If you have ever watched an episode of the Great British Baking Show, then you will probably have heard the term “crème fraîche” thrown around. But, while you might have heard of crème fraîche before, you might not actually know what it is. 

As you have probably guessed, crème fraîche is an ingredient that is often used in baking. As you have probably also already guessed, crème fraîche is a French creation, but it is now used in many countries all across the globe. 

But what is crème fraîche? Where does it come from, exactly? And how should it be used in baking? In this guide, we’ll be answering all this and lots more. So keep on reading to find out. 

What is crème fraîche?

First things first, let’s take a look at exactly what creme fraiche is. In short, crème fraîche is a dairy product, and it is pronounced krem-fraysh. As we have said, it is an ingredient which comes from France, and it literally translates to fresh cream. Crème fraîche is made using dairy cream, but it is not the same as the fresh cream which we know and love today. That is because crème fraîche has been soured using bacteria, this means that it tastes different to regular cream, and it is also thicker too. 

While crème fraîche has been soured through the use of bacteria, it still is not the same thing as soured cream. These two ingredients are similar to one another, but crème fraîche contains less acid, and so it has a less sour flavor. It is also higher in fat than regular cream, and soured cream, which is why crème fraîche has a thicker consistency. It is widely used in cooking, and this is because it is very versatile. The flavor of crème fraîche allows this ingredient to be used in both sweet and savory dishes, and it can also be cooked or served fresh. But where does it actually come from? Let’s take a quick look at the history of crème fraîche. 

Where does it come from?

We have already established that crème fraîche is a French creation, but what is it actually made of? And why was it first created? In France, there are actually 2 different things which are known as crème fraîche. One is a thick fermented cream product, the other is a liquid cream product. Outside of France, we only really know one type of crème fraîche, and that is the liquid kind. So, generally speaking, it is accepted that the liquid version of this soured cream is “crème fraîche”.

To make crème fraîche, a starter culture is added to heavy cream. This mixture is left at room temperature to stand, and during this time, the culture will cause the cream to thicken because it is made entirely of bacteria. When you hear about the process that goes into manufacturing crème fraîche, you might be put off eating it. But the bacteria used in crème fraîche is good bacteria, and it will not do you any harm.  

Now that you know what crème fraîche is made of, you might be wondering what this ingredient is used for. So, let’s take a look at some main uses of crème fraîche. 

What is Crème fraîche Used For?

If you are new to the world of baking, then you might be wondering what crème fraîche is used for. As we have said, it can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, but you might not know any dishes which actually contain it. So, here are some dishes which use crème fraîche in their recipe:

• Crème fraîche and eggs. 
• In dips to serve alongside chips. 
• Cake frosting (i.e., on red velvet cake). 
• Chocolate truffles.
• Salad dressing. 
• Ice cream. 

As you can see, crème fraîche is incredibly versatile, and this is why it is used in so many dishes. This is mainly possible because of the flavor of crème fraîche. Crème fraîche does not have a particularly strong flavor, but it does have nutty and sour undertones. The lack of flavor means that crème fraîche isn’t used for its taste, instead it is used for its consistency and the fact that it thickens anything that it is added to. It is often used in dips to thicken their texture, and it is used in frosting to add another dimension to the flavor. So, as you can see, crème fraîche is actually very versatile, but what should you do if you can’t get your hands on it? 

Crème fraîche Substitutes

If you live outside of France, then you will know that getting your hands on crème fraîche isn’t always the easiest task.

Most of the time, crème fraîche is sold when it is already infused in products. For example, crème fraîche ice cream or crème fraîche icing. Due to this, it is often rare for a grocery store to sell crème fraîche on its own. But this doesn’t stop recipe books from listing it as an ingredient. So, if you cannot buy crème fraîche, what can you use instead?

Thankfully, there are quite a few substitutes that are suitable to replace crème fraîche in a recipe. So, if you cannot find crème fraîche in the grocery store, it is not the end of the world. Instead, you can simply buy any of these alternatives:

• Sour Cream – this is the closest substitute to crème fraîche, and because of this it can be subbed in at equal measures.   
• Full fat Greek yogurt – this can also be subbed in at a ratio of 1:1, but it has a lower amount of fat than crème fraîche. 
• Cream cheese – this should only be added in small amounts. It isn’t ideal, but it does the job. 

Summary

In short, crème fraîche is a dairy product that is created by adding bacteria culture to regular cream. This makes crème fraîche sour in comparison to fresh cream, despite the fact that crème fraîche literally translates to fresh cream. It is mainly used in cooking to thicken the consistency of dishes, but we have looked at this and lots more in this guide.

My inner-Julia Child tells me I can make a delicious French dish with chicken. So, if you’re like me, put on your favorite frilly kitchen apron and start baking.

Before you know it, I’ve got a delicious-smelling pan of lemon and garlic-baked chicken thighs just begging for a side of fresh green beans. 

Today it’s all about French chicken recipes you can easily make at home.

