alchemy

[realcream]

A question: I was making this (low fat!) cream of broccoli soup that called for sour cream. I didn't have any, but I had light cream and a lemon, and I've made buttermilk substitutions with milk and lemon juice, so I figured that would do. I squeezed the lemon into the cream, and then let it sit while I did all the rest of my chopping and such.

Comments

[tragic_ohara]

Semi-formed cream cheese maybe?

[tragic_ohara]

It's still weird that it didn't separate into solid and liquid, though (milk and lemon juice is one way to make homemade paneer, but of course you have to strain it). Cream cheese recipes usually call for whole milk and cultured buttermilk, but I've seen old-timey recipes where you culture actual cream instead.

[tragic_ohara]

Or like a sorta creme fraiche?

[realcream]

maybe! chemistry is a mystery. Maybe the fact that the cream was chilled made it not separate? I've had trouble with cream (half and half, specifically) separating with lemon juice when I'm trying to make pasta sauce. I assumed it just separated into its respective halves, but maybe it was the heat?

the answer man

[vinivini]

I will ask the chemist in my life. If he doesn't know, he will surely make up something good.