Homemade Fresh Cream
“Learn how to make your own Homemade Fresh Cream, also referred to as heavy cream. This creamy topping is made from the milk’s malai, which is collected after boiling and whipped for use. It is perfect for savory dishes such as gravies, pasta, and soups, but not recommended for sweets or desserts. Follow this recipe with accompanying step-by-step pictures and video to create your own fresh cream at home.”
Making fresh cream at home may sound intriguing. Once you master the art of creating homemade cream and butter, you may never want to buy store-bought versions again. Although it does take some time, the end result is definitely worth it. I personally never buy cream from stores when making dishes that call for it, such as PB masala, paneer tikka masala, and methi matar malai. Adding a few tablespoons of fresh cream to any gravy elevates it to a whole new level. I have purchased Amul fresh cream tetra packs twice to use in desserts like strawberry and mango cheesecake, as homemade cream is not suitable or recommended for these types of dishes. This is a word of caution that I want to mention beforehand.
About Fresh Cream
Fresh Cream is a thick, rich cream created by gathering the malai from milk, preserving it, and beating it until it becomes creamy.
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The key to delicious, creamy gravies, pasta, and soup is fresh cream. Using homemade fresh cream will make it even better.
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Reworded: Many of us may have the routine of consuming milk cream daily. My mom rarely gets to use it because I eat it as soon as I see it. Mittu has also picked up this habit, and now we have made a pact to save the cream for making fresh cream or butter.
Fresh Cream Recipe Video
Fresh Cream Ingredients
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I purchase milk from a local milk man who delivers it to my home from his cows at his farm. Since the milk is straight from the cows and not processed, it has a high cream content. However, not everyone has access to this type of milk. When buying milk from a store or having it delivered, it may be processed and have varying levels of fat. Full fat milk contains 6% fat, toned milk has 3.0% fat, double toned milk has 1.5% fat, and skimmed milk has no fat at all. Using full fat milk will yield the most cream, while toned milk will yield an average amount and skimmed milk will have little to no cream. Depending on the recipe, we typically use a few tablespoons to ¼ cup of milk, making toned milk a healthier option for everyday use compared to full fat milk.
You can utilize Fresh Cream for:
- Dal Makhani
- Paneer Butter Masala
- Kadai Mushroom
- Kadai Paneer etc
Homemade Fresh Cream can be used for all savoury dishes like gravies, curries etc. Adding cream to curries makes it not only rich but also gives it a restaurant taste. I have tried adding it to pudding but it gives a slightly sour taste so I would not recommend adding it for desserts or anything of that sort.
The amount of malai collected daily is determined by the amount of boiled milk. It is recommended to use a perforated ladle to collect the malai.
Cows’ milk is favored for its ability to produce a higher quantity of delicious cream.
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Instructions for Making Fresh Cream:
Put some milk into a saucepan. Make sure to use a large one that can accommodate the amount of milk needed for boiling. It is recommended to use cow’s milk.
2. Heat on medium heat until it reaches a rolling boil.
Mix quickly and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula or ladle to prevent overflowing.
Simmering is a useful technique for thickening milk, especially when using cow’s milk which may have a higher water content. To achieve a thicker consistency, I typically simmer it for a bit before turning off the heat.
Once the milk has been boiled, allow it to cool for 30 minutes or a couple of hours in the refrigerator. This will cause a layer of thick malai to form at the top. You can leave it at room temperature or refrigerate it to obtain a thicker layer of malai. Personally, I collect the malai twice a day whenever I boil milk.
My process is as follows: After boiling the milk, let it cool to room temperature and leave it for a few hours. Then, collect the cream and store the milk in the refrigerator. The night before boiling the milk, remove the cream again, which will have thickened slightly due to being refrigerated.
Cover partially and put it aside.
At the top, you can view malai. In Tamil, we refer to it as aadai. This is the malai that has formed at room temperature after one hour.
Using a slotted spoon, gently remove the malai from the milk. The amount of malai will vary depending on the type of milk used.
Gather it in a sanitized receptacle or strain it to remove the malai.
Store the malai in the same container and keep it refrigerated. You can use the malai from this container as desired.
Refrigerate and allow to rest for at least 1 day to make instant cream, enough for a few tablespoons. Whisk well and it’s ready to use. For larger quantities, continue collecting for 10-15 days or until you have a sufficient amount of malai.
Once the container is filled, you have the option to churn it into butter or use it as cream. Simply whisk it vigorously by hand for a few minutes until it becomes smooth and creamy. An electric whisk can also be used for this process.
Look at the gathered cream.
To use for cooking, gather the necessary malai in a bowl and gently whisk it. Be careful not to overwhisk as it may turn into butter.
Don’t forget to gather the cream that forms when boiling milk to use for your homemade fresh cream.
Expert Tips
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This cream is suitable for nearly all savory gravies or dishes that require fresh cream. The majority of the gravies I have shared here use only homemade fresh cream.
- Thoroughly whisk or mix and incorporate into gravies.
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Fresh homemade cream is not recommended for use in desserts such as cheesecake. Due to its sour flavor, it is not suitable for sweet dishes.
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When incorporating sourness into savory gravies, it goes unnoticed and adds the perfect touch for a restaurant-quality flavor.
Storage & Serving Suggestions
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Store the cream you collect in the refrigerator. Avoid storing it in the freezer.
