crème fraîche
/kʁɛm fʁɛʃ/
crème fraîche is the French phrase for creme fraiche.
crème fraîche refers to a thick, soured cream used both as a topping and in cooking.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means 'fresh cream'.
Which one should you use?
While it is often translated into English as 'sour cream', crème fraîche is typically less acidic and has a higher fat content than American-style sour cream.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Normandy, crème fraîche is often referred to as crème d'Isigny.
How do you pronounce it?
/kʁɛm fʁɛʃ/
Did you know?
- The word crème shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'chrism', used to describe ceremonial oil or anointment.
- Unlike American sour cream, crème fraîche does not curdle when boiled, making it a critical ingredient for French sauces that require high heat.
- The term crème is used in French to describe the best part of anything, such as la crème de la crème to describe the absolute best of a group.
Examples in context
- La tarte aux fraises avec de la crème fraîche est délicieuse.The strawberry tart with crème fraîche is delicious.
- J'ajoute un peu de crème fraîche à ma soupe pour la rendre plus onctueuse.I add a bit of crème fraîche to my soup to make it creamier.
- Cette recette nécessite de la crème fraîche épaisse.This recipe calls for thick crème fraîche.
- J'ajoute de la crème fraîche dans la sauce.I am adding some crème fraîche to the sauce.
- Tu veux un peu de crème fraîche sur ton dessert ?Do you want a little crème fraîche on your dessert?
- Il reste de la crème fraîche dans le frigo.There is some crème fraîche left in the fridge.
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are preparing a meal together in their kitchen.
- HugoEst-ce qu'on a de la crème fraîche pour la soupe ?Do we have any crème fraîche for the soup?
- LéaOui, j'en ai acheté ce matin.Yes, I bought some this morning.
- HugoSuper, la crème fraîche va rendre la soupe très onctueuse.Great, the crème fraîche will make the soup very creamy.
- LéaJe vais la sortir du réfrigérateur tout de suite.I will take it out of the refrigerator right now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry crème fraîche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries crème, crème fraîche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
