Creams
Milk products, such as cream, yogurt, buttermilk, crème fraîche, clotted cream and soured cream, have a myriad of uses in sweet and savoury dishes. Though commercially available, the latter three are easily made at home.
CREME FRAICHE
This partially soured, tangy cream has the added bonus of not separating during cooking. It is made by mixing buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt with double cream, heating it, then letting it stand. Stir, cover and refrigerate crème fraîche after it has thickened. Use it as the French do - as a flavouring for soups, sauces and savoury dishes. It is also delicious with fruits and sweet dishes.
1. Mix 500 ml buttermilk and 250 ml double cream. Put bowl over a pan of hot water and heat to 30°C.
2. Pour warm mixture into a glass bowl; partially cover. Let stand at room temperature for 6-8 hours.
CLOTTED CREAM
A renowned West Country speciality, this deep-yellow thick cream is made by gently heating the cream to scald it and make a crust. It will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
1. Pour 600 ml double cream into a heavy-based pan. Heat gently until cream thickens, 25-30 minutes.
2. Chill the cream until it has set and a crust has formed on the surface.
3. Remove the crust of clotted cream with a large metal spoon. Reserve the cream and discard the liquid left underneath.
MAKING SOUR CREAM
This technique for making sour cream, a favourite with Mexican and Eastern European food, can also be applied to milk for making Devonshire scones.
Stir 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice into 250 ml double cream in a glass bowl. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 10-30 minutes or until it has thickened. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
BUTTERMILK AND YOGURT
• Buttermilk is a non-fat or low-fat milk to which bacteria is added to thicken it and give it tartness. It features in American soda breads, biscuits and pancakes.
• Yogurt is a fermented low-fat milk product, with a slightly sour taste. Greek yogurt often has a higher fat content, and is creamier. Plain yogurt can be substituted for sour cream.
CREAMS
The fat content of cream denotes its stability when heated and its whipping quality. The higher the fat content the more stable it is.
• Double cream is favoured in cooking because, with 48% fat, it can boil without curdling.
• Whipping cream has just enough fat, 35-39%, for heating and whipping. Make your own with a 2:1 ratio double cream to single cream.
• Single cream contains about 24% fat and is mainly used as a pouring cream; it can be used to add body and a creamy texture to liquids as long as it is not boiled.
• Sour cream has a spooning consistency. Although it can be stirred into warm sauces to enrich them, it has a fat content of about 21 %, so it is not stable at high heat.
