Cheese, cream

Cream cheese is a soft, mild fresh cheese with a smooth, spreadable body. In the kitchen it is one of the most versatile dairy staples: spread thick on bagels and toast, whipped into frostings and cheesecake batter, folded into dips and savory spreads, or stirred into sauces and mashed potatoes for richness. It softens quickly at room temperature and beats to a silky cream, which is why bakers pull it out of the fridge before mixing. The texture is dense, cool, and buttery, and the flavor is gently tangy and milky, so it partners beautifully with smoked salmon, chives, fruit preserves, and sweet crumb crusts alike.

It is a rich cheese: per 100 g it holds 350 calories, 34.4 g fat, 6.15 g protein (12% of the Daily Value), and 5.52 g carbohydrate with 3.76 g sugar, plus a notable 34% of the DV for vitamin A. Sodium is moderate at 314 mg per 100 g. A tablespoon is about 15 g, a useful reference when a recipe or a bagel calls for a measured smear. Keep it refrigerated and tightly covered, use a clean knife to keep it fresh, and bring only what you need up to room temperature for spreading or baking. Use it by the spoonful where you want creamy body, balance its richness with something tart or bright, and return the rest to the cold quickly since soft fresh cheese does not sit out well.