Showing posts with label Cream. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cream. Show all posts
The Buttery World of Double and Triple Cream Cheeses
There are so many different kinds of cheeses; it's an almost impossible task to properly categorize them all. Hard, semi-hard, soft, semi-soft, double cream, triple cream, the categories seem endless! But one thing everyone can agree with is that a creamy cheese is always one of the most popular options on the cheese board. So what makes certain cheeses so deliciously unctuous and creamy? The answer is butterfat. What is it, and what role does it play with creamy cheese? Read on and find out!
Butterfat, also known as milk fat, is the fatty part of the milk. All cheeses contain some butterfat (unless you're eating a fat free cheese, which is a very processed product). The creamiest cheese contains the highest amount of butterfat. In order to legally call a cheese Double Cream or Triple Cream, they have to have a minimum amount of butterfat content.
Double Cream Cheese: a double cream has to have at least 60% butterfat content. Fromage D' Affinois, and the ever-popular Boursin are examples of double creams. Petit Suisse was the first double cream cheese, created in about 1850.
Triple Cream Cheese: In order to be called triple cream, a cheese must have at least 75% or more butterfat content. This is a relatively new kind of cheese, invented in the early 20th century by adding even MORE cream to a double cream cheese. Some of the most delicious examples of this heavenly invention are Delice de Bourgogne, Saint Andre and Italian Cambozola (this last one a wonderful blue cheese). You can definitely tell the difference the additional butterfat makes, these cheeses completely melt in your mouth.
Double and Triple Cream fromages are incredibly rich and creamy; they're buttery and easy to spread, with a wonderful natural sweetness thanks to the added cream. The flavor is smooth and mild, as they're not aged for long periods of time. Rich and dense, pair them with light accompaniments for contrast, so as to not overwhelm the palate. To drink, champagne and Prosecco are good choices. Fresh fruit is a must, like strawberries, raspberries (any type of berry will work), grapes, pears, and nuts like walnuts.
One a final note regarding butterfat: although the words "butter" and "fat" might throw health-conscious gourmets into a panic, keep in mind that butterfat in this case refers to the percentage of fat only in the dry matter of the cheese. A cheese has dry and moist content, and in the case of triple and double creams, that moisture content is quite high, almost 50%. So, the butterfat content is 70% of HALF the cheese, and the TOTAL fat of the cheese is a lot less than 60 or 70%, sometimes just 30-35%.
Albertina Roca writes about gourmet food, recipes, and ingredients; her expert opinion is, the higher the butterfat, the better the cheese ! For more information please visit http://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/5 Advantages of a Home Made Ice Cream Maker By Adrian O.
Ice cream is one of the worlds' favorite comfort foods. It just seems to make everything better, don't you agree? You can mix it with fruits, custard, wafers, chocolates, nuts, brownies, cheeses and other stuff that people like, to give it different wonderful flavors. There are even eccentric flavors such as squid, wasabi, chicken, and bacon! Ice cream has been enjoyed by the elite from as early as second century B.C., and as its goodness became known, more and more people hungered after it which gave birth to its massive production in the 1800s.Surprisingly, not a lot of people know that you don't have to look for a gelateria or sherbet shop every time you want some dessert. Through developments in technology, you can now make your own frozen dessert according to your tastes. Ice cream makers are available in the market and can be purchased in almost any appliance shops or online store. Some think that these machines are expensive but the truth is they have many advantages that can outweigh their prices.
One of the main advantages of having a homemade ice cream maker is the ability to create healthy desserts anytime. Unexpected guests may always visit one's home and it can be a real treat to serve them delicious homemade desserts such as sorbets, sherbert and yogurt. You can always lug one of these over to a friend's house to have an impromptu party, as most of them can be easily cleaned and stored after without hassle.
Another good thing about these machines is that they can be used to make different ice cream flavors effortlessly. Right after you create one mix, you can go ahead and pour it into a freezer bowl and make another one. Even a cheaper model can make tons of flavors since most of these machines can create desserts in as little as 20 minutes.
Aside from portability and ease of use, the homemade stuff is healthier than most frozen desserts bought in the store. You may not be so sure whether the ice cream that you are about to buy from the grocery has been defrosted and frozen back several times which can lose its flavor and health benefits. Having a homemade ice cream maker gives you the option to create your own flavor and to put ingredients which you think are beneficial to you.
If you are looking for a quality machine for a fraction of the price, you may also look into buying a durable ice cream maker online. A durable one can last a long time and it can be very good investment if you are planning to use it very often. Some of the trusted brands in the market are Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach, Lello and KitchenAid. They can be easily purchased online where you can also read feedback from users so you can assess if their features are apt for your needs.
Last but not the least, having a homemade ice cream maker saves you time than going out and looking for the flavor that you want. You do not need to be a professional to create new flavors. All you need to do is to look for a recipe and gather all the ingredients and you can make as much ice cream as you want.