For cold dips and toppings at a garden party, choose full-fat thick crème fraîche if you want a thick texture straight away. The 45 to 50 cl options from Président, Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Auchan make it easy to buy several pots. Don’t plan your menu around a 3 L bottle without checking which product it is. UHT pouring cream is better suited to other uses, such as hot sauces or whipped cream, while any cream that needs to be kept chilled requires careful planning for transport and serving.
If you want the cream to be thick as soon as it reaches the buffet, look for full-fat thick crème fraîche. Président, Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Auchan offer options in 45 to 50 cl sizes that are suitable for buying several pots.
Elle & Vire describes its UHT full-fat pouring cream as suitable for hot sauces and whipped cream. However, its pourable texture won’t meet the same needs as thick crème fraîche that’s ready to serve.
If you’re choosing between several pots and a large catering-size container, work out how much you’ll need to serve and make room to keep it chilled. Elle & Vire Professionnel offers a 5 L bucket, which is different from its retail sizes and the 3 L bottle you’re considering.
For a garden party, start with what you’re making: a thick topping, a lower-fat recipe and cream for whipping all call for different products. Then work out how much you can transport and keep chilled until serving time.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Texture of the toppings | Look for the word “thick” and check the fat content. For a lighter option, check the ingredients too. | If I’m serving a dip or topping dishes without making whipped cream, I want a thick texture straight from the pot. Around 42% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Quantity and keeping it chilled | Check the pot size, use-by date and storage instructions. Make sure you have somewhere cold to keep any spare pots. | If I’m serving lots of guests, I want to open the containers as I need them rather than leave all the spare cream on the buffet. Around 33% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Other culinary uses | Check the fat content, texture and recommended use for your recipe. | For a lower-fat recipe, hot sauce or whipped cream, I’d first choose a product that suits the dish. Around 25% of consumers would prioritise this use. |
Retail options from Président, Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Auchan include sizes from 45 to 50 cl. Elle & Vire Professionnel’s 5 L bucket is designed for a different type of purchase and storage.
Work out how many portions you’ll need before buying several pots, or check the size and buying arrangements directly with a catering supplier.
A 5 L container could leave you with more leftover cream if you buy more than you need for serving.
Carrefour Classic’ light thick crème fraîche contains 15% fat, modified starches and pectin. Elle & Vire’s UHT full-fat pouring cream contains 30% fat, but starts with a different texture to thick crème fraîche.
For a topping that’s ready to serve, check the stated texture. For a hot sauce or whipped cream, choose a product whose recommended use matches your recipe.
ANSES recommends limiting the time perishable foods spend at room temperature, returning them to the fridge after use and following their use-by dates.
Keep spare pots chilled, put out small amounts as you need them and follow the storage instructions on each pack.
Président offers 30% fat full-fat gastronomic crème fraîche in 20 and 45 cl sizes, as well as thick cream in a 30 cl pouch.
The range includes 30% fat organic full-fat thick cream in a 324 g pouch and 30% fat UHT full-fat pouring cream in two 25 cl bottles. Elle & Vire Professionnel also offers 35% fat thick crème fraîche in a 5 L bucket.
Carrefour offers two 50 cl pots of thick crème fraîche: Extra full-fat at 30% fat and Classic’ light at 15%.
E.Leclerc’s Delisse range includes 50 cl pots of thick crème fraîche, either full-fat at 30% or light at 15%, as well as 1 L cartons of 30% fat UHT full-fat cream.
Auchan offers 50 cl pots of 30% fat full-fat thick crème fraîche, as well as an organic version in the same size.
No. If your crème fraîche needs to be refrigerated, limit how long it spends at room temperature. ANSES advises returning perishable foods to the fridge after use and following their use-by dates. Serve small amounts at a time and keep spare pots chilled.
Follow the storage temperature range shown on the product you buy. ANSES recommends a temperature of between 0 and +4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge. The listing for Auchan’s full-fat thick crème fraîche specifies storage between +2 °C and +6 °C for that product.
Not if you want the same thick texture straight away. Elle & Vire recommends its 30% fat UHT full-fat pouring cream for sauces, hot dishes and whipped cream. If your topping needs to be thick when served, choose a product that suits the recipe’s texture requirements rather than looking at fat content alone.