And does it freeze well? The answer really depends on how you intend to use it. You can save money by freezing cream cheese for later use in a variety of baked dishes. Learn how to safely freeze and thaw cream cheese. Related: How to Soften Cream Cheese. To put it simply, it's perfectly safe to freeze cream cheese for later use. However, the texture will change pretty dramatically, so you're probably not going to want to spread it on your morning bagel.
But you can easily use previously frozen cream cheese for baking, or any other use where it's now grainy texture won't stand out — like in casseroles or pound cake. Buying cream cheese in bulk is not such a bad idea when you utilize your freezer. Unopened cream cheese can go straight in the freezer in its original packaging. The foil wrapping and cardboard box provides more than enough protection from freezer burn.
Frozen cream cheese is best kept in the freezer for up to two months. This will prevent direct heat to the cheese. If you have a double boiler, this would also work. The best way to defrost frozen cream cheese is to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator, and leave it there for twenty-four hours, or until it is completely defrosted.
If you do not have the time to wait for the cream cheese to defrost in the refrigerator, you can use cool water to speed up the process. To thaw the cream cheese using this method, follow the steps below. Place your cream cheese in a leak-proof bag or container. This water should be changed every 30 minutes to ensure it remains cold. Warm water is likely to allow bacteria to grow. To allow the cream cheese to evenly thaw on all sides, flip it over, as the water is being changed.
Another way to ensure even thawing is to weigh the cream cheese down in the water to prevent it from floating. Besides thawing frozen cream cheese, sometimes your cream cheese may need to be softened before using it in your recipes.
Cold cream cheese might turn out lumpy in some recipes when beaten in its cold state. Hence, the need to soften before use.
This gives the cream cheese time to adjust to the room temperature and ultimately become soft. If you do not have the luxury of time, another method is to use a microwave. Remove the foil from the block of cream cheese and place it on a microwavable-safe plate or in a bowl. Set the microwave to high and turn it on for about fifteen to twenty seconds. Next, use your fingers to test the cream cheese.
It should not feel hot, but you should feel the cream cheese begin to soften. If you want it to be softer, you can repeat the process until it is to your liking Source: The Spruce Eats.
As mentioned in other sections above, the only inhibition with frozen cream cheese is that the consistency and texture changes from being creamy and smooth to crumbly, gritty, and grainy.
In this section, we discussed three methods by which the frozen cream cheese could be thawed. The result may not be as perfect as unfrozen cream cheese, but it would get you close.
If your cream cheese changes to a yellow color, have a foul odor, or develops mold; throw it immediately away. Philadelphia Cream Cheese is one of the most well-known cream cheese brands. Philadelphia cheese can be frozen for up to 2 months without changing its taste. Beyond that date, the taste of the cheese will be compromised! You have frozen cream cheese, and now it is time to use them again.
Not that it poses any risks to your health, but the change in texture and consistency make spreading unenjoyable. Thawed cream cheese works great in baked recipes and desserts. This is because the change in consistency and texture is barely noticeable when mixed with other ingredients, and will not mar the recipe or dish.
Whether you jumped on a sale and grabbed all of the boxes of cream cheese you could find, or you just love to have them around to use in your next exciting recipe, we have extensively discussed how to preserve and extend the shelf life of cream cheese via freezing. That should give you enough time to buy those crackers or find the time need for baking. If you really want to make freezing Philadelphia filling work, feel free to give it a go. You might need a couple of tries to nail fixing the texture issues after defrosting, but you should be able to make it work.
Freezing Philadelphia cream cheese dips and custom spreads is a bad idea. But before you put the container in the freezer, make sure the dip has as little water as possible i. And remove all the liquid that separated after thawing before you stir it. Try to defrost and use frozen Philadelphia cream cheese within 2 to 3 months for the best quality. Like all other foods, the longer the cream cheese sits in the freezer, the lower its quality. Of course, nothing bad will happen if you leave the cream cheese in the freezer for an extra month or two.
If you were wondering, I give a similar recommendation for other high-water-content dairy products, such as greek yogurt or ricotta cheese. Defrost Philadelphia cream cheese in the freezer, using the containers you froze them in. To speed things up a bit, you can place the container in a bowl of lukewarm water still in the fridge. This trick works because water conducts heat faster than air, and you can use it when defrosting any food product. If not, strain as much of it as you can.
When in doubt, go with the latter. No matter which option you go with, pay attention to texture where it matters.
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