Recipes with Sour Cream – Smudge Eats (2024)

You may have wondered what it takes to make homemade sour Cream. Today I will share my three-ingredient, no-fail recipe with you and three different ways to make it at home.

Buttermilk is now a staple in every kitchen. It was on my weekly grocery list until I realized I could make it myself and save money.

It is easier to make sour Cream than you might think. The process is similar to making yogurt, buttermilk. You can make it from cow’s or goat’s dairy. You can leave it on the counter overnight! The longer it sits, the more tangy the taste. It is also easy to use by simply stirring it and adding it to the recipe.

Why make sour Cream at home?

• This rich, tangy condiment can be made and is more affordable. There are also no additives or preservatives.
• It can be used in various dishes, from cakes to savory dishes like casseroles or salad dressing.
• Use it in dips for a nice tang, mashed potatoes, or overbaked potatoes. It can be drizzled over fruit to add a touch of sweetness. Serve it instead with cakes and whipped crème
• This is also a delicious dessert by itself. You can make a delightful dessert or Breakfast Parfait by mixing sour Cream, honey, and chopped nuts.
• In many dishes and salad dressings, sour Cream can be used instead of mayonnaise.
• The sourness gives the cakes an incredibly moist texture and soft crumbs. It also blends the flavors beautifully. It’s almost a secret ingredient in some of my baked cakes. It makes a big difference in their texture and softness.
• I’ve given you below two techniques. The first requires the heavy Cream to be boiled, cooled, and re-used. The second technique does not require any cooking. It uses raw Cream with a sour cream starter.

How to make sour Cream

1. You can make sour Cream usinglemon juice, or you can make it usingvinegar. Lemon juice is my preferred option, as vinegar can flavor strongly. These two methods involvewarming the Creamand bringing it to barely warm or room temperature. This is the perfect temperature for the bacteria to multiply.
2. You can make sour Cream fromCream. This method requires a starter for sour Cream with an influential active culture. Heating the milk is unnecessary, but it works better with milk that has reached room temperature.

Ingredients

• Heavy CreamUse no less than 32% Fat. Otherwise, the sour Cream will have a thin consistency—the more fat, the thicker the sour Cream.
• Acid— use white vinegar or lemon juice. If you use vinegar, make sure it is white or flavorless.
• Milk– We use a small quantity of milk to combine the acid and make a lemon/vinegar mixture before adding the heavy Cream. I recommend that you use whole milk and not skimmed.

How to make sour Cream

Use lemon juice or vinegar.

• Pour the milk at room temperature into a mason or glass jar. Add vinegar or lemon juice. Close the lid, and give it a good shake.
• Pro TipIf the milk is in the refrigerator, warm it up in the microwave for 10 seconds to ensure it’s not cold.
• Re-open the lid. Add the heavy Cream at room temperature. Close the top, and give it another good shake. Use a whisk or a blender to combine everything.
• Your Cream must be at room temperature or close to it (110F). If it’s not, you can warm it up in the microwave oven or on the stovetop. The Cream will ferment more slowly if it is more relaxed.
• Use a breathable Cheesecloth or a Kitchen Towel to cover the jar.
• Pro Tip: We want the culture to multiply and breathe, so it needs to be covered.
• Allow to sit for 12 or 24 hours in a warm area. You should now have a thick, luscious sour cream.
• The whey will separate depending on the fat in the Cream and milk. This is normal.
• Thickened sour CreamPour the sour cream into cheesecloth and drain the excess whey.
• Pro Tip– Dry milk powder can be added to milk and Cream to improve the consistency.
• Cover the mason or glass jar and place it in the refrigerator to chill. It is now ready for use. The sour Cream will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.
• Pro TipAs the sour Cream cools, it will become sourer.

1. Use a starter of sour Cream.

Here you can purchase a sour cream starter.

• Add raw Cream to a bowl. Mix well with a mixer and one sachet starter. Allow to sit for two minutes, then whisk again.
• Pro Tip: It is essential to mix the starter with the Cream, so let it soak and then stir again.
• Cover the Cream with a cheesecloth or kitchen cloth and a rubber band. Please keep it in a dark, warm place for 12 hours or until the Cream is set.
• Pro Tip: We want the culture to multiply and breathe, so do not seal the container.
• This sour Cream can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. This sour Cream will last up to three weeks in the fridge.

Substitutes for sour Cream

• If you want to replace sour Cream in your baking, yogurt is a great substitute. If you still want it to be tart, add one teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Mix it well and let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Pro Tip: Taste the yogurt first before adding any lemon juice.
• Cottage and cream cheese can be used in savory dishes like casseroles. A combination of the two gives a perfect sour cream texture.
• You can use evaporated (unsweetened), unsweetened milk for sauces. Combine 1 cup of faded, unsweetened milk with one teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Please wait for the sauce to thicken up before using it.

Sour Cream vs. creme fraiche

This is a question I am asked a lot. This needs to be clarified, and these terms are often used interchangeably. But sour Cream and creme fraiche have a different consistency. Although the ingredients are the same, they are not the same. Here’s one difference. I won’t go into much detail.

• Sour Creamhas a lower fat content than crème fraiche. I think about 20% of the fat is in creme fraiche. It has a distinctive tart and acidic taste. It’s also used to top baked potatoes and cakes, but not desserts. You will see on the label that many store-bought products contain gelatin or enzymes.
• Creme Fraiche– is more affluent and creamier because it has more fat. It’s also not sour, so it is perfect for desserts. Due to its high-fat content, creme fraiche will not curdle in soups or sauces.

Success tips

• One cup of sour Cream can be thickened with one teaspoon of cornstarch. Too much cornstarch will make the sour Cream very gummy.
• Temperature is crucial when making homemade yogurt or sour Cream from scratch. It must be close to 110 F, which is the body temperature. Let it cool down entirely if heated to a high temperature before adding the starter or acid.
• Warmth and not disturbing are essential for the sour cream to set. You must not peek. It isn’t easy to do it the first time. We are curious and eager to see if this is working.
  • It is only warm and uncontaminated that the active bacteria can multiply.
  • The oven is the best place for me to leave the sour Cream untouched. The range will still be the warmest spot in the house, even when it is turned off. It will also remain unchanged.
  • Slowly open the jar to see if it’s set after 8 hours. If you want to know if the pot is selected, a slight jiggle can tell you.
  • I turn on the oven at 100 F/50 C in winter for 5 minutes, then switch it off. I place the jar inside. It works every time.