This is, by far, the easiest thing to make; no heating or straining required. You simply mix fresh cream with some live-cultured buttermilk and allow it to sit out on the benchtop for 24–48 hours. That’s it! I can find a million uses for crème fraîche. I’ll often mix a bit into vinaigrettes to soften them or toss some into cream-based sauces or sweet whipped cream because I like the delicate acidity. It is a great thing to always have in the fridge and a little can go a long way.
Makes 600 g (1 lb 5 oz).
Ingredients 2
600 ml cream
80 ml buttermilk, live-cultured (see note)
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Method 4
Mix the and together and place in a jar or plastic container, leaving the lid off.
Place a sheet of paper towel or muslin (cheesecloth) over the top and tie it onto the jar to hold it in place and prevent anything from dropping in.
Leave to sit at room temperature for 24–48 hours depending on the temperature in the room.
Once coagulated, it will appear thickened. Pull off the paper, replace the lid on the jar and refrigerate for several hours to fully cool. This should last a few weeks in the refrigerator.
Danielle Alvarez's tips
It is essential to find live cultured buttermilk to make crème fraîche. Be sure to read the label of the buttermilk you are buying. Substitute with live active kefir if you can’t find a cultured buttermilk.
If you wanted to even take this crème fraîche a step further, you could whip it in a freestanding electric mixer and make your own cultured butter.
