The differences between crème fraîche, double cream and heavy cream - Healthy Food Guide (2024)

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The differences between crème fraîche, double cream and heavy cream - Healthy Food Guide? ›

Double cream has a higher fat content – around 48-50 per cent, and it's not commonly available here. Crème fraîche, on the other hand, is cream that's had a culture added, making it slightly sour in flavour. It's around 40 per cent fat. If you're trying to cook healthily, however, cream is not an everyday ingredient.

Creme fraiche sounds fancy and expensive. It's not fancy, however, and it doesn't have to be expensive at all. 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.

A In a nutshell, soured cream is single cream that has been given a sharp, sour edge by adding a bacterial culture; creme fraiche is double cream similarly cultured but made from cream with a high fat content and is richer and thicker.

The flavor of crème fraîche is slightly less tangy than sour cream but the texture tends to be thicker, and the taste overall is richer because it gets about 90% of its calories from fat.

Double cream lives up to its name by boasting one of the highest butterfat contents of all the cream varieties, weighing in at 48%. (For extra context, heavy cream or heavy whipping cream's fat content is 36-38%, and whipping cream's is 30%.)

While heavy cream is high in calories and saturated fat, it also contains essential nutrients like calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D. Consuming heavy cream in moderation can contribute to a balanced diet, but excessive consumption may lead to weight gain and increased risk of heart disease.

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.

Creme fraiche is not a good substitute for double cream as you cannot whip it so the filling will be heavier. However to reduce the fat a little you could use whipping cream instead of double cream.

If you don't have double cream, use single cream or crème fraîche instead. Soft cheese, such as cream cheese, can be used as alternative too – it's richer than the cream, so 100g/3½oz should be plenty, along with an extra splash of water.

Sour cream is the most common substitute for crème fraîche, since both have a slightly sour taste and are cultured. You can substitute an equal amount of sour cream for crème fraîche in just about any type of recipe.

Is crème fraîche unhealthy? ›

Rich in calcium and probiotics, crème fraîche can help to promote gut health, but its high-fat content might not align with everyone's dietary goals. The best way to make informed choices when incorporating crème fraîche into your meals is by understanding what your body wants and needs.

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 can also fluff up your cheesecake, mousse, or frosting. One of the biggest differences between crème fraîche and crème Anglaise is that crème fraîche usually starts with unpasteurized cream.

Rich or double cream doesn't contain any thickening agents and usually has a fat content of at least 48% or more. Pure cream doesn't usually contain any thickening agents and has a fat content of around 40%. With 35% milk fat, thickened cream contains additives such as gelatin, vegetable gum or other modifiers.

The cream should contain enough fat, at least 30%. Single cream won't whip but whipping cream (36%) and double cream (48%) will. Thick cream and clotted cream don't need whipping, they have a different, heavier, smoother texture than whipped cream. Whipping cream will be lighter and fluffier than double cream.

Double cream is the British term for heavy or whipping cream in the United States, but it is a little thicker than our whipping cream.

Sour cream is the most common substitute for crème fraîche, since both have a slightly sour taste and are cultured. You can substitute an equal amount of sour cream for crème fraîche in just about any type of recipe.

Heavy cream is called crème liquide, crème fluide, or crème entière in French.

Crème fraîche is usually made with cream that has at least a 30% fat content. This creates a product that is naturally thicker and creamier in flavour, with a lower level of acidity than sour or soured cream, although not too dissimilar in favour, crème fraîche is a little higher in fat, and so creamier.

It's truly an everyday kitchen staple and is delightful added to sweet or savory dishes. It's good for baking in cakes, or lightly sweetening and topping slices of pie. Its food BFF may be the potato, but we'd also add a spoonful to soups or stews, pasta, or even in a salad dressing.