Cream cheese blocks?

Wisco

Hi all,
Anyone have any hints as to where I might find blocks of cream cheese (sometimes called soft cheese)? Philadelphia's FB page says they're no longer stocking it in the uk/ROI at the moment. I know tesco used to have their own brand stuff but I can't find that for the last while either. Cream cheese icing with the tubs is just so runny
Alternatively, if anyone has suggestions for improving icing made with the tubs, I'd love to hear them.

janmaree

I've the same problem, can't get any firm cream cheese anywhere. I haven't done it yet but when I'm making my next icing or cheesecake, I'm going to let the tubs of cream cheese drain overnight, in a fine non-metal sieve to hopefully lose the whey. What they were thinking by dropping the blocks I'll never know but I'll bet whoever made the decision very rarely bakes!!!

Wisco

Agreed, some marketing moron did that, no doubt. Will have to try the sieve thing and see if that helps. So disappointed with tonight's attempt at icing- tastes ok but really runny and just doesn't look nearly as nice!

whiteandlight

OT sorry! Just spotted this on the front page and my pregnant self now really really really wants some of this! I used to adore it on crackers So disappointed to read its not available at all anymore

Faith

Yeah, the tubs are nowhere near as good . We need it for baking, not just for spreading on stuff, Kraft!

janmaree

Wisco, I forgot to mention that I had the same problem with my cream cheese icing once for a cake that really couldn't go wrong because people were coming. I had a large bar of white chocolate in the cupboard so I melted it, let it cool and then stirred it into the runny icing. It did help to firm it all up when the chocolate fully cooled but it was sweeter and slightly different. Any port in a storm though, I guess.

I'm with Faith on this; we need the blocks for baking proper cheesecakes. Tubs of soft spread are no kind of substitute at all. Kraft have been making Philly for a long time and shouldn't need us to tell them that the difference is huge, I mean huge between blocks and tubs.

phelixoflaherty

You could ask in a Polish shop for white cheese.

They mince it a few times when making their variation of it, and it tastes better

Wisco

Thanks for that folks, guess it's time to do a bit of experimentation as Philly don't seem to keen to change. Time for a letter writing campaign? :P

Phelixoflaherty, how does the polish stuff taste/look as icing, or have you tried it for that?

janmaree

I just thought I'd add this for those who like to bake cheesecake. I was forced in the end to go with tubs but I bought Aldi and Tesco full fat cream cheese in tubs, 200 and 250gr sizes, both taste very good and were imho, firmer than the Philly tubs and cheaper. I just drained off the bit of whey on top first and the cheesecake turned out very well. I also avoided the usual Grand Canyon crack across the centre which drives me crazy after taking the trouble to make the flippin' thing in the first place. I've been reading about wrapping the springform tin in foil before cooking in a water bath but some reports say that water can get in and ruin the base. So I googled further before I started and came across a suggestion to then put the foil wrapped tin in a magic oven bag, (e.g. for turkeys) and set that in the water bath. You don't close the top of the bag, just keep the turn down level well above the water level and pop it in the oven. It cooked to a pale golden colour and not even a hair-line crack in sight. Just thought it might help.

0lddog

phelixoflaherty wrote: »

You could ask in a Polish shop for white cheese.

They mince it a few times when making their variation of it, and it tastes better

I'm with you on this.

The Poles go in for cream cheese, sour cream, high fat yougurts, cooking/baking fats etc in a big way.

Polo Stores seem to have a myriad of dairy products on offer.

Koptain Liverpool

Could you use mascarpone instead? It's quite firm from the tub

janmaree

I guess you could as some cheesecake recipes call for it but I don't find that it has any flavour, it's very creamy and rich but it doesn't seem to have that cream cheese tang that I'm looking for.