The Difference Between Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream (and All Other Coconut Liquids)

When it comes to following a recipe, the first step is to make sure you have the right ingredients. This can be especially difficult if the name of the ingredient is similar to the name of another product. I don’t mean walnut pieces and walnut halves (there’s not much risk in this mix), but thinking about the labels of canned coconut cream and coconut cream can lead you to get confused about what exactly is going on in it anyway. fruit. Here’s some clarity on what some of the most confusing coconut liquids are and how they can be used.

Coconut milk

At its simplest, coconut milk is made by grinding the flesh of mature coconuts, treating it with hot water, and pressing it to extract the rich liquid. This liquid is opaque and white, with a creamy texture and rich coconut flavor and aroma. The viscosity is due to the drupe’s aromatic saturated fats, and the water content ensures it stays liquid at room temperature. However, coconut milk has become a bit diluted with the non-dairy milk boom.

In the past, depending on the company, coconut milk included two or three ingredients: coconut, water, and possibly guar gum (a stabilizer). Now you’ll find packages of coconut milk with added vitamins, minerals, and thickeners trying to compete with dairy milk for your coffee and cereal. While it’s great to have options for different diets, don’t buy coconut milk from the milk fridge if you intend to cook with it.

Coconut milk is used in both sweet and savory recipes such as Thai green curry , Philippine bibinka , coconut pudding, pina colada, and as a vegan milk substitute. My family’s brand has always been Chaokoh , but there are many brands to choose from in many stores. I suggest getting canned coconut milk in the dry goods section so you don’t cook with the added ingredients and sugars that can be found in packaged milk. Check the ingredient list for coconut, water, and guar gum (some organic brands don’t even use a stabilizer).

Lightened coconut milk will be next to regular coconut milk. (I include it in this section because the name is not so confusing.) This strain is less oily. When making lightweight coconut milk, the flesh of the coconut is treated with a lot of water, so it is literally diluted with water. While it may be a low-fat option for your recipes, the water is tasteless. You can expect the end product to be less creamy and, unfortunately, less coconut.

coconut cream

Coconut cream is closely related to our coconut milk above, but Big Coconut has decided to give it a fancy new name. While lightened coconut milk has a lower concentration of coconut fat and regular coconut milk has a higher level of coconut fat, coconut cream contains the highest amount of coconut fat normally available to us in the grocery store. (Read the composition of commercial coconut milk here .) It is made in the same way as coconut milk and contains the same ingredients but in a different ratio. When you open a can of coconut cream after it has been chilled and before it has been shaken, the cream will solidify and you will be able to separate the solids from the water. Do this with coconut milk and light coconut milk and you will see proportionately smaller rafts of hardened fat.

Coconut cream is rich and luxurious, which is why you can see it in chilled, sweet recipes like ice cream, mousses, puddings, pies, and as an option for dairy-free whipped cream. Coconut cream can also be a good substitute for non-dairy creamer in savory dishes like alfredo or creamy soups. I don’t often see it in pies and hot, savory dishes, as the high fat percentage can confuse other proportions in a recipe. Instead, you may see regular coconut milk listed, or a combination of regular coconut milk and coconut cream.

coconut cream

Coconut cream is the easiest to confuse with coconut cream and with the most dire consequences. I can almost guarantee that your non-dairy chicken alfredo recipe does not suggest that you cook with this stuff. Coconut cream is a sugary coconut syrup used primarily in smoothies or desserts. Commercial coconut cream is made by adding large amounts of sugar to coconut milk, along with stabilizers, emulsifiers, and sometimes synthetic thickeners. You get a viscous, translucent white syrup that will sweeten recipes and add coconut flavor in one go. You can make your own coconut cream at home if you’re not interested in the additives that come with the bottles.

coconut water

Back to basics. The coconut water has been in the sun, but it can still be confusing, especially in the aisle of the grocery store. Coconut water is simply water in the center of a coconut. Commercially, and whenever you see a coconut with a straw sticking out of it, it is harvested from young coconuts . The liquid is thin, slightly sweet and has a subtle coconut flavor. You may also see that it is labeled as coconut juice and it may come in bottles, cans, cartons, or coconuts.

Coconut water is very common as a drink, but because it has a delicate taste and a watery texture, you can cook with it to add flavor to your food. Think of it like water with an attitude. Try making soup with coconut water in broth, stew meat in it, or try popsicles . Have some fun and explore all the flavorful liquids this fabulous fruit has to offer (with a little less confusion).