Monday, 12 January 2009


Cream cheese is a sweet, soft, mild-tasting, white cheese, containing at least 33% milk fat (as marketed) with a moisture content of not more than 55%, and a pH range of 4.4 to 4.9.

Cream cheese is an American invention developed in 1872 in New York state. A cheese distributor soon commissioned the enterprising inventor dairyman, William Lawrence, to produce the cream cheese in volume under the trade name "Philadelphia Brand®." The company was eventually bought out by Kraft Foods in 1928, and still remains the most widely-recognised brand of cream cheese in the United States and Australia.

Cream cheese is not naturally matured and is meant to be consumed fresh, and so it differs from other soft cheeses such as Brie. It is more comparable in taste, texture, and production method to the Mascarpone.

Cream cheese is categorized as a fresh cheese since it is un-aged. As a result, it has a short shelf life, once opened. The flavour is mild, fresh-tasting, and sweet, yet has a pleasing slight tang. At room temperature, cream cheese spreads easily and has a smooth and creamy texture. It is sold in foil-wrapped blocks or in a soft-spread form which has air whipped in to make it spreadable right from the refrigerator.

Cream cheese is typically used in savoury snacks of various types (for example spread on bread, bagels, crackers, etc.) and also used in cheesecakes and salads. Many flavoured versions are also now available, including those with herbs, fruits, and even chillies!

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