Soured cream (GAPS)

Fermented cream

I was curious about the end-product of fermenting cream into soured cream, the thick fermented product called crème fraîche, which is just cream with bacterial culture. The outcome was a thickened and slightly soured dairy product. It has a rich consistency, and fills you up quickly after a few spoonfuls, thus it is more for adding to dishes than eating on its own like you would yoghurt for example, for me at least. The taste and texture reminds me of the Hungarian vajkrém, which is something like cream cheese but not quite.

You will need:
600 g double cream
few probiotic capsules

1. Pour the cream into a sauce pan and gently heat by bringing the cream to the boiling point, stirring continuously.
2. Place the pan in a bowl filled with cold water to cool down the cream.
3. When the cream is only slightly warm open few probiotic capsules, add to the cream and mix thoroughly.
4. Pour the cream into clean jars (3 or 4), screw the lid tight and ferment for at least 24 hours in a warm place at 40 to 45 C.
5. After sitting undisturbed for at least 24 hours remove the jars from the warm place and store them in the refrigerator and use within 5 days.

Tips: I have put my jars into the oven and switched on the light. The light with the closed door generates enough warmth for the fermentation process to take place. Arrange the jars close to the light on the top shelf. Raw cream is the best to use but I was able to get pasteurized cream only. You can use 1/3 cup of live yoghurt instead of the probiotic capsules (for 1 litre of cream use 1 sachet of yoghurt starter OR 1/2 cup live yoghurt).

Recipe adapted form: Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride

[i] For more GAPS recipe ideas please visit my GAPS recipes selection.