Dairy & Eggs
Cream Cheese (Fresh) in gelato
Cream cheese is a soft, unripened fresh cheese made from cream and milk, legally at least 33% milkfat and no more than 55% moisture. In gelato it acts as a rich dairy that raises fat and milk-solids, adds lactic tang, and defines cheesecake-style flavors.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 45.3% |
| Water | 54.7% |
| Sugars | 3.8% |
| Fat | 33.5% |
| MSNF | 1.3% |
| Protein | 5.8% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 0.6 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 8.5 |
Typical use: 5-15% of the mix (cheesecake and tangy-dairy gelati)
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Per 100 g cream cheese contributes about 33.5 g milkfat and roughly 11 g milk-solids-non-fat (lactose, protein, minerals), so it strongly boosts richness, body and creaminess while adding almost no sweetness. Its POD is only about 0.6 because its sole sugar is weakly-sweet lactose, and its PAC is about 8.5, driven mostly by added salt plus lactose, so it softens the frozen texture slightly and must be counted when balancing hardness. Use it as a partial fat and MSNF source in cheesecake, New-York-style and tangy fruit gelati, reducing cream or milk powder to compensate. Its added salt and low pH also add savory depth and acidity.
Origin & background
Cream cheese was created in 1872 by William Lawrence, a dairyman in Chester, New York, who added excess cream while attempting to make Neufchatel and produced a richer, spreadable cheese. In 1880 distributor Alvah Reynolds branded it 'Philadelphia' to evoke luxury, though it was never made in Philadelphia. The United States later codified its identity in 21 CFR 133.133: minimum 33% milkfat, maximum 55% moisture.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, 'Cream cheese, regular, plain' (FNDDS 14301010): fat 33.49 g, protein 5.79 g, carbohydrate 4.56 g, sugars 3.76 g, water 54.72 g per 100 g — https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Cream_cheese%2C_regular%2C_plain_14301010_nutritional_value.html
- FDA 21 CFR 133.133 Cream cheese (standard of identity): minimum 33% milkfat, maximum 55% moisture — https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-133/subpart-B/section-133.133
- USDA AMS Cream Cheese commodity specification — https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/creamcheese.pdf
- Wikipedia, 'Cream cheese' and 'Philadelphia Cream Cheese' (history: William Lawrence, 1872; Philadelphia brand 1880) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_cheese