Substitute for Hated Sour Cream
I absolutely HATE sour cream. Can't stand either the taste or the smell. Both make me gag! And yes, I can usually taste/smell it, if it's in there! I also don't like cream cheese - it's a texture thing. Is there any consistant substitute for s.c, in baking especially? I've used plain yoghurt, but is there anything else I can use across the board?
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19 Comments:
Creme Fraiche. Heavenly stuff. Less sour. Wonderfully creamy. Not sweet, so it's an acceptable sub for sour cream in any recipe.
juliebugsmama at 11:41AM on 01/12/09
You could use buttermilk, or if money is no object creme fraiche. Or you can make your own creme fraiche by souring your own cream
I wish I had your issue. I could almost drink sour cream straight. :)
MaresyDotes at 11:44AM on 01/12/09
Mascarpone. Similar texture, significantly less acidity.
Michele Humes at 11:48AM on 01/12/09
greek yogurt.
ChelleyD01 at 12:41PM on 01/12/09
Trader Joe's has good prices for both creme fraiche and mascarpone.
mrsbao at 12:49PM on 01/12/09
Thanks everyone. Isn't creme fraiche very similar to sour cream in both taste and texture?
duncan1205 at 12:54PM on 01/12/09
Well, if you're cooking with it, the texture is not so much of an issue. If you can tolerate yogurt in cooking, my guess is creme fraiche will be just fine. I find the flavor far less tart and the texture more liquid, but YMMV, I imagine.
lemons at 1:18PM on 01/12/09
Double devon cream might work. Tastes just like heavy cream, but thick. Whole foods has it.
carolrsfMISSESTEXAS at 1:25PM on 01/12/09
I second the greek yogurt! It's thick and rich and creamy (and not to mention absolutely divine!).
luswim06 at 1:33PM on 01/12/09
If you're not cooking with it - Get yourself a container of Fage Greek Yogurt. The 0% is not to be believed - rich in the mouth, you'll swear you're committing a huge sin. If fat is not an object, get the full fat version. Get extra - make Tzatziki. (And don't forget the pita bread.)
therealchiffonade at 2:31PM on 01/12/09
I have to say, I find creme fraiche very similar in that "tang" to sour cream. But, if price is your concern, I read somewhere that if you mix equal parts heavy cream and sour cream, you get a perfect creme fraiche substitute. I do it all the time, and think it works great.
Kerry Saretsky at 2:39PM on 01/12/09
Creme Fraiche and Greek yogurt are really _really_ similar to sour cream in terms of texture and, usually, taste.
Buttermilk is thinner, so you'd avoid the textural issues a bit, but the tang is similar and it wouldn't be a good substitute in many instances because of the much higher water content than sour cream and the lack of any real balance for the tang (ie, you wouldn't want to put it in a stroganoff recipe).
Mascarpone certainly tastes very different though the texture is similar to sour cream.
Ricotta cheese (you can buzz it in a blender or food processor) would also not give you that sour cream tang but would have a similar texture in recipes (this is probably what I'd try as close-to universal substitute for sour cream).
ccbweb at 2:48PM on 01/12/09
It would be helpful to know what you're trying to cook before we give you suggestions. Heavy, custardy type things come to mind are pudding (which is in some cookie recipes and as a cake filling), mayo (also in some cakes), and condensed milk, even just plain cream if you don't need something 'firm.' If you don't like sour yogurt, you could use sweeter yogurts.
HeartofGlass at 6:33PM on 01/12/09
I'm going along with the idea that it depends on what you're making. There may not be a one-size-fits-all answer, because it depends on what the purpose of the sour cream is. In some cases, it's there to provide the acid that interacts with baking powder. In that case, ricotta might not work, but buttermilk might. Unless the thickness is an issue. So, yeah, it really depends on what you're making, and it also depends on what you're opposed to. If you're okay with plain yogurt, that might be the best bet, although it may not yield the best results if the fat content is critical. In baking, it's all about the formula, and if you mess with it too much, you might not like the result.
If you don't like commercial sour cream, you can sour your own cream by adding a small amount of vinegar to some heavy cream.
Or, you could experiment with making your own yogurt. That way, you can control the tartness, if that's part of the problem. As far as the texture issue, to my mind yogurt (which you say is okay) is a lot closer, texture-wise, to sour cream than cream cheese is.
If you find that your own yogurt doesn't offend you, you can use the same method but use heavy cream and see if that's also acceptable.
dbcurrie at 9:58PM on 01/12/09
I'm not at all sure why I suggested buzzing ricotta cheese in a blender. I meant cottage cheese. If you buzz cottage cheese you get a smooth creamy thing that will sub well for sour cream without the tang. Still depends on what the specific issue with the sour cream is, I suppose.
ccbweb at 10:18PM on 01/12/09
@ccb -- ricotta in a blender isn't that offbeat. It would smooth it out a bit. Maybe a little milk or cream to thin it, and it would probably be fine. I've been known to sub dry cottage cheese (sometimes sold as Farmer's Cheese), ricotta, and regular cottage cheese for each other, with appropriate modifications.
dbcurrie at 2:39PM on 01/13/09
you can also use yogurt to replace cream cheese. you simply use a cheesecloth to strain it.
blizcheetah at 11:45PM on 01/13/09
If it's the texture, rather than the tartness, of cream cheese that bothers you, you could beat it with a little milk to thin, smoothe and lighten it.
gentlyferal at 2:36AM on 01/23/09
Greek Yogurt is an excellent choice. The 2% is rich and tasty if you want to splurge, so who needs the full-fat? :-)
LadySparkina at 2:58AM on 01/23/09