Cream cheese is much denser than crème fraiche and not as tangy, so it won't be an exact flavor exchange, but is still a good option in a pinch. What is this? For a similar creme fraiche substitute, use cream cheese that comes in a plastic container (it's softer) and add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Cream cheese has a similar creamy, slightly tangy flavour to crème frâiche, and can be substituted at a ratio of 1:1 in most recipes.
Crème Fraîche Substitute: Cream Cheese
Cream cheese is tangy and creamy like crème fraîche, but it's much denser. If you're using it in a dip, you'll need to thin it out with milk or another creamy dairy product. Cream cheese can't be drizzled or dolloped either, so it won't work well as a topping.
Sour cream (which has less fat) is the best and easiest substitute, but it's not as rich or tangy as crème fraiche. Full fat plain Greek yogurt is another substitute, but it doesn't have the same smooth texture or mild flavor.
Mascarpone (in desserts).
The best substitute for creme fraiche, other than making it yourself? Mascarpone. Mascarpone is essentially an Italian cream cheese with a lightly sweet taste. Its rich and creamy texture is very similar to creme fraiche.
Crème fraîche is easily accessible in Aussie supermarkets and you should be able to find it on the shelf at your local Woolworths or Coles. If you're feeling adventurous, have a go at making your own! All you need to do is add 1-2 tablespoons of buttermilk or yoghurt to a few cups of heavy cream.
Substitute on a 1:1 ratio. Full-fat Greek yogurt: Though it isn't nearly as rich as crème fraiche, you can use full-fat Greek yogurt as an alternative in a pinch. Substitute on a 1:1 ratio.
In industrial settings, both crème fraîchee and sour cream are made with pasteurized milk inoculated with specific bacterial cultures, with the main difference being that crème fraîche is fattier and thicker, and sour cream is tangier, lower in fat, and has a more liquid texture.
Can I use milk instead of crème fraîche? Crème fraîche is much denser and creamier than milk, so you'll want to use a heavy whipping cream instead of traditional milk.
Sour Cream Substitute: Cream Cheese
Great news—it's a good replacement for sour cream! Cream cheese is thicker, so you'll need to loosen it up a little before using. For every 1 cup of sour cream called for in a recipe, use 6 ounces cream cheese thinned with a tablespoon or two of milk, buttermilk or water.
At first, Lawrence simply referred to his new product as “cream cheese.” It sold modestly well — well enough to attract the attention of a wily cheese distributor, Reynolds, who repackaged it under the boastfully resonant moniker “Philadelphia Cream Cheese.”
Cream Cheese. While sour cream is made by fermenting cream, cream cheese is made by curdling milk, draining it, and processing it into a smooth, soft cheese. As a result, cream cheese does not have the same sour taste that sour cream has.
Crème fraîche: Crème fraîche, French for “fresh cream” and anglicized simply as creme fraiche, is a thick cultured cream. Cultured cream is cream soured with a bacterial culture, just like cultured buttermilk. Crème fraîche has a nutty, tangy, slightly sour flavor and a fat content of around 30 percent.
The most important difference you should know between yogurt and crème fraîche is that yogurt is made from milk while crème fraîche is made from heavy cream; and this initial difference of starting ingredients affects the culturing process and ultimately the flavor and texture of the final product.
Crème fraîche, French for “fresh cream” and anglicized simply as creme fraiche, is a thick cultured cream. Cultured cream is cream soured with a bacterial culture, similar to sour cream or Mexican crema. Creme fraiche has a nutty, tangy, slightly sour flavor and a fat content of around 30 percent.
Mascarpone is the Italian version of creme fraiche, still soured by a lactic culture but is milder and sweeter. They all have a delightful, piquant edge and are perfect for partnering dense chocolate cakes.
What Does Creme Fraiche Taste Like? Creme fresh tastes like a fresher, richer, tangier version of sour cream. Richer because it has more butter fat, tangier because of a different set of bacteria and fresher because it's typically made in smaller batches.
Cottage cheese is made by curdling milk with acid, making it a great substitute for crème fraîche. It has a milder flavor than crème fraîche but still provides a creamy and rich texture. To make this substitute, mix 1 cup of cottage cheese with ¼ cup of heavy cream.
What You'll Need: Creme Fraiche (A French slightly sour cheese. You can substitute it with cream cheese, sour cream or even plain yogurt if you can't find it.)
Coconut cream is a great vegan substitute for creme fraiche. Coconut cream has a high-fat content like creme fraiche so it will give you a similar consistency. However, coconut cream has a strong flavor that will come through in the recipe.
For an 8-ounce block of cream cheese, place the completely unwrapped cheese on a microwave-safe plate and microwave it on high for 15 seconds. Add 10 seconds for each additional 8 ounces of cheese or as needed until you have softened the cream cheese.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese in brick form is our product that is used primarily in cooking and baking.
Philadelphia works well with both sweet and savoury dishes. Try mixing with a little icing sugar to decorate a cake, spread a small amount over wraps instead of sour cream when making fajitas, or use to make a dip.