Item: Trader Joe's Shelf-Stable Whipping Cream
Price: $1.29 for 8 oz
Overall Impression: It has its downsides, but all-in-all it's a handy, serviceable way to be sure you have cream in your pantry.
Whipping cream is not an everyday ingredient in my kitchen, so it's not something I usually keep on hand. When I do buy cream, it's for a special occasion or a specific dish, and that probably happens maybe two or three times a year. Still, it would be nice to have cream tucked away for those times when it sneaks up on me in a recipe or when unexpected guests stop in and I'd like to fancy up the dessert. So I was intrigued when I spied Trader Joe's newest product: a shelf-stable whipping cream in an aseptic box. Read on for my review.
The small box is reasonably priced at $1.29 for 8 oz (or 1 cup) of cream. It is not organic, which is a bit of an issue for me since I try to keep my dairy as organic as possible. The box contains cream and carrageenan (a natural seaweed-based additive that promotes viscosity.) I purchased my cream on September 22 and, according to the stamp on the box, it should be good until February 4, 2013.
Taste
I tasted the cream at room temperature, and again after it was refrigerated for three hours. At room temperature I would give it medium marks for flavor. It wasn't horrid, but it wasn't divine either. There was some nice dairy flavor but was muted, and it was missing some of the natural sweetness of cream. After it cooled, I found the taste even more muted which chilling can do. The lack of flavor is not a surprise, however, because in order for the cream to be shelf-stable, it needs to be exposed to a very high heat which kills of much of its subtle and complex flavor compounds. But be fair, I am used to purchasing local organic cream so the bar is set very high.
Texture
The texture was very nice and quite velvety. I'm not sure if it was my imagination, but the cream seemed to thicken up in the refrigerator (maybe this is another function of the carrageenan?). It produced a lovely, silky base for a quiche I made using Emma's ratio of 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream to 3 eggs.
But Does It Whip?
Yes, but it took a lot of work. I whipped the cream by hand (which I am used to) and was surprised at how long it took to form soft peaks (at least twice as long as it usually does). The directions on the box say that the cream needs to be refrigerated for 6 hours before whipping and I suspect that the chilling here is even more important than with regular cream. I ended up putting the cream in a glass bowl with the whisk in it and put the whole thing in the refrigerator so that everything was chilled. Even then it was quite the wrist workout. I did not try it using an electric mixer which would of course be easier and more efficient.
Would I Buy It Again?
Sure, especially with the holidays coming up. I would use it more as an ingredient than whipping cream, however, since the flavor is very important in whipping cream and it didn't score high marks in that area for me. Also, since the box needs to be chilled for several hours in order for it to whip, it doesn't quite work for last minute emergencies. (I suppose you could just store it in the refrigerator.) But all-in-all this is a handy, serviceable way to be sure you have cream in your pantry. And obviously it would travel well, too.
Now, can we move on to solve the real heavy cream dilemma: What do you do when you just want a tablespoon or two of fresh cream but you have to buy a whole carton?
Related: Basic Technique: How to Make Whipping Cream
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Good to know, as I was looking at this last week at TJ's. When I only need a small amount of heavy cream, I usually reach for the half and half that I always have on hand. Unless it's a main star in a dish, then I'll go ahead and buy a carton.
I use half and half all over the place--in soups, sauces, even in ganache if it's a chocolate emergency. I'll go ahead and pick up a couple cartons of the TJ's stuff, though--like you said, for the holidays. If I'm going to whip it, I'll buy the good stuff.
If you're not whipping it, heavy cream freezes beautifully. Buy a carton and freeze tablespoons into an ice cube tray, then put them in a zippy bag once they're frozen. You can take out as many tablespoons as needed for a recipe and thaw them easily since they're so small.
AWESOME. Thank you for the hint about heavy cream. I had no experience freezing it but now I'll be doing that tonight!
Oh my god, and it really works just fine when thawed?? That's an amazing tip! I run into that issue all the time (as evidenced by the half-used carton that is always in my fridge).
The liquid thickens after refrigeration because at lower temperatures, the viscosity increases. This is only the case with non-Newtonian liquids- in which cream (protein solutions) are. However, if it's excessive thickening it's probably because of the additives present.
What's the point of having it conveniently in your pantry if you need to refrigerate it for 6 hours before whipping?
Really? It whips after freezing? That would be worth a try, because I, too, have the I-only-use-a-half-cup-of-heavy-cream-a-year problem. There's a store near me that stocks Ronnybrook, so I usually run in there for local (already cold) product, but this box would go with me if I had to travel with my cooking supplies this Thanksgiving.
geez. sounds like a product designed for those too lazy to run to the store and buy cream, but a 6hr wait would likely get me to go to the store and just buy fresh cream.
@cmcinnyc: I don't know if the TJ's whips after freezing but it sounds like regular whipping cream won't according to @sillyputty 's comment.
@teresacooks: Exactly. Which is why I mention that perhaps you can store it in the fridge. (It's a small box.)
I purchased this recently and used it to make sticky toffee pudding. It was so nice to have cream on hand, and just the perfect amount as well! I think I will always have a carton or two of this at the ready for baked goods. If I need to actually whip some cream, then I might use fresh cream instead.
It's also got a nice price tag, ~$1.29. It's nice to have when you need the cream in baked goods.
The heavy cream where I am in Europe is almost always UHT, shelf stable, but is kept in the refrigerated section--- I'm told it's because that's where people are used to finding it. In contrast the coffee cream is not refrigerated. And the are nearly the same product, so --
Anyhow I keep a couple small boxes in the fridge since they keep quite a while and I always forget that I need heavy cream! (Same with coconut milk. It's some kind of mental block, dunno!) Anyhow, they are useful!!
I think I'll run to the closest market when in need - carrageenan in known to cause acute inflammation and is subsequently linked to cancers. 'Derived from seaweed' sounds so safe, but alas...
Can please not call this cream? I'm not a food purist, but something ultrapasturized and thickened with seaweed so it can sit in a plastic-lined box is really no longer cream. I actually don't care if it tastes like ambrosia; I don't care if you buy it; but please, can we not call this cream?
Sorry to sound like an old crank, but this weekend I was entirely unble to find milk that was not ultra-pasturized and it drove me just over the edge...
I always have fresh cream on hand, but sometimes it doesn't get all used before it goes off. It's GREAT to know that I can freeze it for those times that I'm making a quick mustard sauce with reduced cream.
I don't know if you guys are anywhere near a Whole Foods, but they carry dairy products that are organic, only 'regular' (not UHT) pasteurized, and don't contain rGHB. That's where I get all of my dairy. It's their '365' brand.
Whenever I have leftover cream that's about to reach expiration, I make butter out of the leftovers (using the food processor method). This extends the life a few weeks, and you won't need to buy butter!
I'm going to have to put that on my list to review. Looks like an really interesting product! www.clubtraderjoes.com