The 7 Best Substitutes for Media Crema
Media crema is a popular dairy product from the renowned food manufacturer Nestlé and is mainly used in South American countries.
Also known as “table cream” in English, it has become an integral part of American cuisine due to its distinctive flavor and texture, and can be easily found in the Latin food aisle of most supermarkets around the world. country.
It is used in a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes, and due to its uniquely rich and creamy flavor, it can often be difficult, but not impossible, to find substitutes for this delicious cream.
So what are the best substitutes for media crema?
While media crema has a unique flavor that cannot be substituted for other substitutes, there are a couple of great options you can use in its place, including media crema, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and crème Fraîche.
What is media cream?
Media crema, or table cream, is made from milk, cream, and preservatives, and contains between 18% and 30% fat.
There are different varieties of cream, such as media crema, light cream, whipped cream and heavy cream, and what differentiates them is their percentage of fat.
Media crema can be used straight from the can and offers a rich and creamy flavor to your recipes.
Its texture makes it easy to mix with most liquids and it goes very well with sweet and savory items such as desserts, drinks, sauces, meats and vegetables.
How do you use media crema?
The thick consistency and sweet flavor of media crema make it the perfect ingredient for sweet and savory dishes that call for a creamy, milky-sweet flavor.
Some of the most popular recipes in which you can use media crema instead of milk are
- Sour cream
- macaroni and cheese
- Clam soup
- potato soup
- Chips
- Irish cream
- Cream and cheese sauces
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Pumpkin Pies and Squares
- salad dressings
- Quiche
- french toast
- Cakes
The 7 Best Substitutes for Media Crema
Due to its popularity in the US, media crema is easy to find in almost every grocery store in the country and you can also buy it here on Amazon.
However, for those times when you can’t get your hands on this delicious cream and need to use it in a recipe, you can substitute one of these 7 great alternatives!
1. Half and half cream
Half and half cream is half milk and half light cream and contains between 10.5% and 18% fat. It has a lower fat percentage than half cream, but because it is similar to table cream, it can easily be used in its place in any recipe.
For 1 cup of media crema, use 1 cup of heavy cream. However, when you use it in a sauce or broth, you may notice that it will come out a little thinner. To solve this problem, you can thicken the sauce by adding a little cornstarch.
Media crema is also used as a coffee creamer and is, in fact, a healthier alternative to commercial coffee creamers that contain large amounts of sugar.
2. Evaporated milk
Evaporated milk, also known as unsweetened condensed milk, is a common product that you can easily find almost anywhere in the world.
About 60% of the water has been removed and it only contains 6.5% fat, making it considerably less fat than media crema.
In terms of texture and flavor, evaporated milk is sweet and sticky like condensed milk, but much less sugary, making it a great substitute for media crema.
When using it in place of the media crema, you can use it in the same proportion, although you may need to add a bit of cornstarch to your recipe to thicken it.
Nestlé has a huge range of dairy products and if you can’t get your hands on their media crema you can substitute their Carnation evaporated milk, which has the same amount of fat as low-fat drinking milk, but has a richer flavour.
3. Heavy cream
Heavy cream, also called whipping cream, is a common ingredient made from cream, milk, sugar, thickeners, and stabilizers.
It contains 36% milk fat and is used in a variety of recipes similar to those made with media crema. It has a high level of creaminess and sweetness, and compared to media crema, it is much richer and sweeter.
The heavy cream can be substituted for the media crema; however, since it is denser, it can be double whipped and the amount used must be taken into account.
4. Condensed milk
Condensed milk is very sweet, sticky, and rich, and like evaporated milk, it is cooked to remove some of its water content along the way.
The difference is that condensed milk has a lot of sugar added to the mix, making it a thick, sweet liquid that’s perfect for a wide variety of recipes.
Compared to media crema, condensed milk contains only 8% fat and gets its sweetness from high amounts of sugar.
It can be used in place of the media crema, especially if you don’t mind the added sweetness. It is best used in sweet dishes where, to counteract the added sweetness, you can reduce the additional sugar added to the recipe.
5. Crème Fraîche
Although not as common as the other options on this list, crème Fraîche is a very popular sweetener in France and can be used as a substitute for half cream.
It is made from unpasteurized sour cream that has been dried, ripened, and thickened by growing bacterial cultures, and has a rich, buttery, nutty, and tangy flavor.
Depending on the fermentation process, its flavor may vary slightly, but it still retains its basic flavor and texture. Not only does it add richness and creaminess to a dish, it also adds a bit of acidity.
6. Greek yogurt and milk
Greek yogurt is regular yogurt that has been strained to remove the whey and make it thicker and thicker. Its creaminess is what makes it a good substitute for media crema.
On its own, Greek yogurt is too thick to replace half cream, so mix it with milk to make it smoother and easier to incorporate.
To substitute 1 cup of half cream, use 1/3 cup Greek yogurt mixed with 2/3 cup whole milk.
7. Coconut milk
Although there are several dairy products that you can use instead of table cream, it can be a bit difficult to find a good vegan option.
Coconut milk is a high-calorie, flavorful milk made by mixing coconut meat with water, and has become increasingly popular as a vegan substitute for dairy products such as milk and cream.
It can be used in place of table cream in various recipes, in much the same way that you would use evaporated milk and condensed milk.
Because it has a thick consistency, it does not need to be reduced or mixed with cornstarch and can be used in a 1:1 ratio.
To make it sweeter, you can add some sugar, honey, or vanilla extract. However, since it has a strong coconut flavor, it can have an overall effect on the flavor of your dish.
Related questions
Now that you know all about media crema and some of its best substitutes, here are some additional questions we thought you might have!
How long can media crema be kept?
An unopened can of media crema will keep for 6 months or more and can be stored anywhere. After the time has elapsed, you will notice the creamer solids settle to the bottom of the can.
So make sure you scrape them off when you use it or you’ll miss out on the richer parts of the product.
Is media crema kosher, vegetarian and ketone friendly?
No, the media crema is not certified kosher or vegetarian , and contains <1 gram of total carbohydrates per serving.