- Fresh cream is not consumed directly. It is added with the gravies, pasta and soups to make the dish creamy and to enrich the taste. Based on the quantity of gravy we are going to make for home regular cooking or for get together cooking, we will need about few tablespoon of fresh cream to few cups of fresh cream. Since it takes a week long time to collect the cream, plan and start collecting cream accordingly 10- 15 days before the occasion / get together when few cups of cream is needed.
FAQs
What does Fresh Cream refer to?
Fresh Cream is the cream (malai) of the milk collected after resting the boiled milk and whipped before use.
How can Fresh Cream be made?
Fresh cream is created by gathering the malai from milk and then storing and whipping it until it reaches a smooth, creamy texture.
Where is the fresh cream utilized?
Fresh Cream is a versatile ingredient that can enhance dishes such as Paneer Butter Masala, Paneer Tikka Masala, Pasta, Methi Mutter Malai, and Butter Chicken. It can also be added to coffee and soups for a thicker consistency.
Is this Fresh Cream suitable for use in cakes, baking, or desserts?
You are not allowed to use this recipe for creating cakes, baking, or desserts. The type of cream typically used in baking is whipped cream, which is made by vigorously beating fresh cream until it becomes thick and soft. Whipping cream often contains stabilizing ingredients like gelatin or powdered sugar, as well as flavorings such as vanilla or chocolate. Fresh cream, on the other hand, is simply the cream from milk.
Is it advisable to use the same milk for collecting cream for a period of 10-15 days?
No boil once or max twice from a batch of milk and then after collecting cream from that batch, we can use the milk for our regular use like making tea, coffee, curd etc. Repeat this process for 10-15 days to get about ½ cup of cream.
Which type of milk produces a large amount of cream?
Milk that is whole or full-fat produces more cream due to its higher fat content remaining in the milk.
Is it possible to obtain cream from toned and skim milk?
Toned milk contains 3.0% fat, Double toned milk contains 1.5% fat, and skimmed milk has no fat. Therefore, the average cream yield from toned milk is higher than that from skimmed milk, which produces very little or no cream at all.
I have gathered extra cream – what should I do with it? How long can we store the cream before it goes bad?
Utilize any leftover cream to make butter. As we consistently gather malai from milk, utilize the aged cream for churning butter. The homemade fresh cream can be used without losing its flavor for 2-3 weeks, but it is best to consume it within a month to avoid a strong sour taste.
Is the high fat content in Fresh Cream beneficial for one’s health?
Drinking full-fat milk regularly may raise LDL cholesterol levels, which can be a risk factor for heart disease. Thus, opting for reduced-fat milk is recommended. However, incorporating cream into special occasion meals or occasional dishes should not significantly affect one’s health.
Please feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any further inquiries about this Fresh Cream. Additionally, you can also find me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and Twitter.
Have you tried making this Homemade Fresh Cream Recipe? I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Remember to tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and use the hashtag #sharmispassions.
📖 Recipe Card
Fresh Cream | Homemade Fresh Cream
Ingredients
- Milk
Instructions
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Pour milk into a large saucepan and place it on the stove. Make sure the saucepan has enough room for the milk to boil. It is recommended to use cow’s milk.
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Heat the mixture over medium heat until it reaches a rolling boil.
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Mix quickly and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula or laddle in this manner to prevent spillage.
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Simmering helps in thickening milk as I have used cows milk the water content mabe be a bit more so I usually thicken it a bit. Switch off.
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Once the milk has been boiled, allow it to rest for 30 minutes or a few hours in the refrigerator. This will cause the thick layer of malai to rise to the top. You can choose to leave it at room temperature or refrigerate it to achieve a thicker malai. I personally collect the malai twice a day whenever I boil milk.
What I do is : First once the milk is boiled keep aside in room tempearture for few hours collect the malai then store the milk in fridge. Evening before boiling the milk, remove the malai again which will be slightly thick as its from fridge.`
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Partially cover and move away from the area.
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The top layer is malai, known as aadai in Tamil. This is the malai that has formed after being left at room temperature for an hour.
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Using a perforated ladle, carefully remove the malai. The amount of malai will vary depending on the type of milk used for boiling.
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Store it in a sanitary container or strain out the malai using a strainer.
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Continue to gather the malai in the designated container and store it in the refrigerator. You may use the malai from this container whenever necessary.
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Store in the refrigerator and allow to rest for at least 24 hours to make instant cream. If you only need a small amount, simply whisk well and it is ready to use. For larger quantities, continue collecting for 10-15 days or until you have a sufficient amount of malai.
Once the container is filled, you have the option to either transform it into butter or use it as cream. Simply whisk it thoroughly with a hand whisk for a few minutes until it becomes smooth and creamy. Alternatively, you can also use an electric whisk for beating.
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View the gathered cream.
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To use for cooking, place the necessary amount of malai in a bowl and gently whisk it. Be careful not to overwhisk, as this will cause butter to form.
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Don’t forget to gather the cream that forms when boiling milk to use in your homemade fresh cream.
Video
Notes
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This cream is suitable for almost all savory gravies or dishes that require fresh cream. The majority of the gravies I have shared here use only homemade fresh cream.
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Fresh cream made at home is not recommended for use in desserts such as cheesecake. Its sour flavor makes it unsuitable for sweet treats.
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When using sour ingredients in savory gravies, the tartness goes unnoticed and adds the perfect touch for a restaurant-style flavor.
Nutrition
The blog post titled “Homemade Fresh Cream” was shared on Sharmis Passions.