Vegetable cream: what is it and how are they produced?

Today, the food industry can not do without the use of products of plant origin. This is especially true for cream.Buyers are divided into two camps: some categorically refuse to add them to food, others consider an excellent replacement for milk fat. Like any food product, vegetable cream has its pros and cons. The main thing is to purchase a top quality product and not abuse it.

Vegetable cream is a fine powder, resulting from the mixing of several components without the use of natural milk. Make them based on vegetable fats. They, in turn, may be of completely different origin. Modern industrial production is increasingly resorting to the use of coconut or palm oils.

A special place in the formulation of dry powder is water, which is diluted with an oil base. The remaining ingredients are determined by the purpose of the finished product and the manufacturer. This may include natural milk protein, various artificial flavors, giving the mixture a milky taste and smell. In addition, the composition includes special stabilizers that increase the shelf life of the product.

Vegetable-based cream produced in the category of the second grade. Powders are used to make instant drinks, such as coffee, cocoa, chocolate, and cocktails. You can also find them in instant food recipes, such as soups and broths. Their feature is the duration of storage. Minus only in unnatural composition.

The second category of cream is widely used in the kitchen, especially in the preparation of confectionery, various desserts. Often they are added to different sauces and some first courses.

Vegetable cream can be a real salvation for vegans and people with lactose intolerance. Sometimes the manufacturer still allows the addition of a small amount of components of animal origin, so it is very important to study the packaging and composition before purchasing.

Cream is an indispensable ingredient in the recipe for cakes and biscuits. Today, the manufacturer offers customers a separate category of vegetable product for whipping. Such products are intended specifically for these purposes. The presence of thickeners provides the perfect whipping, with the result that the cream is gentle and airy.

The main components of dry cream are coconut, palm and palm kernel oil. They are made from diluted vegetable fats in water. In addition, the oil undergoes a special dehydration procedure under the influence of industrial equipment.

Milk flavoring is a necessary element in order to give a dry mixture more naturalness and naturalness. A large number of stabilizers, acidity regulators, emulsifiers and dyes is not beneficial to the body. Therefore, doctors recommend, if possible, to refuse or use them extremely rarely. This is due to poor digestibility and the presence of harmful carcinogens.

Buyers point out that the main advantages of such a powder are low price, long shelf life. An important feature was the absence of fat, cholesterol, which are so many in natural milk formula.

The chemical composition of the vegetable product shows itself perfectly in the kitchen. Mixing with other ingredients shows a good result - the product does not roll up and is highly soluble in liquids.

From here you can highlight the advantages of the product:

• long-term storage of powder and products prepared from it;
• low calorie (compared to natural, it is 3 times lower);
• does not contain cholesterol;
• suitable as a dietary ingredient;
• lack of milk protein and sugar (suitable for allergies and vegans).

Disadvantages:

• the content of preservatives and food additives (mostly on the basis of chemicals);
• the risk of an allergic reaction to the dye or thickeners;
• poor quality of the product can cause digestive upset.

Recently, cream from vegetable fats is used in bakeries and pastry shops. In addition, they perform the role of an additional component in hot drinks - coffee or cocoa.

In addition, the cream showed itself well in the homemade production of sweet baking cream. To do this, 4 large spoons of powder is mixed with 2 cups of water. This also adds one egg yolk and flour. The mixture is whipped with a whisk, mixer, blender. Cool the cream before decorating the sweet pastry. So it will retain the desired consistency for a long time.

You can only freeze the product having a fat content of at least 40%. The remaining species are not sufficiently frozen and will remain in the same consistency. You can also store whipped cream in the freezer. To do this, put them in a separate container (container) and wrap in plastic.

• cream shelf life - 2 months;
• it is better not to use a low-fat product, as it will be watery;
• do not put them in ice molds, as in such a container the cream is poorly defrosted.

In general, vegetable-based cream is usable. But this concerns only their addition to pastry. Since the composition of the powder leaves much to be desired, its regular use is questionable.

If you are on a strict diet or have an individual intolerance to animal protein, and you cannot live without coffee and cream, then you should buy only a high quality product, ideally without sugar and other additives. Experts say that everything should be in moderation, even vegetable products. Without abusing them, you will save your body from the accumulation of harmful substances leading to the development of various ailments. And still if there is a choice between natural and vegetable cream - choose the first.

The video below presents an alternative recipe for making vegetable cream at home.