Cultured cream

There are several ways you can culture cream at home, depending on what you have available.

• 450ml (1 US pint) cream – preferably raw, organic and grass fed, but pasteurised will do. Don’t use UHT cream though

One of these starters:

• about 4 Tbs kefired milk
• 3 Tbs Caspian sea yoghurt (or any of the room temperature yoghurts)
• 1 Tbs kefir grains
• 1 Tbs commercial crème fraiche
• 1 Tbs cultured buttermilk
• 1 Tbs piima (or other powdered) starter culture (see P82 of NT)

Combine in a jar and leave out on the bench for 1-2 days, depending on the time of year and the temperature. Caspian sea yoghurt will ferment quicker, 12-24 hours. Shake or stir a few times during the day. When it’s turned thick and doesn’t shake up any more, store in the fridge. It will get thicker when cold.

Each of these versions will give a slightly different flavour, so experiment and see what you prefer. The easiest method is using the kefired milk or CSY. Kefir grains are hard to get out afterwards. You can put them in a small cloth bag, but a lot of cream then sticks to the bag. Piima starter is unavailable in NZ. Buttermilk and crème fraiche will only work if the culture is still live. As far as I know, Bouton d’or is the only NZ brand that doesn’t pasteurise their crème fraiche after culturing!!