What is Sour cream? All of us have heard the term Cream, but Sour cream sounds foreign to most of us. Let us check out this article to know more about Sour cream and its uses.
Sour cream is a form of regular cream. It is a milk or dairy product formed by the process of fermentation.
For those who do know, the fermentation process converts carbs into organic acids or alcohol. One of the most vital things to note here is that Microorganisms play an essential role in the process of fermentation.
To ferment cream, Lactobacillales is used, which gives the cream a sour taste and thick texture. This process of fermentation using lactic acid is souring, which causes physical and chemical changes in the food.
The most common example of Sour cream is Crème fraîche. It consists of upto 45% of fat. It is less sour and possesses a different taste, making it an ideal ingredient for salads and fruit dressing.
The traditional method of preparing Sour Cream
The most common method of preparing sour cream is to ferment the cream placed on the warm milk at room temperature. Another necessary process of preparing Sour cream is to use the acid-producing bacteria to pasteurize the regular cream. As a result, the bacteria thickens the cream making it more acidic.
Sour Cream: Ingredients and Processing
The essential ingredient used to make Sour cream is traditional cream. Apart from this, its other components include Sodium Phosphate, Guaran, Potassium Sorbate(White Salt), Mono, Di, and Tri-Sodium Citrate, Carrageenans, Locust Bean Gum, CaSO4, etc.
Process of making Sour Cream
- Fortifying and standardizing milk
- Time to acidify to turn it into cream
- Preheating cream
- Homogenization (Emulsification): The process of separating milk and fat under high pressure)
- Time to sterilize it with the process of pasteurization. Pasteurizing helps to improve its quality and make it safe for consumption.
- Cooling
- Fermentation and, finally, packaging.
Sour Cream Uses
The most common use of Sour cream is a topping or a sauce. Moreover, you may use it as a condiment to add flavor to your food. Sour cream can be combined with other creams or spices to work as a side table sauce.
Now, let me grab your attention back to the article's original question:
Can you freeze Sour cream?
The process of fermentation and pasteurization obtains sour cream. People in Europe are fond of sour cream, and it is an integral part of their kitchen. They add it to almost every dish they make. That means it must be readily available in their refrigerator. That should answer our question.
Yes, you can freeze the Sour cream, but for a limited period of two weeks.
It is equally significant to note that freezing the cream could change the texture or even the taste of sour cream, which can be unpleasant for most people.
But, to conclude, it is possible to freeze Sour Cream but for a limited time.
I hope you find today's article worth reading. Thank you and take care!
