After a few rounds of our Quick Pickle series, we want to expand our reach into the field of fermentation! Pickling calls for the use of an acid to preserve your final product, while fermentation uses the naturally occurring sugars and bacteria in food to help transform and preserve it. A crowd favorite at CHEF iQ is crème fraiche. This velvety condiment is similar to sour cream, but with a heavier fat content and thicker consistency. Top your spicy tacos, stir it into soups and salad dressings, or bake it into bread and sweets. You can also eat it right off the spoon with some honey and fruit! Although the recipe itself is super simple, it's important that you shop for the correct ingredients. Otherwise, you may end up with a jar of room-temperature cream sitting on your counter. First off, you’ll want to pick up cultured buttermilk, which contains the live cultures you’ll need to initiate the fermentation process. The second ingredient is heavy cream, which is an easy find at the supermarket.
Equipment Needed:
- Glass jar
- Cheesecloth or breathable fabric
Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tbsp cultured buttermilk
Fermenting the Crème Fraiche:
- Combine the cream and buttermilk in a glass jar. Cover tightly with cheesecloth (or any breathable material) and let sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours.
- After 24 hours, stir to combine, put the lid on the jar, and refrigerate for 24 hours before using. Store for up to two weeks, and enjoy!
