Sour cream

[LiamsMum]

Just wondering if it's possible to use a substitute for sour cream in a recipe? I know plain yoghurt has a similar taste, but I haven't used it to make sauces before. Sometimes I use normal cream or evaporated milk instead, but I guess it doesn't give the same flavour. The problem is, every time I cook with sour cream, it seems to give a 'curdled' look to the dish. Any advice would be appreciated..

I think the trick is not to put the sour cream in when it is boiling, and not to let it simmer too high once you have added it. But you can still eat it when it looks curdled.

I think you can "make" sour cream by adding vinegar to fresh cream, but not sure of the amts. HTH.

I think that creme fraiche is ok substitute as well.

Actually I think you add it gradually, with the pot off the heat, and add it last, once the meal is basically cooked...I guess it depends what you are cooking!

A good way to keep the cream from seizing and becoming clumpy is to use the "warm egg" method of mixing it in. Put your sour cream in a bowl, and add just a bit of the hot mixture to it to warm it up. Perhaps half as much hot mix as you have cream. Then, with the pot off the heat, slowly pour in the warmed cream, stirring all the time.

Plain yogurt will seize the same way as sour cream if it is shocked with heat by pouring it in all at once.

You do this with eggs as well sometimes, if you're making something like lemon curd.

Just a note I thought was amusing-I first typed out "if you're making lemon crud". Hehehe

Thanks Corbin, that's good to know... wouldn't be a chef by any chance would you?!! My dh is an ex-chef but for some reason is not all that helpful with my culinary questions. Probably doesn't want to get roped in to helping me with anything lest he actually be forced into cooking something.

I'm no cook and have no advice on how to avoid curdling, but in my opinion, there ain't nuthin like good ol full-fat sour cream!!

LiamsMum,

No, I'm not a chef but thank you for the compliment! Cooking is my hobby and has been since childhood. Ever since I was about 10 years old or so I've read cookbooks for pleasure, as if they were novels. Strange, aren't I? The nice thing is that I've learned a lot of technique from them.

I've got a recipe website as a hobby lately, you're welcome to take a peek if you wish. Most of the recipes I have there so far are very different from any of the food I see mentioned on mumsnet, but are pretty normal fare in the US. This is the web address, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to make it a link! pages.ivillage.com/elizabethsmom30/goodfoodonthecheap/