Homemade Kitchen Staples: Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Mayo, and Whipped Cream
Homemade Kitchen Staples: Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Mayo, and Whipped Cream
Ingredients
For the Cream Cheese
- 4 cups milk
- 4 tablespoons white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons butter, to 4 tablespoons
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the Sour Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
For the Mayonnaise
- 1 cup oil, such as olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the Whipped Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
For the Cream Cheese: Pour 4 cups of milk into a pot. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and bring the milk to a simmer, stirring occasionally with a spatula to prevent scorching.
⏱️ 8 min
- 2
Once the edges of the milk start bubbling, remove the pot from the heat. Add 4 tablespoons of white vinegar to the milk and whisk gently. The milk will begin to curdle and separate into curds and whey.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Line a strainer with a clean cloth (such as cheesecloth or a clean, thin kitchen towel) and place it over a bowl. Pour the curdled milk mixture into the cloth-lined strainer to separate the curds from the whey.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Gather the cloth around the curds and squeeze out all excess liquid. The more liquid you remove, the firmer your cream cheese will be.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Transfer the strained curds into a blender cup or food processor. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 teaspoon of salt (or to taste). Blend the mixture using an immersion blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Transfer the homemade cream cheese to a container and refrigerate until firm.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
For the Sour Cream: Pour 1 cup of heavy cream into a container. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the heavy cream. Stir the ingredients together gently.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Cover the container and let it set for 10 minutes at room temperature. Then, place the covered container in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the mixture should have thickened into sour cream.
- 8
For the Mayonnaise: Pour 1 cup of oil (such as olive oil) into a tall blender cup. Carefully crack and add 1 whole egg to the oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt (or to taste).
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Place an immersion blender into the cup, ensuring the blade is at the very bottom, covering the egg. Begin blending, keeping the blender at the bottom until the mixture starts to emulsify and thicken. Slowly move the blender up as the mayonnaise forms.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
Continue blending until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer the homemade mayonnaise to a container and refrigerate.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
For the Whipped Cream: Pour 1 cup of cold heavy cream into a tall blending cup or a cold mixing bowl. Add 1/8 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or to taste).
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to the mixture. Using a hand mixer or the whisk attachment for an immersion blender, whip the mixture until soft peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip, or it will turn into butter. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Homemade Kitchen Staples: Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Mayo, and Whipped Cream
For the Cream Cheese
- 4 cups milk
- 4 tablespoons white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons butter, to 4 tablespoons
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the Sour Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
For the Mayonnaise
- 1 cup oil, such as olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the Whipped Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
For the Cream Cheese: Pour 4 cups of milk into a pot. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and bring the milk to a simmer, stirring occasionally with a spatula to prevent scorching.
⏱️ 8 min - 2
Once the edges of the milk start bubbling, remove the pot from the heat. Add 4 tablespoons of white vinegar to the milk and whisk gently. The milk will begin to curdle and separate into curds and whey.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Line a strainer with a clean cloth (such as cheesecloth or a clean, thin kitchen towel) and place it over a bowl. Pour the curdled milk mixture into the cloth-lined strainer to separate the curds from the whey.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Gather the cloth around the curds and squeeze out all excess liquid. The more liquid you remove, the firmer your cream cheese will be.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Transfer the strained curds into a blender cup or food processor. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 teaspoon of salt (or to taste). Blend the mixture using an immersion blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Transfer the homemade cream cheese to a container and refrigerate until firm.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
For the Sour Cream: Pour 1 cup of heavy cream into a container. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the heavy cream. Stir the ingredients together gently.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Cover the container and let it set for 10 minutes at room temperature. Then, place the covered container in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the mixture should have thickened into sour cream.
- 8
For the Mayonnaise: Pour 1 cup of oil (such as olive oil) into a tall blender cup. Carefully crack and add 1 whole egg to the oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt (or to taste).
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Place an immersion blender into the cup, ensuring the blade is at the very bottom, covering the egg. Begin blending, keeping the blender at the bottom until the mixture starts to emulsify and thicken. Slowly move the blender up as the mayonnaise forms.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
Continue blending until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer the homemade mayonnaise to a container and refrigerate.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
For the Whipped Cream: Pour 1 cup of cold heavy cream into a tall blending cup or a cold mixing bowl. Add 1/8 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or to taste).
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to the mixture. Using a hand mixer or the whisk attachment for an immersion blender, whip the mixture until soft peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip, or it will turn into butter. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
⏱️ 3 min