I'm going on holiday in the next couple of days and I have a near full bottle of cream that I know I won't use before I go. If I freeze it, how long will it be 'good' for once it's defrosted! It's currently got 5 days before its 'best before' date.TIA
newtec1,
Jul 15, 12:41am
A question i have always wanted to know,why does cream have such a long shelf life,and why does it last so long,compared to milk.!
dreamers,
Jul 15, 3:08am
I often freeze left over cream and once it's thawed,whips up fine.
cookiebarrel,
Jul 15, 4:26am
I just had an interesting thing with a bottle of Pam's cream.I had forgotten that I had this unopened 300ml bottle in the fridge and when I 'discovered' it hiding at the back (and I don't have a large fridge so not sure how that happened) anyway the useby/best before date on it was five weeks previous.Okay so as it was so long past the date to use so down the drain it goes.seal still intact,,,,,,,,,looks ok, smells ok, but out it goes, still looks ok and smells ok, so decided to risk life and limb and taste a teeny bit as I am very sensitive to dairy products that are just about to turn and nothing.it tasted fine.Still went down the drain, but made me wonder just how good was it and could I have safely used it in baking.Will now never know and did the best thing chucking it, but I do wonder!Oh and 3 days later no issues from tasting a wee bit of it.
whitehead.,
Jul 15, 4:45am
you should whip it to freeze it dont ask me why but thats what it says in my book
firemansgirl,
Jul 15, 5:13am
I pay little notice to the best before date on cream. I find that providing it is not left out (use it then back into fridge) it can last way beyond the date. Cream has a distinctive smell when it's off anyway so I'm sure you'd know; and I have never yet been sick or had any cooking disasters when using it. I'm sure that's NOT what Anchor and Meadowfresh want to hear.
springtime,
Jul 15, 7:36am
There are lots of things I still use, past the use by date. esp yoghurt.I find them in my fridge, lost in the back.Chuck them into a blender with some fruit and yummo smoothies.No one seems to have suffered ill effects or died. yet.I do the sniff test. and a little taste.It it's fine . well why waste it!
cookiebarrel,
Jul 15, 8:58am
Darn it.knew I shouldn't have been so quick to get rid of it.Will know better next time.
newtec1,
Jul 16, 2:05am
And why does it last so long compared to milk.!
ali88,
Jul 16, 3:16am
Always whip cream then freeze. Once thawed you wouldn't know the difference. I have been told that you cannot freeze cream un whipped!
davidt4,
Jul 16, 3:33am
I would say that there are at least two reasons.Higher fat content means lower water content therefore less microbial activity.Higher fat content means lower lactose (milk sugars) therefore less food for microbes.
it's the same principle as preserving fruit by adding sugar, or pickling vegetables by adding salt - it cuts down the microbial activity by drawing out the water content.
phoenix10111,
Jul 16, 4:28am
I'll give it a go and see how it comes out and let you know. I'll freeze it unwhipped as I only use it for pouring really. Mr Phoenix likes it in his plunger coffee instead of milk - but he's away at the moment so I wouldn't use it before we both go away for a week.
245sam,
Jul 16, 4:32am
phoenix10111, just a suggestion - if, like ourselves, you usually only use cream in small quantities, how about freezing the cream in ice cube trays or similiar! then use 1 or more cubes as, how and when needed (e.g.for inMr Phoenix's coffee).
Safe travels and Happy holidaying.:-))
g14us,
Jul 16, 4:51am
Yes you can freeze it as liquid. A couple of years ago one of our local supermarkets had cream going out at an absolutely ridiculous price in Christmas week and beside the stand they had a notice telling you that you could freeze cream just as it was. We bought three "bottles", one to use and two to freeze and it was great. From memory we used one frozen one at New Year but kept the other one for a lot longer and it was still fine. Wished afterwards we'd bought lots more seeing it was so cheap. Still do buy a couple though when a greater than normal special price and freeze one.
gilligee,
Jul 16, 5:34am
Of course you can freeze it. Why not!
willyow,
Jul 17, 8:14am
Use by dates don't mean a lot - I put a two year use by date on my Dutch Cocoa - butsome of the Dutch companies put more than double that on theirs. They are just a guide I suspect
deb1110,
Jul 18, 7:27am
frozen liquid cream can be thawed and whipped or made into butter successfully
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