A rich, dairy-free almond crème fraîche with silky texture and delicate cultured tang. 

Plant-Based Almond Crème Fraîche 

Crème fraîche is loved for its rich texture, delicate tang, and versatility across both sweet and savoury dishes. This recipe reimagines the classic using UltraGel 5 to create the luxurious viscosity and smooth mouthfeel of traditional cultured dairy while remaining completely dairy-free. 

Originally developed to cater for allergen-friendly menus, this recipe quickly became something delicious in its own right. We’ve found that this Almond Crème Fraîche pairs beautifully with everything from stone fruits to refined savoury applications such as caviar service. 

What is Crème fraîche? 

Originating in France, crème fraîche is made by fermenting high-fat cream with bacterial cultures or buttermilk. As the cultures develop, they produce lactic acid, which not only prevents spoilage but also thickens the cream while creating the gentle tang that defines the finished product. 

Known for its rich texture and delicate acidity, crème fraîche sits somewhere between double cream and sour cream. It offers a thicker, silkier consistency than double cream, with a more rounded flavour and less sharp a tang than sour cream.  

Its high fat content not only contributes to its luxurious mouthfeel but also gives crème fraîche greater stability in cooking, making it a favourite ingredient in both sweet and savoury applications. 

To recreate these characteristics without dairy, our recipe uses the natural fats within almond milk alongside UltraGel 5 to provide the luxurious texture, while a final addition of lactic acid delivers the acidity directly, without the need to add cultures. 

Why Almond Milk?

The success of this recipe relies heavily on fat content and emulsification. Because almonds naturally contain rich oils, almond milk works exceptionally well with UltraGel 5, creating a creamy, spoonable texture that closely mirrors traditional cultured cream. 

We’ve chosen to make our own almond milk using premium Avola almonds, prized for their naturally sweet flavour and high fat content. With our Enriched Almond Milk recipe created to closely replicate the fat content of quality dairy milk, these almonds help deliver exceptional richness and depth within the finished crème fraîche.

Almond Crème Fraîche Recipe 

Makes: 630g 

A Layout of ingredients for Almond Creme Fraiche

Ingredients 

Method 

In a pan, heat the almond milk, keeping it above 85°C.    

In a separate bowl, mix the UltraGel 5 and Ultralin.    

Disperse the powder mix in the pan of almond milk, bringing to the boil and whisking well for 1 to 2 minutes, to activate the UltraGel 5. 

Remove the mixture from the heat and pour into a bowl over an ice bath.   

While cooling, beat the mixture to aerate and develop it’s smooth, light texture.   

Add the lactic acid and mix to incorporate. 

Once cool, place the mixture in the desired output.   

Notes 

For the richest possible result, we recommend using our house-made Enriched Almond Milk produced from high-fat Avola Almonds. Though good-quality store-bought almond milk can also be used successfully, our enriched almond milk replicates the fat content of Jersey milk for the best result. Other plant-based milks may work in place of almond, but lower-fat varieties may produce a lighter final texture. 

To achieve the correct texture and setting properties, UltraGel 5 must be added to a liquid heated above 85°C and then boiled for 1-2 minutes to fully activate its setting properties. 

UltraGel is first mixed with Ultralin, as this helps the powder disperse evenly and prevents lumps from forming. 

Cooling the mixture rapidly over an ice bath is also an important step, helping preserve freshness and maintain a cleaner flavour after boiling. 

If you’re looking to create a neutral almond cream rather than a cultured Crème Fraîche, simply omit the lactic acid addition at the final stage.