More of this Feature • Part 1: What is cream cheese? • Part 2: Cream cheese tips & hints • Part 3: Cream Cheese Recipes

Related Resources • Sour Cream • Mozzarella Cheese • Yogurt • More Dairy Articles • A to Z Food Glossary

Recipes • Austrian Cream Cheese Soup • Cream Cheese Brownie Pie • Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake • More Cream Cheese Recipes • Recipe Index

Related Cookbooks • The Cheese Plate • The New American Cheese • Cheese • Cheese Primer • The World Encyclopedia of Cheese • More Cookbooks

Cream cheese is one of America's most widely-consumed cheeses. Its soft creamy texture gives richness to cheesecake, frosting, bagel-toppers, and dips and makes wonderfully light and flaky pastry crusts. Along with these more well-known uses, cream cheese is a main ingredient in many savory dishes as well as desserts as you'll see in the cream cheese recipe collection.

What is cream cheese?
Cream cheese is an American invention developed in 1872 in New York state. A cheese distributor soon commissioned the enterprising dairyman 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-recognized brand of cream cheese in the United States.

Cream cheese is similar to French Neufchatel in that it is made from cow's milk, but differs in that it is unripened and often contains emulsifiers to lend firmness and lengthen shelf-life. USDA law requires cream cheese must contain at least 33 percent fat and no more than 55 percent water, although there are low-fat and nonfat varieties now on the market.

Cream cheese is categorized as a fresh cheese since it is unaged. As a result, it has a short shelf life. The flavor 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 selection and storage
Fresh cheeses are highly perishable, and cream cheese is no exception. It should always be kept refrigerated. This is one cheese that you do not want aged. Check the expiration date and buy the freshest you can find. The fresher the cheese, the better the flavor. Cream cheese should be opened within the package dating code period and used within one week after opening. Be sure to keep it tightly wrapped or sealed in the container until gone. If mold forms on the cheese, do not scrape it off and consume the rest. Unlike some cheeses, any mold on cream cheese makes it unsafe to eat, and it should be discarded.

Freezing of cream cheese is not recommended. The cheese suffers a drastic change in texture when thawed.

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