Recipes Desserts 12 Ways to Use Crème Fraîche in Dessert By Nina Friend Published on June 28, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Thick, silky crème fraîche provides an instant upgrade when it comes to desserts, whether you're adding a dollop to a piece of pie or incorporating it into cake batter for some added tang. Here are a dozen ways to put that decadent French topping to good use. 01 of 12 Cocoa Crème Fraîche Cupcakes © Frances Janisch These rich cupcakes double up on the crème fraîche, using the thick cream both inside the batter and as a topping. Go to Recipe 02 of 12 Almond Cake with Lemon and Crème Fraîche Glaze This unique cake comes from Jessica Hicks of Astro Coffee in Detroit, who combines hand-ground almonds with polenta to give the batter some texture. The crème fraîche is spread atop the cake in the form of a glaze, which is flavored with lemon juice. Go to Recipe 03 of 12 Summer Berries with Cumin Meringues and Crème Fraîche © Keller + Keller This recipe comes from Barbara Lynch, who makes a simple berry and crème fraîche dessert more complex by adding a meringue, which is flavored with a pinch of cumin. Go to Recipe 04 of 12 Strawberry Crème Fraîche Biscuits JOHN KERNICK >These buttery biscuits are made even better when spread with some strawberry-swirled crème fraîche, which adds the perfect amount of tartness. Go to Recipe 05 of 12 Gianduja Mousse Frances Janisch This gianduja mousse is kind of like fluffy Nutella, but instead of simply whipping the chocolate-hazelnut spread, the recipe calls for folding in whipped cream and crème fraîche. It’s rich and decadent and really hard to stop eating. Go to Recipe 06 of 12 Tarte Tatin with Crème Fraîche Andrew Zimmern’s tart tatin is made of spiced apples cooked in caramel, which pairs perfectly with a dollop of silky crème fraîche. Go to Recipe 07 of 12 Red Velvet Beet Cake with Crème Fraîche Icing Don’t knock the beet puree ‘till you try it. And trust us, it’s really good — especially when paired with that just-thick-enough crème fraîche frosting. Go to Recipe 08 of 12 Blueberry-Almond Shortcakes with Crème Fraîche © Anna Williams While shortcakes are most often made of strawberries, pound cake, and whipped cream, this spin-off sandwiches whipped crème fraîche and blueberry compote between two cornmeal-almond biscuits. Go to Recipe 09 of 12 Chess Pie with Crème Fraîche and Vanilla When it comes to desserts, crème fraîche is typically used as a topping. But this buttery chess pie uses the cream in the custard itself. Go to Recipe 10 of 12 Crème Fraîche Biscuits © Petrina Tinslay With these biscuits, chefs Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing opt for crème fraîche instead of buttermilk for extra fluff. Go to Recipe 11 of 12 Crème Fraîche Crème Caramels Chef Maura Kilpatrick’s crème caramels are made with crème fraîche for an added silkiness (and a nice bite of tang, too). Go to Recipe 12 of 12 Almond-Plum Cake with Crème Fraîche This moist almond cake can be made with any kind of seasonal fruit. We love the combination of juicy plums (or cherries, apricots, peaches, et cetera) with smooth crème fraîche and the crunch of slivered almonds. Go to Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit