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Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization.
The cream has a slight yellow or ivory colour and is more viscous than milk.
Uses of Cream
1. To serve with hot or cold coffee and chocolate.
2. To serve as an accompaniment (fruit based salad).
3. To be used for decorative purposes in cakes and gateaux and for garnishes in soups and desserts.
4. As the main ingredient in certain desserts such as ice-cream and custards.
Storage of Cream
The fresh cream must be treated in the same way as fresh milk, as far as storage is concerned. Whipped cream must be covered and stored in sterilized containers in the refrigerator and used on the same day. Reconstituted and intimation cream must be refrigerated and only small quantities be whipped, when required for immediate use.
Other cream products
Whipped cream is made by whisking or mixing air into cream with more than 30% fat, to turn the liquid cream into a soft solid. Nitrous oxide, from whipped-cream chargers, may also be used to make whipped cream.
Sour cream, common in many countries including the U.S., Canada and Australia, is cream (12 to 16% or more milk fat) that has been subjected to a bacterial culture that produces lactic acid (0.5%+), which sours and thickens it.
Crème fraîche (28% milk fat) is slightly soured with bacterial culture, but not as sour or as thick as sour cream. Mexican crema (or cream espesa) is similar to crème fraîche.
Smetana is a heavy cream product (15-40% milk fat) Central and Eastern European sweet or sour cream.
Rjome or rømme is Norwegian sour cream containing 35% milk fat, similar to Icelandic sýrður rjómi.
Clotted cream, common in the United Kingdom, is made through a process that starts by slowly heating whole milk to produce a very high-fat (55%) product. This is similar to Indian malai.
Reduced cream is a cream product used in New Zealand to make Kiwi dip.