New England Cheese Making: Sour Cream Starter Culture

This Sour Cream starter culture will turn one quart of cream into thick, delicious, sour cream. With only two ingredients, cream and culture, it is easy to make freshly cultured sour cream at home. 

For a low fat substitute, use this culture with low fat or skimmed milk.

Ingredients

• Lactose
• (LL) Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
• (LLC) Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
• (LLD) Lactococcus lactis subsp. biovar diacetylactis
• (LMC) Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris

Storage
Store in freezer

Yield
Each of the five packets will make 1 pound of sour cream

Directions

• Heat 1 quart of light cream to 86ºF
• Add 1 packet of sour cream culture to cream, let rehydrate for 1-3 minutes
• Stir cream for 1-2 minutes
• Let set for 12-24 hours, or until thickened to desired consistency
• Store finished sour cream in a refrigerator for up to one week