What is Blend Cream | Yankee Kitchen

I have a recipe for Nova Scotia Chowder that calls for “4 cups of blend cream 10 percent.” What is blend cream 10 percent? In Canada, blend cream, also called cereal cream, is the lightest available. As your recipe suggests, it’s usually right around 10 percent butterfat. Here, anything called “cream” must contain at least 18 percent. “Light cream” can be anywhere from 18 to 30 percent butterfat, while heavy or whipping cream must be 36 percent or more. You can create your own “blend” (whole milk contains roughly 3.5 percent butterfat), or just use half-and-half, which is usually between 10 and 12 percent. The hard part will be finding anything richer than milk that has not been ultrapasteurized. This Faustian bargain produces cream that lasts a long time but with such altered flavor and cooking properties that it must be loaded with additives to mask its assorted flaws. The difference is particularly noticeable in savory dishes such as chowders and simple cream-based pan sauces. Cream that is not ultrapasteurized may be found in a health-food or gourmet store that stocks natural products.