Choose one of my favorite dishes below, and you’ll be serving dinner nick of time. And if it’s a busy weeknight, I’ve got you covered with a slow cooker Coq Au Vin. You can prep on Sunday and cook later.

Which Recipe Will You Try First?

Try any of these classic French chicken dishes for a delicious, French inspired meal.

Check out some of our favorite French appetizers or French desserts to complete your meal. Bon appetit!

A proposed anti-drag bill in the Texas Legislative session would impose fines on businesses — including restaurants and bars — that host drag events where children are present. Known as Senate Bill 12 (SB12), the bill is just one of several anti-drag bills currently working its way through the Texas Senate and House. Both SB12 and SB1601, which would withhold state funds from municipal libraries that host drag story times, are scheduled for public hearings at the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee on Thursday, March 23.

SB12 would issue fines to owners of Texas businesses (which include restaurants, bars, and event spaces, among others) who allow “sexually oriented performances” (which the state is defining to include drag shows) to take place when people younger than 18 years old are present or if it takes place on public property, as reported by Texas Tribune. The civil penalty would be $10,000 per infraction. Republican Texas Sen. Bryan Hughes and Lois Kolkhorst co-authored the bill.

The bill defines “sexually oriented performances” as “visual performances” where either the person is naked, a male performer is “exhibiting” as a female, or a female as male using “clothing, makeup, or other similar physical markers and who sings, lip syncs, dances, or otherwise performs before an audience,” and that the performance “appeals to the prurient interest in sex,” which is defined by the U.S. Supreme Court as “an erotic, lascivious, abnormal, unhealthy, degrading, shameful, or morbid interest in nudity, sex, or excretion.” Basically, drag shows.

While the Tribune notes that this bill wouldn’t apply to venues that are only for people 21 and older, like most bars and nightclubs, there are still many family-friendly bars and restaurants that host drag events and shows, such as Little Darlin’ and Jester King Brewery.

Nonprofit Equality Texas has been tracking what it deems as “bad bills” in the legislative session, which includes 140 anti-LGBTQ ones. The organization is encouraging people to sign up to speak in opposition to SB12 and SB1601 during the March 23 hearing. The Austin LGBT Chamber is asking people to write to their representatives and urge them to vote against the bill. Several nonprofits — Equality, ACLU of Texas, Lambda Legal, Texas Freedom Network, the Transgender Education Network of Texas, and Human Rights Campaign — held a rally, The All-in for Equality Advocacy Day. outside of the Texas Capitol on March 20 opposing the anti-LGBTQ bills.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The current version of SB12 differs from the bill Sen. Hughes proposed in January. That bill, SB476, sought to reclassify businesses that host drag shows as “sexually oriented businesses,” which would group the businesses with those that host “live nude entertainment.” The bill was also intended to broadly define drag performances as where “a performer exhibits a gender identity that is different than the performer’s gender assigned at birth using clothing, makeup, or other physical markers and sings, lip syncs, dances, or otherwise performs before an audience for entertainment.” That would’ve technically included all sorts of theater/television/movie acting and the like. Organizations such as the Actors Equity Association have noted that the bills would essentially ban acting. It also grouped performers dressed up for reading stories to children. That bill was referred to the State Affairs committee on February 17 and hasn’t progressed since.

Sen. Hughes filed the reworded bill follow-up, which changed the definition of drag performances to include the supposed “sexual” angle after it was discovered that Texas Rep. Nate Schatzline (Forth Worth) — who proposed HB1266 — had worn a dress during a school play. Last year, Texas House Member Bryan Slaton vowed to file a bill banning children from drag shows in response to a viral video of a family-friendly drag Pride event in Dallas.

In late February, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill that would charge people who perform in drag in front of “a person who is not an adult” with a $2,500 fine, Class A misdemeanor, and up to one year of prison time. Additional violations would increase prison time.

And then in mid-March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is seeking to revoke Hyatt Regency Miami’s liquor license because it hosted a holiday drag show with children attendees at a venue affiliated with the hotel. The governor had sent undercover agents to the show and found nothing “offensive” about the event, and yet he is still seeking to get the license revoked.

If the bill does pass, it would take effect on September 1, 2023.

Halite, usually referred to as rock salt, is a naturally occurring mineral that is frequently employed for a variety of uses. The same substance that makes up table salt, sodium chloride (NaCl), makes up its chemical makeup. However, rock salt, which is normally extracted from subterranean salt mines, is much coarser and less refined than table salt.

This article will examine the characteristics, applications, potential advantages, and disadvantages of using rock salt.

Composition and Properties:

As previously discussed, sodium chloride, a substance consisting of sodium and chlorine ions, makes up rock salt.

Rock salt is able to dissolve in water because to this mixture, which also gives it a particular flavor and texture.

Rock salt often has bigger granules that can be several millimeters to several centimeters in size, making it significantly coarser than table salt.

This makes it perfect for use in processes like food preservation, ice removal, and other industrial applications where a rougher texture is preferred.

Uses of Rock Salt:

Using rock salt to de-ice sidewalks and roadways throughout the winter is one of its most typical uses.

