There are times when we want our food to be hot and crunchy, and at other times nice and chewy. And then sometimes we want everything as creamy as can be. And how do we do that? We use crème fraiche… or yogurt… or ricotta… or other things. Chef Jerry Pellegrino explained the differences and when do we use which?
CRÈME FRAICHE - Crème fraîche is a rich, cultured cream with a thick, creamy texture and a slightly tart, nutty flavor. It's made by allowing a bacterial culture to acidify the cream, similar to how sour cream is made. While often used interchangeably with sour cream, crème fraîche has a higher fat content (around 30-40%), making it richer and less likely to curdle when heated. Crème fraîche is a versatile ingredient used in both sweet and savory dishes. It adds a rich, creamy texture and a subtle tangy flavor, making it a popular choice for topping pastries, fruit, or adding to soups, sauces, and even baked goods.
YOGURT - Yogurt is made when heated milk is combined with bacteria, specifically Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, and left to sit for several hours at a warm temperature (110-115°F). Additional types of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria may be added. Yogurt is a great ingredient used in various ways, from being a healthy breakfast option to a key ingredient in cooking and baking. It can be enjoyed on its own, added to smoothies or breakfast bowls, used in marinades, dips, or sauces, and even substituted for other ingredients like sour cream, butter, or milk.
GREEK YOGURT - Greek yogurt and regular yogurt are both made from milk and live bacterial cultures, but Greek yogurt undergoes an additional straining process that removes whey. This straining process results in a thicker, creamier, and tangier texture for Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is also higher in protein and lower in carbs than regular yogurt.
RICOTTA - is an Italian whey cheese made from sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk whey left over from the production of other cheeses. Like other whey cheeses, it is made by coagulating the proteins that remain after the casein has been used to make cheese, notably albumin and globulin.
SUBLIME SCRAMBLED EGGS BY GORDON RAMSAY
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons butter, diced (ice-cold)
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
freshly ground sea salt and pepper (you can use regular salt if you need to) 3 chives, snipped (substitute with green onion if necessary)
3 slices, rustic bread to serve
Break the eggs into a cold, heavy-based pan, place on the lowest heat possible, and add half the butter. Using a spatula, stir the eggs frequently to combine the yolks with the whites. As the mixture begins to set, add the remaining butter. The eggs will take about 4-5 minutes to scramble – they should still be soft and quite lumpy. Don’t let them get too hot – keep moving the pan o and back on the heat (as the bottom of the pan stays heated even after taking it o of the stove). Meanwhile, toast the bread. He used sourdough bread. Add the crème fraîche and season the eggs at the last minute, then add the snipped chives. Put the toast on warm plates, pile the softly scrambled eggs on top and serve immediately.
BLUEBERRY SCONES WITH YOGURT
For the Scones:
· 1 ½ cups organic all-purpose flour
· 1 tbsp baking powder
· ¼ tsp baking soda
· ½ tsp unrefined salt
· 1 tbsp lemon zest, from an organic lemon
· 6 tbsp cold salted butter, cut into pieces
· 1 egg, beaten
· 3 tbsp maple syrup
· ½ cup Greek yogurt
· ½ cup frozen wild blueberries
For the Glaze:
· 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
· 1 tbsp organic powdered sugar
· 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
To Make the Scones:
1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter pieces and lemon zest until the butter pieces are no larger than the size of a pea.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, maple syrup, and Greek yogurt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to form a dough. Add more Greek yogurt as needed to get a soft, somewhat sticky dough. Fold in the blueberries gently.
4. Scrape the dough out onto a floured work surface. Pat out into a rectangle. Roll the rectangle up jelly-roll style. Cut the dough into about 6 triangles. Place it on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
WHEY RICOTTA
Ingredients
1 to 2 gallons fresh whey, supplemented with 1 gallon whole milk
1 Tablespoon citric acid per gallon of liquid
A pinch of salt
Heat your whey to 175°F. Add the milk, at room temperature and mix in the citric acid. Heat the mixture to 192°F. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the curds to form for 15 minutes. Drain the pot into a butter muslin lined colander. The bulk of the whey should drain out within the first 5 minutes. Once most of the whey has drained, gather the cloth up and remove the ricotta from the colander. Tie the cloth into a sack and hang it over a pot allowing the whey to slowly drip from the cheese for up to 4 hours depending on how wet or dry you’d like your cheese. Gently mix in some salt and serve.
