Dairy
Sour Cream
Sour cream is cultured cream of moderate to high fat, tangier and often lighter-bodied than crème fraîche—the North American baked-potato and burrito classic. Light sour creams are more prone to splitting when heated. Dollop cold on chillies, fold into batters, or temper into warm sauces. Full-fat performs better in cooking. Do not boil. Keep sealed; surface can grow yeasts if left open.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
BakedChilledDollopedTempered
Traits
CoolingCulturedTangyThickTopping Classic
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
Half-and-Half
Light Cream
Light Whipping Cream
Heavy Cream
Heavy Whipping Cream
History
US
Commercial sour cream became a US mass-market cultured cream.
US
Sour cream toppings defined Midwestern and Tex-Mex home cooking.
Full-fat and light sour cream lines filled global retail influenced by US cuisine.