fromage blanc et creme fraiche

 has this happened to you? you are reading the list of ingredients and there it is again, creme fraiche. followed by the usual, “sold at some supermarkets and at specialty food stores”  or how about the ingredient fromage blanc, close behind, “available at gourmet markets”. i dont know about you, but my a&p certainly doesn’t carry fromage blanc. the closest whole foods being an hour south and with gas prices steadily climbing i decided to make my own.

this turned out to be tres simple. i could not have been happier with the results. fromage blanc is a soft cheese that can be beaten until smooth. its very light and refreshing. it can be added to recipes, mixed with herbs, or served with fresh fruit. really simple to make, all you need is milk and a culture (buttermilk) to curdle the milk.creme fresh is a heavy cream thats been slightly soured. not as sour or thick as sour cream. it can be whipped and can also be cooked without curdling. and i love it. very much.

its super easy to make and lasts for upwards of a week in your fridge.      

creme fraiche

you should make this 18-24 hours before you plan on using it

•  1 C heavy cream
• 1 T buttermilk

mix the two in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap or put into a small container with a lid. let it sit out overnight. it wont get gross, the bacteria in the buttermilk is working its magic here, i promise. in the morning put it into the fridge and it with thicken a bit more.  stays good for 7-10 days.

fromage blanc 

• 1 quart whole milk
• 1/2 C heavy cream
• 1 C buttermilk
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/4 t salt 

combine the buttermilk and lemon juice in a small bowl. in a heavy saucepan combine the milk and cream. add the buttermilk mixture to the saucepan and  begin to heat over low, slowly, to 175 degrees, stirring only twice. as soon as the temp reaches 175 remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. 

line a large colander with two layers of cheesecloth and set over a large bowl. pour the curdled milk into the colander and allow to drain, about two minutes. tie the corners of the cheesecloth together and allow hang, allowing to drain further for about 20 minutes, or until cheese reaches your desired consistency.

refrigerate until ready to serve, up to a week. 

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