Rock salt can lower the freezing point of ice and snow when combined with water, making it simpler to melt and remove.

By doing this, you can increase road and pedestrian safety and help prevent accidents.

The antibacterial qualities of rock salt are also frequently employed in food preservation, extending the shelf life of perishable items and preventing rotting.

Water softening, drilling for oil, and the creation of chemicals like chlorine and soda ash are a few further industrial uses for rock salt.

Benefits and Drawbacks:

Although a useful and adaptable mineral, rock salt has some downsides. The possible influence of rock salt on the environment is one of the primary issues that need to be addressed.

Rock salt can leak into the ground and surrounding water sources, where it may endanger plants and aquatic life, when it is used to melt ice and snow.

Moreover, the application of rock salt on sidewalks and roadways can hasten the corrosion of metal objects like cars and bridges, which can be expensive to fix.

The effect of rock salt on human health is another possible disadvantage. While consuming rock salt in moderation is generally regarded as harmless, consuming too much sodium can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Inhaling rock salt dust can also irritate the respiratory system and lungs, which can be particularly dangerous for those who have asthma or other respiratory problems.

Despite these worries, rock salt is still a valuable mineral that is frequently employed in a variety of applications.

Its availability and low cost make it an economical choice for many organizations and industries.

Its gritty texture and high salt concentration make it suitable for use in de-icing, food preservation, and industrial procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Conclusion:

In summary, rock salt is a naturally occurring mineral with a variety of traits and applications. Its coarseness makes it perfect for usage in operations like de-icing, food preservation, and industrial processes.

Its chemical makeup of sodium chloride provides it a distinct taste and texture. Although using rock salt has certain potential downsides, such as its effect on the environment and human health, these issues can frequently be addressed by responsible use and appropriate treatment.

Overall, rock salt is a useful resource that is crucial to numerous sectors of industry and uses.

Demerara sugar is one of the most widely used types of sugar today and is a key component in baking. What, though, is demerara sugar? This article will examine the history of demerara sugar, its distinctive qualities, and its applications in food preparation.

Origins of Demerara Sugar

The Demerara River, which flows through Guyana in South America, is where Demerara sugar derives its name.

When British colonists constructed sugar plantations in the area during the 17th century, this is where the sugar was first produced.

The sugar was transported to Europe, where it gained renown as a high-end commodity.

Pressing sugar cane to remove the juice, which is then cooked to create a thick syrup, is how demerara sugar is created.

The syrup is then allowed to cool and crystallize, producing big, golden-brown crystals as a result.

Demerara sugar has a distinct texture and flavor because it is less refined than white sugar.

Characteristics of Demerara Sugar

Due to its huge, gritty crystals and flavor that is similar to caramel, demerara sugar stands apart from other types of sugar.

The sugar has a naturally occurring molasses content that gives it a flavor character that is akin to brown sugar and is deep and nuanced.

Demerara sugar is a preferred ingredient in coatings and toppings like crumbles and streusels due to its big crystals.

The sugar gives baked items a gritty feel because it doesn’t dissolve well in liquids.

Also, compared to other sugars, demerara sugar has a reduced moisture level, which makes it perfect for baking goods with crisp, caramelized surfaces.

Uses of Demerara Sugar

In both cooking and baking, demerara sugar is a flexible ingredient that may be used in a variety of ways. Demerara sugar is commonly used for the following things:

1. Toppings and Coatings: Demerara sugar’s large crystals make it perfect for creating crunchy toppings and coatings for baked goods. Try sprinkling it on top of muffins, breads, or pies for a sweet and crunchy finish.

2. Coffee and Tea: Demerara sugar is a popular sweetener for coffee and tea. Its natural molasses content gives it a rich, complex flavor that compliments the bitterness of coffee and the tannins of tea.

3. Caramel and Toffee: Demerara sugar is a key ingredient in many caramel and toffee recipes. Its natural molasses content gives these candies a rich, complex flavor that is difficult to replicate with other sugars.

4. Cocktails: Demerara sugar is a popular ingredient in cocktail recipes, particularly those that call for simple syrup. Its natural molasses content gives cocktails a unique depth of flavor that is difficult to achieve with other sweeteners.

Substituting Demerara Sugar

There are a few alternatives to demerara sugar that you can use if you don’t have any on hand.

Given that it has a comparable texture and flavor, brown sugar is the most popular alternative.

Yet because brown sugar has been refined more than demerara sugar, it will dissolve in liquids more quickly.

Another choice is to use turbinado sugar, which has a texture comparable to demerara sugar but a softer flavor and a lighter hue.

Because turbinado sugar is less prevalent than demerara sugar, it could be more difficult to locate in stores.

Last but not least, you can make your own demerara sugar substitute by combining white granulated sugar with a tiny bit of molasses. As a result, the sugar will have a demerara-like texture and flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Demerara sugar is a distinctive and adaptable ingredient that can give baked items, sweets, beverages, and even savory dishes a special touch.

It is a preferred substitute for white or brown sugar because of its coarse texture and flavor that is similar to caramel.