Yes, okay, I think it every time too: (Not for children's eyes)
Let's move on. Creme fraiche ("crehm fresh") is so simple, and delicious in so many applications, that there's no reason not to have it around all the time. It has a lovely sweet flavor, not nearly as tangy as sour cream. Is your stomach sensitive to dairy? Well, when milk products are fermented, the lactose is significantly broken down. Plus the enzyme activity that occurs as a result of fermentation helps digest the lactose that still exists. Amazing! This is the reason that if you have a chance to ferment your cream before making butter/ice cream/whipped cream (all of which can be made from creme fraiche), do it! Your gut will thank you. Raw cream is best, but pasteurized is okay too, since the fermenting will restore some of the enzymes lost to pasteurization. Remember how important your gut health is! This is a great way to help take care of it.
Europeans have been doing this forever, so if your instinctive "don't leave milk products sitting out!" pipes up, just ignore it and trust me. It's only in the West that milk is consumed in an unfermented state! Fermented milk products have higher vitamin B and C contents, too!
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream (raw is best, pasteurized and non-homogenized is good too)
1-2 Tbsp cultured buttermilk
Mix together, cover with a coffee filter, and allow to sit out on the counter for 24-48 hours. I use 2 Tbsp of buttermilk, and culture for 48 hours for optimum fermentation action. I made a double batch so I could have a big jar of creme fraiche and turn the other jar into cultured butter. Once it has thickened, stir it once again and put in the refrigerator. As long as you're using it semi-regularly, it should last the couple of weeks it takes for you to eat it.
Use it on top of scrambled eggs and soups! Make your own ranch dressing! Put a little dollop in your dog's dinner for a special treat!
I'm impressed with your writing ability. Where did you learn all this stuff? When did you grow up? Seriously. Now one question: can you explain how creme fraiche differs from sour cream and yogurt?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandra! It's an ongoing process, I just keep learning because I find it so interesting (plus I want to be healthy forever!). The basic difference is that sour cream is made from pasteurized cream and milk and has had things added to it (bacterial cultures, stabilizers like gelatin, etc) to thicken it, whereas creme fraiche is traditionally made from raw cream which already has the bacteria and enzymes present in it. We've added those from buttermilk since this cream is pasteurized. Also, creme fraiche can be whipped into whipped cream, and cooked without curdling, both of which sour cream can't do. I don't know much about yogurt, except that it is made from culturing milk and not cream. <3
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