[Can it be frozen? ] How to freeze fresh cream, storage period, thawing method and 5 recipes!

Did you know that fresh cream can be frozen?

Many people may have the impression that fresh cream has nothing to do with freezing because it doesn't like moisture.

However, for "cooking purposes", fresh cream can be frozen.

If you want to use it in a whipped state for cooking, whipping it beforehand and then freezing it will prevent the fat globule membrane in the cream from breaking and separating the fat and water, making it impossible to whip the cream after thawing. This will no longer happen.

In this article, we will introduce the correct way to freeze fresh cream, how to thaw it, storage period, and recipes using frozen cream.

If you are having trouble preserving fresh cream in the freezer, please refer to this article.

Advantages of freezing fresh cream

Freezing fresh cream provides two benefits.

One is that it can be stored for a long time, and the other is that it saves the effort of cooking.

Can be stored for a long time

The biggest advantage of freezing fresh cream is that it can be stored for a long time.

Normally, animal-based cream doesn't last for a week, and even vegetable-based cream doesn't last that long.

Moreover, once the package is opened, the quality deteriorates within 2 to 3 days, regardless of whether it is of animal or vegetable origin.

First of all, it will lose its freshness, and there is a risk that it will pick up odors from the refrigerator or other ingredients.

The solution to these problems is freezing, which we will introduce here.

If you freeze fresh cream, you can store it for several weeks even if it has been opened once.

You can keep it fresh, and you don't have to worry about odors transferring as much as you would if you stored it in the refrigerator.

The number one advantage of frozen storage is that it can be stored for a long time and maintains quality.

Saves time in cooking

Regarding "whipping and freezing", by whipping the cream in advance and freezing it, there is no need to whip it before use.

For example, when you want to add a little fresh cream to pudding, cake, or ice cream.

Normally, you would have to whip it up with a whisk, but if you whip it in advance and freeze it, you can just take it out of the freezer.

Normally, it would take a lot of time to whisk and wash, but by freezing the whipped food, you can save that time.

The second benefit of freezing food is that you can make your daily diet more luxurious with just a few tweaks.

How to freeze fresh cream

There are two ways to freeze fresh cream:

One way is to put the liquid in a bag and freeze it.

This is a recommended method for using fresh cream in cooking.

Another method is to whip it up in advance, wrap it in plastic wrap, and freeze it.

This is a great way to make your tea time a little more luxurious by adding it to scones or coffee.

We recommend that you use two methods depending on your needs.

When freezing as a liquid

1) Place fresh cream directly into a freezer bag and freeze.

★It is also convenient to put it in a plastic bag and separate it into 50cc or 100cc units.

★Once frozen, fresh cream cannot be whipped again. So, if you want a whipped state, try the second method.

When whipped and frozen

1) Add the desired amount of sugar to the fresh cream and whip.

2) Once it has stood for 6-7 minutes, scoop it out onto plastic wrap with a spoon.

3) Wrap it loosely and freeze. Once completely frozen, store in a freezer bag.

★Fresh cream is a food that is easily affected by the odors of other ingredients. After wrapping it in plastic wrap, we recommend storing it in a freezer bag.

How to thaw fresh cream and storage period

How to thaw fresh cream

・When frozen as a liquid

You can use it for cooking while frozen.

When using it for stews, soups, pasta sauces, etc., it is convenient to use frozen fresh cream as is.

You can also defrost it in the refrigerator before use.

If you absolutely need to use it as a liquid, please use this method.

However, be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator.

・When whipped and frozen

If you want to add it to desserts, etc., you can whip it up and freeze it, then thaw it in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours until it becomes just the right amount of softness.

At this time, be sure to thaw in the refrigerator (at room temperature, it may melt too much and become liquid).

Storage period of fresh cream

Whether frozen as a liquid or whipped and frozen, it has a shelf life of 2 to 3 weeks.

However, these periods apply when fresh cream is frozen, so it may be shorter if the cream has been opened for a few days.

Also, if you freeze fresh cream that has a smell in the refrigerator, the smell will remain even after thawing, so we recommend freezing the cream immediately after opening.

