Ingredient: Fromage frais
Category: Dairy- Cheese
Season: All
Fromage frais (also known as fromage blanc or maquée) is a dairy product, originating from Belgium and north of France.
The name literally means "fresh cheese" (with fromage blanc meaning "white cheese").
It is made in a similar fashion to cheese, with rennet and a starter culture being added to milk. However, unlike cheese, the curds are not allowed to solidify, but are stirred, giving fromage frais a texture similar to that of yogurt.
Pure fromage frais is virtually fat free, but cream is frequently added to improve the flavour, which also increases the fat content, to make 4% (or as high as 8%).
The 4%, is fine eaten on its own with honey or fruit purée, or used as a topping – especially for anyone on a low-fat diet.
Fromage frais can be served either as a dessert similar to yogurt, frequently with added fruit, or used in savory dishes.
The 8% fromage frais, is the best one for cooking.
Either of the above, can be used in savoury sauces or as a topping for jacket potatoes with a few snipped chives.
Alternatively, there is a diet, virtually fat-free version (0.1 per cent), which is ideal in dips.
For a cool, light, low-fat dessert, you must try fromage frais puddings with red fruit compote.
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