Ice cold bites of low-carb bliss. Your first batch of great cream cheese clouds and you will know, you have made a fabulous choice going low-carb. I love these creamy little gems of joy - not only for their decadent, craving quelching taste and texture - but for their versatility as a tasty way to up your fats, with endless flavor combinations.
The basic recipe runs rampant through the low-carb community, with everyone putting their own touches on it. After so many batches, I started to forget some of the different combinations I've made. So, I figured I would make a project out of making new flavors and write them all down! Not only can I keep them all in one place, but I can share them with you - their recipes that is. I'm quite territorial of my stash of clouds...
Okay, so the basic recipe is a softened stick of butter (1/2 a cup or 4oz), a softened 8oz block of cream cheese, some flavoring and some sweetener. Not too complicated, in fact, its simplicity is the perfect canvas to let your imagination go wild. Beat the butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer on high until well combined, add your flavor/sweetener then beat again until smooth and fluffy. Pipe with an icing bag or plop with a spoon onto a wax paper covered pan or plate and freeze until firm. Store them in a freezer bag in the freezer for a quick grab and go snack, dessert or okay I'll admit it to it but not encourage it, breakfast.
Here are just some of the flavors I've made and think you should too:
1 stick butter
1 block cream cheese
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp pure orange extract
13 drops EZ-Sweetz or preferred sweetener
Coconut Creme
1 stick butter
1 block cream cheese
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp Watkins coconut extract
8 drops EZ-Sweetz or preferred sweetener
*to toast the shredded coconut, put coconut in a small pan, place it over low heat and stir often. Remove from heat immediately after the majority of it is toasted to prevent scorching.
Coconut Lime 1 stick butter
1 block cream cheese
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp fresh lime zest
9 drops EZ-Sweetz or preferred sweetener
Irish Coffee
1 stick butter
1 block cream cheese
2 tsp Folgers Classic Roast Instant Coffee Crystals (Nescafe would work alright too)
3 Tbsp Irish Cream flavored Da Vinci Sugar Free Syrup
4 drops of EZ-Sweetz or preferred sweetener
1 stick butter
1 block cream cheese
2 tsp Folgers Classic Roast Instant Coffee Crystals (Nescafe would work alright too)
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
10-15 drops of EZ-Sweetz or preferred sweetener*
*taste this as you go along and sweeten it a little more than you actually want it. The cocoa powder seems to intensify after freezing, coupled with the coffee and you'll end up with a bitter cloud.
Pumpkin
1 stick butter
1 block cream cheese
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
5 drops EZ-Sweetz or preferred sweetener
1 stick butter
1 block cream cheese
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
8-10 drops EZ-Sweetz or preferred sweetener
**I use the EZ-Sweetz that 1 drop is equal to the same sweetness as 1 tsp of sugar. If you are using a different sweetener, use that as your guideline**
There are a ton more that I've made and didn't have a chance to remake and measure out, but with a freezer full from this weekend's foray into the world of cream cheese clouds, I think I'll keep this post short and sweet and start planning out a second cream cheese cloud project. Don't worry, I won't take too long ;)
