Can I Substitute???

[gulfporter]

For almost 20 years, I have successfully made a Bon Appetit recipe for a blueberry sour cream pie.  It has always been a hit.

 

Just In the last few years,  we can buy blueberries here in our MXN village.  Alas, there is no sour cream here.  The locally available cremas are loose and a bit runny (and not sour at all) and doubtful they would work as a substitute.   Have seen thicker cremas in other parts of MX, but not here and I've tried all the brands.

 

I can and do buy Fage plain Greek yogurt....it is as thick as thieves with a great tang.  

 

Can I substitute this for the sour cream without any other changes to the recipe?  Or do I need to add/subtract the amounts of sugar and/or flour?  The pie bakes for about 35 minutes at 400 degrees and wonder how the time and temperature will affect the yogurt.  I am more worried about viscosity as when I make the recipe with sour cream it sets up perfectly with nice solid slices.  

 

The pie's recipe is posted publically on epicurious.com and the filling part is as follows:

FILLING

• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten to blend
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

 

 

[Dave the Cook]

If your yogurt is full-fat, I'd try it without changing the recipe. The fat, along with the flour that's already in the recipe, should keep the filling stable. You might also consider baking at a lower temperature for a longer time, if this doesn't affect your crust adversely.

 

If your yogurt is low- or no-fat, I wouldn't try it. I imagine that you'd have to add so much flour to stabilize it that flavor release would be affected.

 

Of course, I could be wrong. There's one way to find out.

 

One other possibility: maybe you could make your own sour cream from the local crema.

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

I've found thicker crema in our local mercado--not a store brand like Lala. They tend to be from local cultures and are quite a bit more sour than the store brands. Generally they're sold in plastic cups in various sizes with plastic-wrap on top held in place with a thin rubber band. Store brands are handy but when I want something with real flavor I buy crema in the mercado. The vendors also sell cheeses. Look in your local mercado to see if you can find this, or in a supermercado deli section. Try that and see if you like the result.

 

Nancy in Pátzcuaro

Edited March 4, 2019 by Nancy in Pátzcuaro (log)

[gulfporter]

@Nancy in Pátzcuaro  Thanks , yes I have had more sour and thick cremas on trips to other areas within MEX.  We do have a cheese truck that happens by every so often and will see if he sells crema, but he is an oddly quiet vendor....no bells or loudspeaker so it's catch-as-catch can.

 

@Dave the Cook  I think I will chance it with either the Fage (if it is indeed full fat...need to read the label) or another full fat yogurt, as I know where to find it.