Why is my cream waxy?

[ElizabethB]

I add cream to my hot coffee. It congeals and has to be stirred in. The residue on my cup has a greasy/waxy feel. What is the deal with that?

 

[JAS_OH1]

It's the fat in the cream. Pretty sure you can make butter out of cream.

 

[TastyReuben]

Usually, it's a problem with lower fat dairy reacting with the acid in the coffee. That's why any of the milks below whole always split on me, and whole milk sometimes does. Anything half-and-half or higher stays together, but I keep it on the safe side and use heavy cream.

I think it also helps if you have your dairy at room temp or warmed a bit. It's the same issue I'll run into making cream of tomato soup - the acid in the tomatoes messes up the dairy if the fat content isn't high enough.

 

[JAS_OH1]

But she didn't say she was using milk, she said cream.

 

[ElizabethB]

Usually, it's a problem with lower fat dairy reacting with the acid in the coffee. That's why any of the milks below whole always split on me, and whole milk sometimes does. Anything half-and-half or higher stays together, but I keep it on the safe side and use heavy cream.

I think it also helps if you have your dairy at room temp or warmed a bit. It's the same issue I'll run into making cream of tomato soup - the acid in the tomatoes messes up the dairy if the fat content isn't high enough.

Using Heavy/Whipping Cream.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I know at times the cream in the cartons I buy gets a clumpy residue around the spout. It's the fat. And I had seen the butter recipe using whipping cream, but it's not a cost effective way to make butter, cheaper just to buy butter.

 

[TastyReuben]

But she didn't say she was using milk, she said cream.

Yep, I know. I was just covering all the bases. Also, I know plenty of people who use "cream" as a generic term for any dairy (including me). Haven't you ever gone to a diner, ordered coffee, and have the waitperson ask, "Do you want cream for your coffee?" - and then set down those little packets of dairy that might be anything from skim milk to Coffee-mate? I have.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I figured from reading Elizabeth's posts so far if she meant anything else besides cream, she would not have written cream.

And no, where are you going where they would do that? That's called cream-er, not cream. I have seen little metal containers that contain half and half, though. That will do in a pinch. And I have seen those packets of powdered "cream-er" before in hotel rooms and at the car service departments where they offer free coffee. Yuck, I'd rather not drink coffee if I can't have real dairy.

 

[medtran49]

Lots of places put out those little jugs of flavored cream stuff I've noticed lately, even the nicer breakfast/lunch places. Fortunately though, they also always have plain or plain half-n-half.

Back to OP though, I make cold brew coffee, add simple syrup, then add ice to a glass, pour coffee in, then add cream. Lately though, the cream almost seems to cuddle and I get that residue that ElizabethB described.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I guess any powdered creamer reminds me of when we were kids and my mom bought that powdered milk stuff on occasion...she mixed it in water and put it in the refrigerator. She tried to get us to use it with our cereal and even added that Nesquick chocolate stuff to entice us to drink it, but it was horrible.

 

[medtran49]

We are talking about the liquid creamer that is flavored like French Vanilla, Hazelnut, etc., that they are putting on the tables, not the powder stuff. Not sure if everybody is on the same page. The liquid creamer looks like half-n-half. It also comes plain flavored. I'm not even sure what it is, could have cream or half-n-half in it as it needs refrigeration.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I know what you are talking about, flavored like Intenational Delight or Coffeemate, which are liquid. I was referring to TS's post where he mentioned packets, I assumed packets meant powdered creamer like they have in hotel rooms. Maybe he meant the little cups of liquid creamer, IDK.

 

[TastyReuben]

And no, where are you going where they would do that?

Um...just about everywhere that serves breakfast, like Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans, Frisch's, McD's, BK, every diner...back when we were going to those places.

Yes, I know the proper name is creamer (and non-dairy creamer, if that's the case), but my point is, it's extremely common (around here, at least, and just about everywhere in the US I've ever been) for people to say cream (or milk, or creamer) and then bring something that isn't exactly the word they used; like they'll say, "You want milk with that," and bring Coffee-Mate, or, "You want creamer for your coffee," and bring milk, etc. IOW, what they're really asking is, "Do you want some kind of lightener/whitener for your coffee," and if you say yes, you're going to get whatever is on hand, and it may or may not specifically be the item they named. Whew!

Case-in-point - I got a (rare for me) coffee at McD's just this morning, and the order taker guy asked if I wanted cream and sugar. I asked for two creams. The little packets in the bag sure weren't cream, but we both knew what we meant.

Now that that's thoroughly off track...I'm going to make me a cup of tea, to which I'll add a little cream, by which I really mean half-and-half, but half-and-half takes entirely too long to type out or to say, so I'll just say cream and call it a day.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I understand now what you meant. I get confused sometimes (and often it's entirely my own fault).

 

[TastyReuben]

Maybe he meant the little cups of liquid creamer, IDK.

And yes, I meant the little tubs, tiny plastic buckets, containers, what have you. Not the powdered stuff. I'd drink whatever I were having black before I'd use that powdery stuff.