Ask Nigel: Nigel Slater on fairy cakes and curry with crème fraîche (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for crème fraîche in curry? ›

Sour cream (which has less fat) is the best and easiest substitute, but it's not as rich or tangy as crème fraîche. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt is another substitute, but it doesn't have the same smooth texture or mild flavor.

A Yes, you can use cream or crème fraîche in your curries. What you will get is the same delicious creamy quality to the curry as if you had used yogurt, but it will simply be a little sweeter and milder in taste. You should spice your curry with this in mind.

Coconut cream is an excellent substitute for creme fraiche in recipes that call for a creamy, tangy flavour. It has a slightly sweet taste, but it's not overpowering. Coconut cream is also high in healthy fats, making it a good choice for recipes that require a high-fat content.

What is crème fraîche? A classic French ingredient (the literal translation is 'fresh cream') made from dairy cream that's been soured using bacteria in the form of a starter culture, to slightly thicken and acidify it. Crème fraîche is usually made with cream that has at least a 30% fat content.

More of the original sweet milky flavors come through. Crème fraîche is a fantastic and versatile ingredient in the kitchen. In a broad sense, you can use crème fraîche as a substitute for yogurt, sour cream, or even mayonnaise in most recipes.

Can You Use Greek Yogurt Instead? Greek yogurt is more acidic and tarter than dahi. You can use it in place of dahi, but it can make the curry too sour. However, you can add a bit more sugar or spice to balance out the flavors if you want to use Greek yogurt.

Though crème fraiche is a staple in Europe, it's not so common in the United States. You can find it in some grocery stores and specialty shops, but many American home cooks choose to make their own (more on that later) or use sour cream as an easy-to-find substitute.

Crème fraîche is essentially the European equivalent of sour cream. It's used widely throughout Europe but less commonly in the United States and Canada. Crème fraîche is a dairy product much like sour cream but it has a higher fat content.

Crème Fraîche Substitutes

In addition to sour cream, other ingredients that can be used instead of crème fraîche include thickened cream, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, cottage cheese, mascarpone, ricotta, and Mexican crema.

Sour cream may contain thickening agents like gelatin or polysaccharides to create a smooth texture, while creme fraiche's fermentation process naturally produces a thicker texture than sour cream. Plus, sour cream has a tangier taste than creme fraiche, which has a rich and creamy taste.

Does Trader Joe's sell crème fraîche? ›

Trader Joe's Crème Fraîche Review, $3.99 - Trader Joe's List.

Crème fraîche is a fragile product. From the moment a pouch or pack is opened, the product is no longer protected. This is why it states on the packaging the product should be consumed quickly, usually within 3 or 4 days after opening, whilst the product retains its flavour and nutritional quality.

What Is Creme Fraiche Used For? Because of its high fat content, creme fraiche does not curdle when boiled, which makes it ideal to use as a thickener in sauces and soups. Creme is also used as a finishing touch for sauces and soups, or spooned over fruit or warm desserts such as cobblers.

There are dairy-free, vegan, and healthful alternatives that can take the place of heavy cream and provide savory and sweet dishes with a thick, creamy texture. Alternatives to heavy cream include a butter and milk mixture, evaporated milk, cashew cream, and pureed tofu or beans.

Ricotta Cheese

Of course, other options on my list might come in handy in recipes where the crème fraîche tang is the MVP. Otherwise, this Italian cheese works just fine as a 1:1 substitute. The only thing to keep in mind is its grainy and lumpy texture, which might end up with a different result.

In homemade curries that use yogurt usually 'dahi' is used. Dahi is slightly tangy and not as thick as Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt bus basically dahi strained using a cheesecloth. Most Indian households make their own yogurt using whole milk and yesterday's leftover yogurt.

It will curdle. Yogurt should be thick Greek yogurt which is not very sour. If you are not sure about yogurt use or afraid it will curdle.. Use half yogurt and half cream and mix it in last step after the curry is ready.

Sour cream may contain thickening agents like gelatin or polysaccharides to create a smooth texture, while creme fraiche's fermentation process naturally produces a thicker texture than sour cream. Plus, sour cream has a tangier taste than creme fraiche, which has a rich and creamy taste.

Crème Fraîche Substitutes

In addition to sour cream, other ingredients that can be used instead of crème fraîche include thickened cream, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, cottage cheese, mascarpone, ricotta, and Mexican crema.

In a way, creme fraiche is just soured heavy cream, but soured in a very precise way that can be controlled by whomever is making it. That would be you, we hope, because it's easier to make at home than yogurt, ice cream or even a simple salad dressing.