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About the Recipe
Traditionally, cultured cream was made by setting raw or fresh cream out on the counter for 8-24 hours. Over time, the cream would naturally thicken and sour because of the bacteria and enzymes present in the raw milk.
While we use raw milk when making ours, I do like to add small amount of some sort of starter culture to my raw cream to kickstart the process (I usually use yogurt). I’ve found this tends to help fortify the process, ensuring a beautiful, thick cultured cream.
Cultured cream is just as it sounds – culturing or fermenting cream by adding different beneficial bacteria allowing it to develop a tangy or slightly soured taste. Both sour cream and crème fraiche are a type of cultured cream. Essentially, cultured cream is the only ingredient in both sour cream and crème fraiche.
Ingredients
Raw Cream - 2 cups
Cultured Buttermilk, reserved from making butter - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
Step 1
Pour cream into a mason jar and mix in the starter culture. Use a nonreactive spoon like stainless steel or wood.
Step 2
Place jar into a small saucepan filled partially with water. About 1/3 of the way up the jar.
Step 3
Heat saucepan over low to medium heat until the cream reaches 85 degrees Fahrenheit or around 30 degree Celsius. If you boil you will kill the beneficial bacteria.
Step 4
Immediately remove from heat.
Step 5
Cover jar with a clean kitchen towel (without lid) and place in a warm spot (around 70-75 degree Fahrenheit) for 8-24 hours until cream has thickened and lightly soured.
Step 6
Place in fridge to store, it should thicken a bit in the refrigerator. Use as desired.
