Many dishes require cream cheese, which needs to be softened before adding to the recipe. There are many methods to soften cream cheese. Simply heating it can work, especially when it is stored in the fridge. Sometimes, you need to keep the cream cheese cool, such as for an icing recipe. For this kind of situation, you can use the following methods to soften the cream cheese.
1.Slice it down:
You can cut the cream cheese into cubes to make it soften faster. If you leave the cream cheese as a block, the outer side begins to soften, while the inside remains cool, slowing down the softening process. Use a butter knife to cut the cream cheese and spread it on a plate and rest it for 15 minutes and can be used.
2.Stir your cream cheese:
You can stir the cheese cream for about 5 minutes to soften manually. Spread the cheese cream out can help soften without the addition of any temperature.
For example, you can put the cream cheese in a bowl, then use a spoon to stir. The more you stir the cheese, the softer it will be.
3.Microwave the cream cheese:
Place the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl or dish. Set the microwave at high power, heat the cream cheese for about 15 seconds and check it out. If it is not soft enough, continue to microwave it for another 10 seconds. Don’t forget to check after each heating cycle.
4. Use a water bath:
Load a container with lukewarm water, then lay a pack of cream cheese in the water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Give the cream cheese in the water for an extra 10 minutes if it requires to soften more.
If it is not yet soft sufficient, add a pot of warmer water. Do not use hot water, which can dissolve the solids in cream cheese. If the cream cheese has already remained opened, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and place it in the water to prevent water from getting inside.
5. Add milk or cream to the cream cheese:
Put 225g of cream cheese in a bowl, then add about one teaspoon of milk or unsweetened cream to the cheese and mix well. If you need to, add a little until the cream cheese comes to the texture you are looking for.
It is because these neutral-flavored dairy products will soften the cheese but will make the cheese-less tangy but not to a noticeable point.
6. Add butter for smooth, thin cheese cream:
Butter is another right choice for softening cream cheese. To thin a 225g packet of cheese cream, melt about one tablespoon of butter in the microwave over.
Then mix the butter and cream cheese in a separate bowl and stir it well. You can add more butter if the cheese is not soft enough. Try to add unsalted butter because salted butter may change the taste of the cheese.
7. Use a standard mixer:
You can use a Standard mixer to soften the cream cheese. Place the paddle attachment in the blender then beat the cream for 60 seconds. Beat the cream cheese on low speed then slightly increase the speed but doing this you can achieve desired smoothness.