What is german quark or creme fraiche in Australia?

Question

Hey Guys, my hubby and I lived in Germany for a while and they have all these nice recipes with quark or creme fraiche. But since we moved to Australia I cant find these items anywere. Can someone tell me what to use instead?
Thanks!

Answer 1

heavy cream

like the kind to make whipped cream

Answer 2

Créme Fraîche is a slightly sour thick cream which doesn't curdle when it's heated, so it's ideal for making cream sauces or in toppings and deserts.
To make your own: Warm one cup heavy cream to about 100°, then add one or two tablespoons of sour cream, cultured buttermilk, or plain yogurt (make sure you buy a brand that contains active cultures). Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for at least nine hours before refrigerating.
Substitutes: crema Mexicana OR equal parts sour cream and heavy cream OR clabber cream (thicker consistency) OR sour cream (This has a lower fat content, and so it's more likely to curdle if boiled with an acidic ingredient.) OR yogurt (This will definitely curdle when boiled.)

On a personal note I would go with a thick soured cream if it is for use cold as I sub Creme Fraiche sometimes for soured cream as a dressing/topping

Answer 3

Hi
I live in Australia and have wondered this myself as I've heard this ingredient mentioned in (non-Australian) cooking shows (never heard of quark though) so I've looked it up on Wikipedia, here's what I found:

"Crème fraîche (French for "fresh cream") is a heavy cream slightly soured with bacterial culture, but not as sour or as thick as sour cream. Originally a French product, today it is available throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Crème fraîche can be made at home by adding a small amount of cultured buttermilk or sour cream to normal heavy cream, and allowing to stand for several hours at room temperature until the bacterial cultures act on the cream.

In general, crème fraîche, like sour cream, is used in food preparation, but crème fraîche has at least one advantage over sour cream: it can be mixed with air into whipped cream. Also, unlike sour cream, crème fraîche has a high enough fat content (and low enough protein content) that it can be directly cooked without curdling."

Hope this helps.
Lisa

Answer 4

Sour Cream is a suitable substitute. It is quite similar to creme fraiche. The guy above me is loony!!