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Fermentation Atlas

Fermented milk from France

Crème fraîchecrème fraîche

Crème fraîche is pasteurised cream of 35 % fat or more, seeded with lactic ferments and matured cool, at 12–23 °C for at least 12 hours, until it is firm. The Crème d'Isigny rules allow no ingredient but lactic ferments. It is glossy, ivory to pale yellow and fresh-tasting with a light acidity. Made in 5 steps over 2.5 days. The longest step, collect and skim the milk, takes up to 2 days (INAO 2016). Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and subsp. cremoris and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis do most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main stepup to 2 daysSet[isigny]Collect and skim the milk
Temperature86–95 °CSet[isigny]Pasteurise the cream
AciditypH 6.6–6.9Set[isigny]Collect and skim the milk
Fully documentedFermented milk2.5 daysMore fermented milkMore from France

Recipe

Amounts from a sourceBC food-service standard recipe for 10 L of cream; its sample batch was matured in ten 1-L mason jars. The Isigny AOP sets the cream and the maturing but no batch size.
10 LPasteurised whipping cream, over 33 % fat · Not UHT and with no stabilisers; the Isigny AOP requires at least 35 % fat[bc-cremefraiche][isigny]
As the culture maker directsButtermilk (mesophilic) culture · The BC sample batch used 5 g; Isigny allows only lactic ferments[bc-cremefraiche][isigny]
Starterdefined mesophilic culture (modern)

Total time across the recorded steps: 2.5 days

Start
Drag the bar or press Play
pH 6.6–6.9

What changes: The cream is separated from the fresh milk

Step 1 of 5
Collect and skim the milk
Time
up to 2 days
Set
Temperature
Not documented
Salt
None given
Acidity
pH 6.6–6.9
Set
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactococcus lactis
L. mesenteroides

The whole milk may be pre-pasteurised at 74 °C before skimming. Output: sweet cream.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

What makes this one different

Crème fraîche is matured cream of 35 % fat or more, nearly twice the 18 % minimum of US sour cream. It matures cool, at 12–23 °C, with only lactic ferments added. Isigny's unmatured cream, crème douce, stays fluid and slightly sweet.

Related ferments

Variants

  • Crème d'Isigny douceThe same cream pasteurised but not matured. Fluid, with milky, slightly sweet aromas.
  • Crème fraîche d'IsignyIsigny cream that has only been pasteurised and is packed at the dairy within 24 hours.

Safety

The Isigny rules exclude raw cream; the cream must be pasteurised at 86–95 °C. BC food-safety guidance uses pasteurised, non-UHT cream and a commercial culture, sets pH 4.6 or lower as the critical limit, cools to 4 °C within 6 hours, keeps it at 4 °C or colder and does not reuse a previous batch as starter.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

Isigny cream and butter became an AOC by decree on 30 June 1986. In 1874 the Association Normande already praised the area's pastures for their cream and butter.

  1. [isigny] INAO, Cahier des charges de l'appellation d'origine Crème d'Isigny (amendment approved by the national committee, 15–16 November 2016)spec
  2. [bc-cremefraiche] FOODSAFE BC with the BC Ministry of Health, BCCDC and Fraser Health, Guidelines for the Production of Dairy Products in Food Establishments, Crème fraîche sample documentation, September 2022gov
  3. [tp] Tetra Pak, Dairy Processing Handbook, chapter 13 Fermented milk products (fermented cream)book
  4. [cfr131160] US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 131.160 Sour creamgov