Ingredient of the week: Cream cheese

Cream cheese is creamy and soft with a smooth consistency (Photo: Shutterstock)

One of my favourite desserts is cheese cake, especially no-bake cheese cake. On my lazy craving days, a visit to the coffee shop in my neighbourhood gets me my cheesecake fix. On days I’m not the only one craving some, I rustle one up something for the whole family. The key ingredient in cheesecake is cream cheese. 

Cream cheese is creamy and soft with a smooth consistency. Its mild taste makes it a good spread for bread, crackers, some pastries and a dip for crisps, bread sticks, carrot and celery sticks. Cream cheese is made from milk and cream and has a lot of health benefits. It is a good source of Vitamin A, and is high in fat with a small amount of protein and carbs. It is also a source of antioxidants that defend the body from unstable molecules (free radicals). Zeaxanthin and luiten, found in cream cheese, are carotenoids, which are important for eye health.