Dairy substitutes

From Schlagsahne to Quark, here’s a handy list of German dairy products, translations, and the best substitutes when your recipe calls for something hard to find.

Product	Substitute / Info
Condensed Milk	Look in the international section in major shops. Some now have it at the usual dairy products. Make sure you buy the tin with “Gezuckerte Kondensmilch wärmebehandelt”
Caramelised Condensed Milk	Look in the international section in major shops. Some now have it at the usual dairy products. Make sure you buy the tin “Karamell Kondesnmilch erzeugnis gezuckert
Ideal Milk / Ingedampte Melk	Look in Asian Shops or buy online. We did a poll on our FB page about substitute products. And most said “Kondensmilch order evaporierte Kondensmilch, auch Dosenmilch oder Büchsenmilch genannt” can be a substitute for Evaporated Milk / Ingedampte melk in recipes where you need to cool the milk overnight in the fridge, then beat it to increase the volume. Not referring to gezuckerte Kondensmilch – that is normal Condensed milk”
Instant Custard	Milram Dessert-Soße Vanille
Cremora coffee creamer	Nestle Creamer or Cofee-mate Kafee-Weisser
Amasi – fermented milk that tastes like cottage cheese or plain yogurt.	Ayran or Kefir is a good substitute and can be found in most shops
Cheese spread	Milkana mit Gouda or Cheddar
Orley Wihp	Orley Whip is a non dairy dessert topping that looks like cream. If you are looking for a vegan substitute, you can find vegan alternatives like soya or Hafer. If you just want cream, substitute with double cream with at least 30% Fat

Types of Cream and special milk

Product	German Equivalent / Local Options	Substitute Ideas & Notes
Buttermilk	Buttermilch	For 1 cup buttermilk: add 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup, then fill with milk to make 1 cup. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes. Other options: 1 cup plain yogurt or 1¾ tsp cream of tartar + 1 cup milk.
Double Cream (48% fat)	Doppelrahm, Double Crème, Crème Double, Crème de Gruyère	Thick, rich cream for desserts or sauces. Not common in Germany. For cooking: use Kochsahne (15–20% fat). For desserts: use Mascarpone. For soups or sauces: use Crème fraîche. When baking: substitute with Schlagsahne (whipping cream) — for extra richness, add 1 tsp melted butter per 100 ml cream. For dense cakes, Crème fraîche also works beautifully.
Single Cream (18% fat)	Kaffeesahne (10–15% fat) or thinned Schlagsahne	Lighter cream for pouring over desserts or adding mild creaminess to dishes.
Whipping Cream	Schlagsahne (30–33% fat)	Standard cream used in most recipes and for whipping. Sold plain or sweetened. Use as a direct substitute for double cream in baking, desserts, and sauces. For whipped toppings, combine with Mascarpone for a richer, more stable texture.
Cooking Cream	Kochsahne (10–20% fat)	Lower-fat cream formulated for cooking. Won’t curdle when heated, but not suitable for whipping. Ideal for pasta sauces, soups, and casseroles.
Soured Cream (20% fat)	Saure Sahne	Fermented with lactic acid bacteria for a tangy flavour. Use in dips, dressings, or baking.
Crème Fraîche (30% fat)	Crème fraîche	Milder and richer than soured cream. Excellent for sauces and soups — won’t curdle when heated.
Clotted Cream (55% fat)	Not commonly sold in Germany	Mix equal parts Mascarpone and Crème fraîche for a rich, spreadable substitute. Perfect with scones or desserts.

Soft cheese

Soft Cheese	German Equivalent / Common Brand Names	Description & Substitutes
Cottage Cheese	Hüttenkäse	Mild, lumpy cheese made from curds. Often eaten with fruit, vegetables, or on bread. The smooth variant is available in Germany but hard to find. Substitute: Ricotta or a mix of Quark + a little milk for a smoother version.
Ricotta	Ricotta (sold under Italian brands in most supermarkets)	Smooth, slightly grainy cheese made from whey. Used in pasta dishes, desserts, and baking. Substitute: Quark (Magerstufe) for savoury dishes or Mascarpone for sweet ones.
Quark	Quark (available as Magerstufe, Halbfett, or Sahnequark)	A German staple — creamy, tangy fresh cheese somewhere between yogurt and cream cheese. Used in baking (Käsekuchen), dips, or eaten with fruit. Substitute: Greek yogurt or Fromage blanc.
Cream Cheese	Frischkäse (brands: Philadelphia, Buko, Exquisa)	Soft, spreadable cheese used in cheesecakes, dips, and spreads. Sold plain or flavoured with herbs. Substitute: Mascarpone (for desserts) or Quark + butter for a lighter spread.
Mascarpone	Mascarpone (Italian import, widely available)	Rich, thick cream cheese made from cream rather than milk. Perfect for desserts like tiramisu or to enrich sauces. Substitute: Crème fraîche or thick Greek yogurt + cream.
Skyr	Skyr (Icelandic-style dairy, available from brands like Arla or Ehrmann)	Thick, high-protein dairy product similar to strained yogurt or low-fat Quark. Substitute: Low-fat Quark or Greek yogurt.
Fromage Blanc	Often sold as Quark in Germany	Smooth, fresh cheese similar to Quark but slightly creamier and less tangy. Substitute: Quark or Greek yogurt.

Info on the web

Want to dig a little deeper? Rewe’s handy guide explains what Sauermilch is, how to use it and when to choose substitutes — read more on their site.

Meat

20/02/2024 No Comments

🇿🇦 Meat the Difference: A South African’s Guide to Buying Meat in Germany 🇩🇪 Looking for proper boerewors? Wondering why German Rindfleisch doesn’t taste quite like home? Or scratching your head at all the unfamiliar beef cuts? Get to know the difference between German and South African beef cuts, learn the right words at the butcher, and discover where to find quality meat that feels like home. German beef cuts German Cut English Equivalent Notes

South African Recipes

19/06/2021 No Comments

South African Recipes We’d love to taste the flavours of home through your kitchen! If you have a family-favourite milk tart, a secret twist on chakalaka, or your own take on rooibos iced tea, we want to hear from you. Share your best South African recipes with us and help build a collection that brings a little bit of lekker to all of us living abroad — one delicious dish at a time. 🍽️🇿🇦 Click

Baking ingredients

20/06/2020 No Comments

Baking ingredients For all of the passionate bakers out there! We have thoughtfully compiled a comprehensive list of alternative ingredient options that can be used for baking in Germany, along with their corresponding German translations. Types of Flour Product Substitute / Translation Self-Raising Flour Not commonly sold in Germany (occasionally at Lidl). Substitute for 1 cup self-raising flour: – 1 cup (120 g) Type 405 flour (closest to SA cake flour) – 1½ tsp baking