heavy cream, you must consider the recipe you intend to cook.
In other words, there are specific contexts where you can use heavy cream instead of creme fraiche. The reason is that they are both different in some respect.
You can use sour cream almost the same way you use a creme fraiche because they are not too different. And practically, people refer to creme fraiche as a type of sour cream.
Hence, they can’t exactly replace each other in every cooking context. Nevertheless, you can still replace creme fraiche with heavy cream but only in cooking contexts like sauces and soups.
Here’s a trick when you’re doing this. Do not add the cream at the beginning of the cooking. You’re better off adding it towards the end of your cooking so that it makes your sauce look rich and thick.
If you’d love to add that tart taste to your sauce, you should add a slight squeeze of lemon juice in the mic, and you’re good to go. Just ensure that you do not allow the heavy cream to boil when adding it to your sauce instead of creme fraiche.
What Is Crème Fraîche Used For?
Thanks to its nutty flavor, Creme Fraiche is a much-desired ingredient in the kitchen. It is versatile, and chefs who know understand the depths of the creme fraiche deploy it to the fullest.
Most chefs love to use this diary product as the base of most of their recipes, while others fancy it as a topping.
Nevertheless, this diary product can be used in diverse ways. For starters, chefs add this creme into sauce and soups to get that delicious thickness.
The best part is that creme fraiche has a low-fat content. So, you do not need to worry about it curdling when you need to use it to thicken your sauce and soups.
You can also mix this creme with spices to give you a fantastic dressing for salad. You can also use Creme Fraiche as a meat topping. Simply mix it with citrus and herbs to get the best meat topping.
On the most basic level, you can add this delicious dairy to your scrambled eggs to get a different taste. It also plays a delicious role in baking cookies, bread, etc.
Can I Use Crème Fraîche Instead Of Clotted Cream?
If you ever run out of clotted milk and do not know how to make DIY clotted milk, you can use Creme Fraiche.
The reason is that you have to get a dairy product that is similar in consistency and texture to clotted milk to get the clotted milk recipe you want to try. So far, creme fraiche has a thickness and richness that’s similar to the clotted milk.
Creme fraiche is a healthier replacement for clotted cream and a lot of reasons. For starters, the creme fraiche has a nutty taste, just like clotted cream. More so, Clotted cream is not cultured. Hence, it lacks the bacteria that improve your gut health.
However, creme fraiche is culture, so it possesses the important bacteria that boost gut health. More so, if you’re cautious about your calorie intake, Creme Fraiche is the better option as it contains a lesser calorie count compared to clotted cream.
Is Crème Fraîche Healthier Than Cream?
Yes, it is healthier than cream. For starters, it contains low fat as opposed to a cream. The calorie content is also quite low compared to regular creams. It’s not too difficult to tell as it has a sour taste to it.
Nevertheless, if you’re a dieter, you probably shouldn’t swap your cream with creme fraiche. The reason is, although it is low in calorie and fat content, it is still a bit high for you as a weight watcher.
To regular people, its calorie and fat content is perfect. But it’s different for weight watchers. As a weight watcher, there are diverse alternatives for you.
Can Crème Fraîche Be Heated?
Yes, you can heat the Creme Fraiche, and it’s all thanks to its low-fat content. The low-fat content allows the creme fraiche to sit in high temperatures without curdling.
As a result, you can boldly add it to any recipe of your choice or use it as the base for any condiment. You can use this diary when you cook pasta.
Conclusion
Now that you know a bit of the superpower of the creme fraiche, it’s safe to believe that you’ll try to make magic with it one day in your kitchen.
Generally, deploying this dairy product in your recipes is perfect. It drastically reduces your calorie intake and is a healthier option. And if you’re not confident, simply use it to reduce the spiciness in your curry paste.
References
- https://www.thekitchn.com/crme-frache-what-is-it-and-wha-120461
- https://www.dietsandcalories.com/2012/07/weight-watchers-low-fat-creme-fraiche.html
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-using-creme-fraiche#how-to-use-creme-fraiche
- https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/food-network-essentials/what-is-creme-fraiche