Dreamy Glaze
Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills
- blend :
to stir together two or more ingredients until just combined; blending is a gentler process than mixing.
- combine :
to merge two or more ingredients into one mixture, like a batter of flour, eggs, and milk.
- scoop :
to pick up an amount of food with a utensil to move it to a dish, pan, or container; utensils that can be used to scoop are spoons, dishers (small scoops used for cookie dough or melon balls), ice cream scoops, or large transfer scoops for bulk foods.
- squeeze :
to firmly press or twist a food with fingers, hands, or a device to remove its liquid, like shredded potatoes, frozen and thawed spinach, or tofu.
Equipment Checklist
- Dry measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Blender (or pitcher + immersion blender)
- Spatula or spoon (to scoop glaze)
- Quart-sized ziplock bags (2 to 3)
- Kid or kitchen scissors
Ingredients
Dreamy Glaze
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature **(Omit for DAIRY ALLERGY or sub dairy-free/nut-free cream cheese, like Daiya brand)**
- 1/2 C powdered sugar
- 2 T to 1/4 C whole milk **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free milk)**
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor—check label)**
Food Allergen Substitutions
Dreamy Glaze
- Dairy: Omit cream cheese or substitute dairy-free/nut-free cream cheese. Substitute dairy-free/nut-free milk.
- Gluten/Wheat: Use certified gluten-free pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla flavor.
Instructions
Dreamy Glaze
combine + blend
Combine 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in a blender or pitcher (for use with an immersion blender), blending all of the ingredients together until a smooth glaze forms. Keep pulsing to make a very smooth glaze. Add more milk as needed to thin out the glaze.
scoop + squeeze
Use a spatula to scoop the glaze into 2 or 3 quart-sized ziplock bags. Seal them tight, snip a tiny corner from each of the bags, and let kids gently squeeze swirls on top of cupcakes or pancakes, like Freckled Magic Swirl Pancakes (see recipe)!
Hi! I'm Cream Cheese!
"I'm a soft, mildly tangy, creamy white cheese. I'm not mature like some cheeses. I'm best fresh and new. I'm similar to mascarpone, an Italian soft cheese. I'm sweetest when I'm in cheesecake or cream cheese frosting!"
- Cream cheese is made from milk and cream. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, cream cheese should have at least 33 percent milk fat and a maximum moisture content of 55 percent. It gets its slight tang from lactic acid. Lactic acid bacteria are added to pasteurized and homogenized milk. As a result, the pH level decreases as acid increases. The pH level of cream cheese should be between 4.4 to 4.9.
- Cream cheese was created in 1872 by William Lawrence, a dairy farmer in New York. While making Neufchâtel, a French cheese, he added too much cream and produced a softer, smoother cheese, giving it the generic name "cream cheese." It was renamed and marketed as "Philadelphia Cream Cheese" in 1880 to associate it with the high-quality dairy products from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.
- Commercially-produced cream cheese includes salt, cheese culture, and a stabilizer like guar gum, carob bean gum, or xanthum gum. Cream cheese can also be made at home.
- Reduced-fat versions of cream cheese are available, which should have 16.5 to 20 percent milk fat. Whipped cream cheese is a more spreadable cream cheese.
- Cream cheese is a popular bagel spread, often called a "schmear," especially in New York City bagel shops. Additional toppings may include lox (brined and smoked salmon) and capers.
- Cream cheese may be added to dips, frostings, sauces, mashed potatoes, soup, pastry and pie fillings, omelets, and pasta dishes. It is sometimes blended with added garlic and herbs, like chives or parsley, or flavored with fruit, like strawberries or blueberries.
- One ounce or 2 tablespoons of full-fat cream cheese has approximately 99 calories with 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, and 90 milligrams of sodium.
- Cream cheese has about 2 grams of protein, 28 milligrams of calcium, and 38 milligrams of potassium. It has 10 percent of the daily value of vitamin A and 5 percent of the daily value of vitamin B2 or riboflavin.
- Cream cheese is low in lactose (milk sugar) at 2 grams per ounce and may be tolerated better than other dairy products for those with lactose intolerance.
History and Use of Glazes in Baking and Cooking!
- A dessert glaze is a liquid, like milk or beaten egg, that gives baked foods a smooth and shiny finish.
- Glazes used in baking may have originated in medieval Britain, and an Elizabethan glaze has been mentioned in records of that time. It was made of lightly beaten egg white and sugar used on pastries.
- A simple doughnut glaze is usually made of water or milk and powdered sugar. For a cinnamon roll glaze, use powdered sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla. A glaze for a fruit pie or tart is typically glassine, meaning it is glossy and transparent, and jams or jellies that complement the fruit are used to accomplish that.
- Some cakes are covered with a "mirror" glaze, which may be made of unflavored gelatin, water, granulated sugar, sweetened condensed milk or cream, fruit purée or chocolate (milk, dark, or white), and food coloring.
- Glazes used in cooking include demi-glace (half-glaze), which originated in France, a rich, glossy brown sauce served with meat. It is made with beef stock which has been reduced (partly evaporated) to which wine is added.
- Another example of a savory glaze is the type used on ham. Ham glazes are made with a sweet component for caramelization, like brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup. They also include a tangy element such as mustard, vinegar, orange juice, or pineapple juice. Finally, various spices are added, like cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, and rosemary.
