Fontainebleau is a combination of faisselle (a curd-like soft white cheese) and whipped cream, and is a traditional French dessert that’s served plain or with berry fruits.
Fontainebleau is named after its place of origin in the 18th century, a village near Forêt de Fontainebleau (The forest of Fontainebleau) in the Île-de-France region of France. It is mild, sweet, and has a light and airy texture.
It is said that fontainebleau was accidentally created when a worker at the dairy in present-day Seine-et-Marne (Fontainebleau) noticed that a layer of light and airy cream had formed on the surface of a fresh milk can. Many were eager to taste the fresh cream before it settled back into the milk.
This cream rose to the surface due to the fact that the milk in the cans was tossed and churned as the carts moved via the cobblestone streets.
The exact preparation for fontainebleau was not handed down, and over the years, as techniques of aeration and whipping of the cream improved, the recipe naturally evolved.
Today, there are two major variations in the preparation of commercially sold fontainebleau. It can be made exclusively with crème fraiche, or with fresh faisselle and whipped cream.
Faisselle, originating in central France, is a generic name for fresh cheese made from raw (unpasteurized) cow’s milk and sometimes from goat’s or sheep’s milk.
This rindless cheese is mild in taste, has a soft and delicate texture, and is sold in small perforated containers.
The container in which it is sold is known as a faisselle, and is named after the cheese. These containers allow the excess whey from the milk curds to drain away.
The name, faisselle, is derived from the Latin word fiscella, the name for small wicker baskets.
Faisselle can be eaten as a savory dessert served with salt, pepper, chives or shallots, or as a dessert with fresh fruits or frozen berries, as with fontainebleau.
This fresh white cheese is also used in several dessert preparations such as cakes, pies, and tarts.
The following ingredients may be substituted for faisselle cheese:
The Barthélémy family in Fontainebleau claims ownership of the original recipe, and takes pride in making it with only crème fraiche, and without any additional ingredients. However, cheesemakers, such as Androuet and Laurent Dubois, use drained and smoothened faisselle and whipped cream.
Fontainebleau is considered an artisanal product, and the craftsmanship of such a delicacy lies in how well the air is incorporated in the cream. To hold the foamy texture, the verrines (French glasses which are used to serve desserts or starters, as opposed to drinks) are layered with cheesecloth.
Fontainebleau is best when consumed immediately before the sparkling effect of the cream is lost. The shelf life is limited when it is made only with crème fraiche. It can be eaten plain, or with fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, currants, or blackcurrants.
Crémet d’Anjou, a specialty of the Angers region in France, is a mix of whipped cream and egg whites. Similarly, cremet nantais, mainly from the Nantes region, is a rindless unsalted cheese made from cow’s milk. Both delicacies are very similar to fontainebleau, and can be consumed as a savory cheese or a dessert.
This recipe is validated by our culinary expert in French cuisine, Chef Simon. You can find Chef Simon on his website Chef Simon – Le Plaisir de Cuisiner.
