If you have started the slimming world diet then you might be wondering what can be used as a substitute for creme fraiche in a lot of creamy sauces and other cream type recipe.
Creme fraiche is very similar to sour cream and has a tart flavour, some common alternatives you could use which are slimming world friendly are fromage frais, quark, greek yoghurt and more, heavy cream could also be substituted but is not as health-friendly.
To help you out with finding an alternative to using creme fraiche in a slimming world recipe, we have listed out other substitutes below along with how they are used best.
Creme fraiche is used a lot in creamy sauces, especially for creamy chicken or baking recipes, it is used also in coffees and even sweet recipe ideas such as caramel, however, creme fraiche comes in at 4.5 syns and is quite high in fat like heavy cream and sour cream.
We have listed out some substitutes below if you are looking for a healthier option than creme fraiche to use in your recipes or if you don't like creme fraiche itself.
Try using Greek yoghurt or normal natural yoghurt rather than creme fraiche in a recipe, these have the same tangy flavour as a cup of creme fraiche and are much healthier.
It must be noted however if you are using greek yoghurt or fat-free natural yoghurt in any type of recipe which has a hot sauce then the low-fat yoghurt will likely separate, you can always try adding the plain yoghurt in when the sauce has cooled down slightly to combat this.
We made an article just for you to find out Which Yogurts Are Syn Free! Check this out!
Marscapone is an Italian cream cheese that is perfect for desserts and cream filling due to its tart flavour and sweetness which can help give that creamy texture to pie fillings, this would not work great in savoury recipes due to the slight sweetness. If you're wondering How Many Syns In Marscapone, read this article!
Sour cream is very similar to creme fraiche and also healthier, this can be used to make a creamy chicken sauce or when a recipe calls for creme fraiche in pasta for example. Sour cream has less fat so makes a perfect creme fraiche substitute with only a minor difference in texture and a tangier flavour.
Heavy cream is not healthy like double cream and high in syns on the slimming world diet, it can add a thick texture to dishes such as soup but might need some lemon juice to boost the tart flavour which will be absent.
You also only need a small portion of heavy cream as it is rich in flavour and thin in texture and also not too friendly to the waistline!
If a recipe calls for creme fraiche and you don't have any then you could try making your homemade creme fraiche. All you need to do is heat buttermilk and heavy cream together then let it stand for 24 hours, after you can refrigerate it and it will taste exactly like creme fraiche.
Just note that your homemade creme fraiche substitute will likely have a thinner texture and will not last as long before becoming spoiled.
If you have noticed, a lot of slimming world recipes will ask for you to use fromage frais, this is because this is a cream cheese that still has a nice creamy texture for adding richness to sauces and a tartness to its flavour, making it a good creme fraiche substitute.
Soy cream is healthier than creme fraiche and can work well in creamy chicken recipes or for cream fillings if you get a sweet version. They might separate at high heat but this can be solved by letting hot sauces cool down a little first before adding in. You can also buy soy-based sour creams if your after that tangy flavour.
Overall, creme fraiche is not too high in syns in the slimming world plan, but if you would prefer to stick to healthier options such as greek yoghurt these can work too, just make sure you consider what the recipes need the creme for, as some of our substitutes might separate at high heat.
If you don't like the taste of creme fraiche then sour cream or soy cream could be great options if your lactose intolerant too.
Related Articles
