March 23, 2008 - 12:35pm
Cream Cheese Spread?
I have been wanting to make some cheesecake, so I found a recipe and bought cream cheese in the gorcery store this morning, grabbing a gray container that said Philadelphia Brand on it.
I had the ingredients mostly mixed when I took a closer look at the container. It says, down in the corner in smaller type "Cream Cheese Spread".
Someone please tell me that what I have baking in the oven contains actual cream cheese, and not something else.
Colin
Share
maybe this link will help
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Products/ProductInfoSearchResults?CatalogType=1&SearchText=Philadelphia%20Cream%20Cheese&BrandId=44&PageNo=1
spread i think means that other things have been added to the cream cheese and its not pure cheese where as regular or no "spread" means it meets FDA regulations to be called cream cheese. I could be wrong u-know.
the only product labled as spread on their web site comes with a bagel
My investigation would include a look at the fat content % wise. Maybe more fat makes it more spreadable. Then "spread" could also mean whipped so I would then check and compare the weight to regular. Less would mean more air in it per volume.
Then one could avoid the whole philly thing altogether and take lumpy cottage cheese or ricotta and throw it into the blender and have creamed cheese or drain the liquid from yogurt (via hanging in cloth) and in a few days have self made cream cheese.
Mini O
I have used creamed cheese for years, specifically for a special cookies that I bake. When I ventured into cheesecakes I continued the foray, and now that I'm into cupcakes with frosting, the journey continues.
Recently I made a buttercream/cream cheese frosting. It became very 'damp' on me and my decorating suffered as the limp icing didn't hold the design. I was like you, checking the packaging a bit closer and had decided it was due to the fact that I had picked up a package of the Neuchafel (sp) variety that has 1/3 less the fat content. Now I am more careful to pick up the package of *Real* cream cheese, full fat content.
I like Mini O's suggestion. I have a yogurt maker and haven't thought of using drained yogurt, not for frosting, I do make it for my Greek salad though, and there's NOTHING better than fresh, home-made yogurt!
I found a web page that says:
"Cream Cheese Spread
spreadable cream cheeseSpreadable cream cheese is simply whipped cream cheese. The incorporation of air gives the product a light easy-to-spread texture. It is only lower in fat because the air decreases the amount of product you actually use per measure."
So I used real cream cheese, just a little less than the recipe called for,
Colin