What to Make with Fresh Cream: Homemade Recipe and More

Have you ever found yourself in the kitchen, staring at that carton of fresh cream, wondering what wonders it could whip up? Well, you're not alone! Fresh cream is a versatile creamy goodness, be it a luscious cake, a yummy drink, or a heavenly dessert.

🥛 Fresh Cream at Home

The homemade version of Fresh Cream, by the process of collecting malai (cream) from boiled milk, is an alternative to store-bought/commercially produced ones but it has its limitations.

How to make at home:

Begin with good-quality whole milk to ensure a rich and flavorful cream.
Boil the milk and allow it to cool and refrigerate for a few hours. This process encourages the thick malai to rise to the top.
Regularly collect the malai from the top of the chilled milk and store it in the same container. This ensures a steady buildup of cream for your homemade fresh cream.
Refrigerate the collected malai and let it sit for at least a day. This resting period enhances the creaminess and allows it to develop a distinct flavor.
To extend its shelf life, store the collected malai in the deep freezer. It can be kept for 25-28 days.
When you want your fresh cream, let the container with collected malai cool down at normal temperature and strain them through a strainer well so you have no lumps.

Your fresh cream is ready to use!

If desired, you can churn the collected malai to make butter.

Homemade fresh cream is ideal for savory dishes, gravies, curries and beverages due to its slight sourness. However, homemade fresh cream may not be suitable for desserts or sweets like cheesecake.

New-york Style Eggless Cheesecake with Fresh Cream by spicequeen

Decoding Fresh Cream : Heavy cream, whipping cream and store-bought fresh cream

Heavy Cream:
Heavy cream has a higher fat content than fresh cream. Heavy cream boasts a fat content of about 36-40%, making it thicker and creamier than homemade fresh cream. The higher fat content also lends heavy cream a more neutral flavor, making it a versatile ingredient for both sweet and savory recipes. It is commonly used in desserts, sauces, and whipped cream.

Whipping Cream:
In contrast, whipping cream is similar to heavy cream but with a reduced fat content, ranging between 30-35%. Whipping cream is ideal for creating a lighter, softer, and airier texture in desserts. It can be whipped to retain its shape temporarily, but it will become liquid sooner than heavy cream. While homemade fresh cream is primarily used for its creaminess in gravies and coffee, whipping cream offers a lighter alternative perfect for topping desserts.

(Store-bought) Fresh Cream: Contrast to the homemade fresh cream where it may vary in fat content depending on the milk we use, commercial fresh cream undergoes a production process. Hence, Commercially available Fresh Cream is a dairy product with a consistent fat content, around 25-35% fat. It can be used in savory dishes as well as sweet dishes or desserts.

🍰 Here are some delectable dishes where Fresh Cream can be put to excellent use: