Homemade sour cream is delicious and simple to make. It only requires two ingredients: one liter of cream and one sachet of sour cream starter culture. The bacteria present in the culture thicken the cream and give it the classic sour taste that can be perfectly combined with multiple ingredients, including potatoes, fruit and Mexican recipes. Unlike most ready-made products available on the market, your homemade sour cream will not contain any preservatives or stabilizers.
Ingrediants
- 1 liter of fresh cream
- 1 sachet of sour cream starter culture
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Assemble Ingredients and Tools
Step 1. Buy a liter of fresh cream
When making sour cream, choose the freshest cream available. If possible, opt for a whole, pasteurized and organic product: the consistency of your sour cream will come close to that of ready-made products. If you want a less thick consistency or are looking for a light option, you can replace half the cream with milk.
- Unpasteurized cream, made from raw milk, is another great base for sour cream. The final result will be lighter than that obtainable with pasteurized cream.
- Avoid cream or long-life milk, the result of your culture would not be what you want.
Step 2. Purchase sour cream starter culture
Sour cream is prepared by mixing the cream with a bacterial culture capable of thickening it and giving it a slightly acidic flavor. A fresh starter is a live, active culture; you can find it in natural food stores or online, sold in sachets containing a dose of culture sufficient to prepare a liter of sour cream. Any additional sachets contained in the package can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months.
- Live and active cultures in fresh sour cream starters contain lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis biovar. diacetylactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris.
- After making sour cream with one starter culture, you can use the same sour cream to make another. The process is similar to that of preparing bread with sourdough.
- If you don't have a sour cream starter culture, you can experiment with a version made with one tablespoon of cultured buttermilk for every 240ml of cream. The texture and flavor will be more similar to those of buttermilk.
- Alternatively, you can also prepare kefir using the appropriate grains, another natural mother culture.
Step 3. Prepare a jar and cover that allows for good ventilation
Sour cream should be stored in clean glass jars. During the cultivation period, a cover will be needed that is capable of allowing the flow of air into the jar while keeping it away from insects and other contaminants; a piece of food-grade fabric that fits snugly around the edges and fixed with an elastic will be a good solution. For storage, you will need a normal airtight lid.
- Make sure the jar is clean and sterilized. In case you have used it before, boil it for five minutes and then dry completely before reusing it for sour cream.
- If you don't have a piece of food-grade fabric, you can opt for a paper coffee filter.
Part 2 of 3: Heat and Keep the Cream at Temperature
Step 1. Pour the cream into a thick-bottomed pot
It is important to use a sturdy copper or stainless steel pot. In fact, it will allow you to control the temperature of the cream more easily than the lighter aluminum pans.
- If you don't have a suitable pot, you can rely on the bain marie method.
- Prepare the water bath by pouring a few inches of water into a large pot. Place a second, smaller pot inside the first one, making sure it doesn't come into contact with the water. Pour the cream into the smaller pot.
Step 2. Heat the cream and bring it to 63 ° C
Use a medium heat to slowly heat the cream to the correct temperature. Make sure it doesn't get too hot. Use a cake thermometer to monitor how hot it is and make sure it reaches 63 ° C.
- Heating the cream kills the bacterial competitors, so the starter culture bacteria can flourish. The heat ensures a delicious final flavor and texture.
- If the cream is not heated, the final product will be much more liquid than ordinary sour cream.
Step 3. Keep the cream at a constant temperature for 45 minutes
Adjust the flame correctly in order to keep the cream at a temperature of 63 ° C, making sure it does not drop or rise excessively. Keeping the cream at a regular temperature is necessary to ensure that it becomes rich and thick.
Step 4. Cool the cream to 25 ° C
Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the heat. With the cake thermometer, monitor the temperature of the cream. Once clear of the fire it should drop quickly.
Step 5. Dissolve the starter culture in the cream
Pour the entire contents of the sachet into the pan containing the cooled cream. With a spoon, mix the culture with the cream until it is completely dissolved.
- Make sure the cream has cooled down sufficiently so that the living bacteria in the starter don't risk being killed by the heat.
- If you are using cultured buttermilk as a replacement for the starter culture, incorporate one tablespoon for every 240ml of cream. Or add your own kefir grains if that was your choice.
Part 3 of 3: Cream Culture
Step 1. Pour the cream into the jar and cover it
Secure the food-grade fabric to the jar using a rubber band.
Step 2. Store the jar in a warm place for 16-18 hours
For the starter culture to do its job, the cream will need to be stored at a temperature between 23 and 25 ° C. The heat will be enough to keep the crop alive and make it thrive. A warm corner of the kitchen is usually the perfect choice.
- Do not expose the culture to direct sunlight, it could overheat the jar and kill bacteria.
- Check the jar every few hours, and see if the cream has started to thicken. If not, the temperature could be the wrong one, too hot or too cold. After 16-18 hours, the cream should have reached the consistency of normal commercial sour cream or be only slightly more liquid.
Step 3. Store the sour cream in the refrigerator
Replace the fabric with a regular airtight lid and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use. You will be able to consume it within a week or two.
Step 4. Make it again using your sour cream as a base
Reserve 240ml sour cream, contains the same live and active culture as a starter. Use 240ml of fresh cream and follow the instructions to heat and keep it at a high temperature. Let it cool, then add the previously prepared dose of sour cream. Follow the directions for growing cream. Store it in the refrigerator once it has thickened.
Advice
- Use sour cream to decorate soups and legume dishes.
- Make a sauce with sour cream, salt, pepper, and fresh dill. Pair it with chips or vegetables.
- Use your sour cream to make a sauce for fish or meat.
- Replace milk with sour cream when making cheese pasta. If necessary, add a small amount of milk to make your sauce creamy.