>> 3 points to keep in mind when preserving vegetables

>> Click here for how to freeze meat

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5 easy recipes using fresh cream

Pumpkin potage with fresh cream

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4346675

☑材料（3~4人分）
・かぼちゃ　1/4個
・玉ねぎ　1/2個
・じゃがいも　1/4個
・牛乳　250㏄
・コンソメ　1個
・塩　小さじ1/4
・生クリーム　50㏄

<How to make>
1) Cut the pumpkin, onion, and potato into pieces that are easy to cook.
2) Put the ingredients in (1) into a pot, add enough water and consommé to cover, and bring to a boil.
3) When the water gets low, add milk and mix it with a mixer.
4) Return it to the pot, add salt and 50cc of frozen fresh cream, warm it up, and it's done.

★If the taste is too light, please adjust the amount of salt.

Rum flavored coffee grog

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4308789

☑材料（1人分）
・コーヒー　150ml
・ラム酒　大さじ1
・砂糖　10g
・生クリーム　10g

<How to make>
1) Pour hot coffee into a cup, add rum and sugar.
2) Decorate with whipped and frozen fresh cream while still frozen.

★This is a popular way to drink coffee in northern Europe.
★If you are sensitive to alcohol, please adjust the amount of rum.

Ice-style biscuit sandwich made with frozen fresh cream

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/1805686

☑材料（2人分）
・ビスケット　適量
・生クリーム　適量
・砂糖　生クリームに合わせて

<How to make>
1) Add sugar to unfrozen fresh cream and whip for 7-8 minutes.
2) Sandwich the whipped cream between biscuits.
3) Wrap each one in plastic wrap, put them in a freezer bag, and freeze them.

★Frozen fresh cream creates an ice cream-like texture.
★It's hard to feel the sweetness when it's cold, so if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to add more sugar.

Grilled chicken thigh with fresh cream sauce

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4346513

☑材料（1人分）
・鶏もも肉　150g
・じゃがいも　1/2個
・ほうれん草　好きなだけ
・チーズ　適量
・生クリーム　100㏄
・塩コショウ　適量
・バター　20g

<How to make>
1) Fill a pot with hot water and boil the potatoes.
2) Thinly slice the boiled potatoes, place on a heat-resistant plate, add spinach and butter on top, and microwave for 40 seconds.
3) Once the butter has melted, put the frozen cream in the center of the plate, add half of the cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake in the toaster mode for 10 minutes.
4) While roasting in the toaster, cut the meat into strips, pound it, lightly salt and pepper it, and fry it in a frying pan.
5) Once the meat is grilled, place it on a plate, pour the sauce from (3) on top, and top with the remaining cheese.
6) Finally, use the toaster function again to bake for 10 minutes and it's done.

★For fresh cream, use frozen liquid (you can also use whipped cream).
★You can substitute other meat for the chicken thighs.

rich chocolate mousse

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4303991

☑材料（3人分；直径6㎝のカップ3つ分）
・生クリーム　150㏄
・チョコソース　80g
・牛乳　80cc
・砂糖　20g
・アガー　15g
・ラム酒　少々

<How to make>
1) Thaw whipped and frozen fresh cream in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours.
2) Put the fresh cream in a bowl, add the chocolate sauce and mix.
3) Put milk and sugar in a small pot and heat. Stop the heat just before it boils, add the agar and let it melt, then add the rum.
4) Cool (3), add to bowl (1), and mix until smooth.
5) Finally, transfer it to a cup and cool it in the refrigerator.

★Agar can also be replaced with gelatin.
*Adjust the amount of sugar in the small pot depending on the amount of sugar when whipping the cream.

Conclusion

So, how do you store fresh cream in the freezer?

Fresh cream can be frozen.

Due to freshness and odor issues, we recommend freezing fresh cream immediately after opening.

Also, frozen cream is fine for use in cooking, but you will not be able to whip it.

If you want to retain even a little bit of the whipped texture, you can preserve it to some extent by wrapping the whipped product in plastic wrap and freezing it.

Fresh cream has an image that is far from frozen, but if you have some leftover at home, please try using this method.

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