For quick sauces or gratins, choose a thick crème fraîche described as matured if you’re specifically looking for the tangy flavour Maison Le Gall attributes to its product. If you only use small amounts, the pack size and storage instructions after opening may matter more. Also check the product description, ingredients and fat content.
If you’re making a sauce or gratin without much preparation, you’ll want a thick cream. If how well it holds up when heated is important, check the specific product: Président highlights this quality for its Crème Fraîche Gastronomique.
If you only use small amounts of cream, compare the tub or pouch size with the storage instructions for after opening.
Check the product description, fat content, ingredients and milk information before choosing, rather than relying on the words ‘light’ or ‘matured’ alone.
For new parents’ meals, start with how you plan to use the cream, then choose an amount you can use within the product’s recommended storage period.
| What to consider | What to check | Who might prioritise it? |
|---|---|---|
| Texture and maturation | Look for the word ‘matured’ on the specific product. If you’re cooking with it, check the manufacturer’s cooking guidance. | For topping a sauce or finishing a gratin, I’m looking for thick cream with a tangy flavour. Around 37% of consumers would prioritise this texture. |
| Pack size and storage | Compare the net quantity, use-by date and storage instructions for after opening on the pack you buy. | If I only use a little cream from time to time, I’d prefer an amount I can finish. Around 36% of consumers would make a suitable pack size their priority. |
| Label and ingredients | Check the product description, fat content, ingredients and milk information. | Before choosing between products with 30% or 15% fat, I want to know what each one contains. Around 27% of consumers would prioritise checking the label first. |
Maison Le Gall describes its 30%-fat thick crème fraîche as having undergone a long maturation process. This doesn’t describe all thick cream.
If this flavour matters to you, look for information about maturation and ingredients on the product you’re considering.
A texture description on the front of the pack doesn’t replace the product description. Two products labelled as thick can also have different fat contents and ingredient lists.
Compare the product descriptions and nutritional information per 100 g, rather than relying on the words ‘light’ or ‘creamy’ alone.
Instructions vary by product and packaging: the guidance for an Elle & Vire pouch shouldn’t be applied to a Président tub.
Choose an amount that suits how often you use cream, then follow the use-by date and storage instructions on the pack you buy.
The Carrefour Classic’ and Auchan products described here contain milk. Check the ingredients for each product you choose.
Check the label on the tub you receive if you need to avoid an ingredient or allergen. Don’t rely on an old product listing alone.
Its 30%-fat thick crème fraîche is a good option if you’re looking for a product described as matured.
Crème Fraîche Gastronomique, with 30% fat, is available in 20 cl and 45 cl packs.
The brand offers organic thick double cream with 30% fat in a 324 g pouch.
The range includes a 196 g tub of thick, full-fat crème fraîche with 30% fat.
The products described include a 50 cl tub of thick, full-fat crème fraîche with 30% fat, and a 20 cl tub of thick light cream with 15% fat.
No. You shouldn’t assume that every thick cream is matured. Maison Le Gall describes its 30%-fat product as having undergone a long maturation process. If you’re specifically looking for this quality, check the description and ingredients of the product you choose.
Start by checking the product description and fat content of each option. The Auchan products described here contain 30% and 15% fat respectively. Compare their ingredients, pack sizes and intended uses too, and don’t assume how they’ll behave when cooked based on the fat percentage alone.
Follow the storage period shown on the pack you bought. Président recommends using its crème fraîche within 2 or 3 days of opening, while Elle & Vire says its specific pouch can be kept in the fridge for 15 days. These instructions aren’t interchangeable.
Check the product description, any information about how it has been treated, the ingredients, milk information, use-by date and storage instructions. For pregnancy-related dietary advice, speak to a healthcare professional rather than drawing conclusions from the words ‘crème fraîche’ alone.