It should come as no surprise that I like to end my days with something sweet. And this sweet thing usually goes through phases. Last month it was microwave mug cakes--scant spoonfuls of flour, sugar, and spice whisked with an egg and zapped just long enough to produce a tiny hot, spongy little cake. The weeks before that, I was into homemade dark chocolate bark studded with bits of cracked espresso beans. (Delicious, but an unwise evening snack as it usually left me up all night thinking up projects.) Now, with sunny warm days upon us, it's berries. Strawberries, in particular, washed in cold water and served alongside a bowl of tangy crème fraîche and crunchy, toasty coconut palm sugar. It's the sort of treat that seems and tastes gloriously indulgent, and yet is not something that would be out of place on the breakfast table. I rediscovered my love for creme friache just a few weeks ago when I attended a reception hosted by the folks at Vermont Creamery. For dessert, they served rich flourless chocolate cakes topped with a cloud of the silky sour cream, and I was blown away by how perfectly it worked to balance out the sweetness of the rich cake. The flavor, if you've never tried it, is a bit of a cross between mascarpone and sour cream. It's got the cultured tang you might know from yogurt or buttermilk, but there is also a very lovely sweetness like that you get from good heavy cream. And the texture is thick and a bit gooey, like marshmallow fluff. When my gifted container finished, I bought another and then a third, and then this weekend I was dismayed to find that the container was nearly empty yet again. I wanted to serve it along with dessert at the Mother's Day lunch I was preparing for my mom and mother-in-law, but I didn't have time to buy more. That's when I remembered a long ago article that mentioned how incredibly easy it is to make creme fraiche at home. I got online and found that it really was easy. As easy as whisking together good heavy cream and a few tablespoons of buttermilk or yogurt or even just some storebought creme fraiche. I happened to have a small unopened bottle of Ronnybrook cream (the best around here), so I poured it into a bowl and stirred in equal parts Greek yogurt and what was left of my Vermont Creamery container. I covered the bowl with a piece of the plastic (poking in a few holes to allow air to travel), and left it on top of the stove overnight. By Sunday morning, the bowl of cream had turned thick and silky. I was so excited that I brought it into the bedroom where Eugene was still sleeping. "Look at this! I made creme fraiche!" I exclaimed. "That's nice," he mumbled, then rolled over back to sleep. I left the room hugging my bowl then placed it in the fridge to chill and thicken a bit more. I served my homemade creme fraiche to the moms along with fresh strawberries, blackberries, and coconut palm sugar. They loved it. The bowl is nearly empty again, and I think I just may have to make another batch. This is definitely a dangerous skill to have acquired... **** Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading! Homemade Creme Fraiche Recipe Ingredients 2 cups good quality heavy cream (not ultra-pasteurized) 1/3 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or creme fraiche (or a combination of these adding up to 1/3 cup) Directions Whisk the heavy cream and buttermilk together in a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap that's been poked several times to allow air to pass. (You can also use cheesecloth.) Leave at warm room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, or until the cream has thickened into the texture of loose whipped cream. Give it another stir, cover tightly with a new piece of plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 8 hours. It will thicken and set completely. You can now serve this with both sweet and savory dishes, or use for cooking. (Just as you would use sour cream or store-bought creme fraiche). You can also sweeten or flavor the creme fraiche after it's ready--some good additions are lemon or orange zest, vanilla beans, dried herbs, or sugar. Keeps well 1 week to 10 days when stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
If you’ve never added zucchini to your baked goods drop everything you are doing and do it now! These Zucchini Brownies are unbelievably moist and rich. A chocolate lovers dream!
Classic, no-bake Nainamo bars with a chocolate coconut base, custard buttercream filling, and a layer of chocolate on top. Learn how to make this iconic Canadian dessert - with or without custard powder.
Thin and delicate crepes are perfect for sweet or savory breakfasts or desserts. Easy to make and wonderful reheated, makes these crepes perfect for meal planning and prep.
Easy, homemade vegan brownies that are so gooey and fudgy, you'll never buy store-bought again!
Rice Krispie Treats, this is the original 3-ingredient recipe for Rice Krispie Treats! Every bite is perfectly crispy and ooey-gooey!
If you’ve never added zucchini to your baked goods drop everything you are doing and do it now! These Zucchini Brownies are unbelievably moist and rich. A chocolate lovers dream!
A cozy and simple fall dessert!
These healthy pumpkin muffins are naturally gluten-free, sweetened with maple syrup, quick and easy to make, and so perfecty pumpkin-y.
Sometimes cornbread needs a little sweetness and this is the perfect Sweet Cornbread Muffin recipe. Enjoy this delicious, simple, from-scratch recipe!
Try homemade butterscotch sauce made with butter, brown sugar, and cream, on your favorite desserts! This butterscotch sauce recipe is simple and delicious.
Making ANZAC biscuits is an Australian tradition and these chewy oat biscuits are easy to make with kids.
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Old fashioned super soft molasses cookies are a homemade classic treat packed with bold flavors of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon in each bite. They're seriously soft and chewy on the inside with a crackly top outside that's been rolled in sugar. They're a fall and holiday favorite recipe that's the perfect addition to any cookie swap!
These Brown Sugar Rhubarb Cookies are the perfect combo of sweet and tart! Soft, yet chewy and so perfect with coffee, tea or to pack in the...
Light, fluffy and super easy homemade pancakes are the most delicious breakfast treat.
If you need to satisfy your sweet tooth but don't feel like cooking, look no further than this chickpea cookie dough! It's naturally vegan & gluten free and made with simple, wholesome ingredients.
Here are the best totally guilt free zero point Weight Watcher's desserts you can enjoy when the craving for a sweet treat hits. From frozen berries and strawberry fluff to chocolate pudding, these zero point
Seriously, these are the BEST vegan brownies. They're easy to make, perfectly fudgy, with a few key ingredients and techniques that yield a gorgeous shiny, crackly crust.
These Lemon Blueberry Muffins with streusel crumb topping are the best breakfast to make ahead and grab on a busy morning. This easy muffin recipe with Greek yogurt makes moist, homemade bakery-style muffins.
These soft and chewy granola bars are way better than store-bought and so easy to customize! They’re gluten-free and easily made nut-free and/or vegan.
This healthy pumpkin muffin recipe is a delicious, low sugar fall breakfast. Naturally gluten + dairy free - these muffins are easy to make and so tasty!
Easy, healthy crispy baked beet chips. Slightly sweet and crunchy with a hint of sea salt and black pepper. The perfect guilt-free snack everyone with love! Vegan, gluten free and so delicious!
If you want a delicious sweet and salty crunch snack, make a batch of these Praline Pecans.
Sweet potato brownies are so easy to make with just 5 simple ingredients. You won't believe how yummy and fudgy these brownies are. These vegan brownies are made with no sugar, no flour and they are naturally paleo, egg free and dairy free. Quick to bake in less than 30 minutes!
These homemade granola bars are a quick and delicious, and naturally gluten-free! If you want to change the mix-ins, see the post above for my tips on how to do it. These are on the sweet side, if you're looking for a less-sweet treat, try these Energy Balls.
Use this recipe to make a delicious homemade pie with a crust made from scratch!
