Creme Fraiche is one of the anytime required items in the kitchen. It is a thick tart cream. The Sour cream or yogurt acts as a souring agent. But, you would need only a small portion of the cream.
Whether you make it at home or buy it from the stores, what will you do to the leftovers? Probably, we can place them in the fridge until they grow older. But, they won’t stand for more than a week.
The refrigerator can hold your Crème Fraiche`s life for two to seven days. What could be the solution to increase the shelf life of Crème Fraiche? Maybe, you can freeze them.
Can You Freeze Crème Fraiche? Yes. You can freeze Crème Fraiche in an airtight container, zip lock bags, or even in ice-trays. Freezing the Crème Fraiche keeps them fresh for two to four months.
It involves a lot of work to bring the frozen Crème Fraiche back to its original consistency and texture. But, trust me. It is all worth the work rather than wasting the whole bunch.
Let us explore the freezing and defrosting techniques of Crème Fraiche. We have also tried to address some of the doubts popping up there in your mind. Let us get started.
Contents
What is Crème Fraiche?
Crème Fraiche, pronounced as Krem fresh, is a combination of buttermilk and heavy cream. It is certainly a dairy product. However, they don’t curdle while cooking because of the rich fat content.
They are ideally used for topping fresh fruits, garnishing the soups, and as thickening agents for sauces.
Crème Fraiche is readily available at stores. You also do them at home.
How does freezing affect Crème Fraiche?
Crème Fraiche is a high-fat dairy product. Freezing them will certainly affect the original texture and flavor. But the good news is, we have techniques to bring back the original texture and taste.
When you freeze the Crème Fraiche, the fat might get itself separated from the whey forming a pale-yellow color liquid.
When this liquid is mixed along with the cream while thawing, it might create a runny consistency. We need to follow the proper thawing techniques to bring back the original texture.
It is very important to be diligent in freezing and thawing the Crème Fraiche.
How to freeze Crème Fraiche?
If you have purchased a lot of Crème Fraiche in the hypermarket, you would probably be using only a spoonful per day. Let us freeze them in the following two ways.
Freezing in bags
- It would be best if you took thick airtight zip lock bags. Please make sure they are thick enough to keep the cream away from the odors in the freezer.
- Well, if you are certain that you would require a small portion of the cream at a time, make sure you divide the entire cream into one spoon cream per bag. Squeeze the bag well to ensure that no air stays inside.
- Place the bags in the freezer.
Freezing in Ice-cubes
If you would probably use only one spoon of the cream at a time, freezing them as ice cubes is the best-suggested way.
- Pick up the ice tray and spoon the cream. Make sure you fill each cube only at 80%. When the cream freezes, it will expand. It needs enough space to expand.
- Wrap the ice cube tray in a cling film and cover them airtight. This will protect the cream from absorbing any odor from the freezer. Place the tray in the freezer and leave it to freeze for several hours.
- Once they are nicely frozen into solid cubes, transfer them to freezer bags and seal them tight.
- Place the bags in the freezer. Make sure you label the bag with the contents for ready reference.
How long can you freeze Crème Fraiche?
If you follow the correct freezing procedures, the frozen Crème Fraiche can stay good for up to 4 months.
How to tell if the Crème Fraiche has gone bad?
If you find any mold or an off smell, undoubtedly, your Crème Fraiche has gone bad. People often misunderstand that the separation means that the Crème Fraiche has gone bad. They are still good. You have to mix it up to get back to the original texture.
Handy tips for freezing Crème Fraiche
There are three handy tips for freezing Crème Fraiche.
- A vigorous whisk after thawing helps to bring back the original texture.
- Always label your bags or containers. You may have to store various dairy products, including sour cream and double cream. Labeling them will help you have a ready reference when you require them.
- Refreezing the crème Fraiche is not advisable. So, I always prefer freezing them in portions.
Factors to be considered before freezing the Crème Fraiche
When you prefer to freeze the Crème Fraiche, always make sure that you consider the factors that might affect the Crème Fraiche upon freezing. These factors are very important to maintain the freshness and texture of the Crème Fraiche after thawing.
- Freshness – Always check for the freshness of the Crème Fraiche. If it is an open tin and approaching its use-by date soon, there is not much use in freezing them. The fresher the product, the better you can protect its life by freezing.
- Separation – All dairy products separate on freezing. It does not taste as fresh one. But that does not mean Crème Fraiche is not freezer-friendly. It would help if you whisked them well after thawing to bring back the original flavor and texture.
- Shelf Life – The Crème Fraiche can stand well for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator. They can stay fresh for two to four months on freezing. It is advisable to keep your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit to sustain the freshness and increase the shelf life.
How to defrost Crème Fraiche?
Defrosting the Crème Fraiche is simple.
Transfer the ice cubes or bags from the freezer to the refrigerator the day before. Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge.
The most crucial part comes now. Once your Crème Fraiche is thawed completely, it does not look like the original crème Fraiche. The fat content gets separated from the liquid part and looks apart.
You need to whisk the thawed Crème Fraiche vigorously to blend the fat and liquid. This will bring back the smooth and velvety consistency. If the whisking is not done properly, you might end up having grainy crème Fraiche.
When should you use Thawed Crème Fraiche?
Once the Crème Fraiche is thawed and whipped, use them as soon as possible. They can stay good for a day or maximum of two.
Leaving them to grow older than two days might spoil them. Check for molds or taste if you are using them later than two days.
Can you refreeze Crème Fraiche?
A big No! We would certainly not recommend refreezing any dairy product for that matter.
Freezing it once already alters the texture and flavor. You can get back the same texture after tough whisking. Once you whisk and you want to freeze it again is just time and effort.
There are high chances that your Crème Fraiche might go off.
Can you freeze Crème Fraiche in a sauce?
Yes. You can certainly freeze the Crème Fraiche in a sauce. But, it might drastically change the texture of the sauce.
While you are allowed to freeze the Crème Fraiche in a sauce, it would be better to freeze the sauce without Crème Fraiche and include the cream after thawing and stirring.
Can you use frozen Crème Fraiche in Soup?
Yes. You can thaw the frozen Crème Fraiche and use them in the soup after thawing and vigorous whisking.
Can you freeze single cream?
Yes. You can freeze the single cream in the same procedure to be followed for freezing Crème Fraiche.
Single cream as such can stay fresh without being frozen for up to four weeks in the fridge. You just have to make sure you do not frequently remove and replace them, exposing them to varied temperatures.
Similarly, if you have left your single cream out for a long time, prefer not to freeze them. They can ruin the cream.
You can use either ice trays or any airtight containers for freezing the single cream. Make sure to label the container or the ice tray bags with the contents and date of freezing.
Can you freeze double cream?
Yes. You can freeze the double cream just like the single cream and Crème Fraiche. But, make sure that the double cream is still fresh while freezing.
If it is a store-bought cream, check for the ingredients and expiry date to ascertain the freshness of the product.
If you find any small traces of yellowing of the cream or greenish molds anywhere, do not freeze them. They have gone bad.
Leave the cream at room temperature for at least half-hour when you use it after freezing.
Final Words
Crème Fraiche is a star ingredient that helps other recipes to taste at top-notch. Learning to handle this cream is very beneficial. The uses of crème Fraiche are endless, and it is an extremely versatile ingredient to be added to any dish.
We have discussed in detail the freezing technique of Crème Fraiche. Did you see an offer in the hypermarket for Crème Fraiche? Don’t think twice. Grab them in bulk and freeze them. You can also save quite a penny.
Happy freezing.