Separated heavy cream

[spinbaby]

I just opened a carton of Trader Joe’s heavy whipping cream and found that it had separated and formed a kind of solid layer of fat on top. I tasted it and it didn’t taste like it had gone bad. It has an expiration date of next week. If I run it through the blender, would it be okay to bake a quiche with?

[Arkansas Granny]

1. I've never used Trader Joe's products, but when I was living at home we had cows. When the milk sat

long enough the cream that rose to the top had a consistency of thick sour cream. You could spoon it out and it would hold it's shape.

I would just mix it up gently with a whisk. If you put it in the blender you run the chance of having whipped butter in a short order.

[fierywoman]

2. It does that all the time. Just whisk it and it will become whole again.

And don't forget to scrape the inside sides for the heavy stuff that lodges there -- it's the really good stuff!

[soothsayer]

5. Yes delicious stuff!

[spinbaby]

7. It doesn't do that all the time!

This is the first time it’s happened to me. I’m going to whisk it into a spinach quiche tomorrow, so we’ll see.

[fierywoman]

9. Sorry -- you're correct, of course. But for me it does it so much

it's like it happens all the time!

[yellowdogintexas]

11. yes it is. I have a tendency to clean that out for myself!

when my hubby makes ice cream, he just hands me the cartons because he knows I will want to clean out the inside (that stuff gets up in the folded parts of the carton at the top too) YUM

on edit: I would think it would be fine for a quiche if you whisk it up before you use it. It would not be good for topping a dessert or anything but fine to use in a recipe,

[fierywoman]

12. I use it in coffee ...

[Pantagruel]

3. your nose

will tell you if it's bad.

[Jirel]

4. Perfectly fine.

I just shake the carton. It unclumps without much fuss.

[davsand]

6. I do that too.

I just assumed everybody does that! Maybe I'm just a low tech sort of cook! LOL



Laura

[Warpy]

8. Once the butterfat separates out, I'd say enjoy the butter

You might use the remainder as the liquid in bread unless you've got pigs. It's not terribly pleasant to drink, IMO.

What you can't really do is recombine it very well, it's like trying to put the toothpaste back into the tube. Blenders are better for separating it than combining it.

[Major Nikon]

10. Heavy cream will separate easily when agitated

So if the ride on the truck to the market was bumpy, there a good chance it will separate before you get it. While you can whisk they whey back in, it will just separate again even more so each time. That’s why I prefer to buy regular whipping cream rather than heavy, but it’s getting difficult to find regular.