Maple Cream First Timer

[TuckerMike]

I made my first batch of maple cream last night. I followed the directions on the "Making Maple Cream" paper from Cornell. I boiled up to 23deg F above boiler (212F yesterday), removed from the heat and gently placed it in a huge cast iron skilled, then packed ice around the pan. I was able to force cool it down to 59F (on the digital thermometer) within a fairly short time. I did not disturb the liquid at all (didn't even let my kids look at it...LOL) Anyway, when I went to remove the thermometer probe I noticed I now had maple taffy. Extremely thick! (still 59F). I never saw any crystallization start, but it seemed to have a fine layer of crystals ac ross the top where the bubble did not fully reconstitute back in to the cooked syrup.

Next step was to get the "taffy" out of the pan and in to my mixing bowl. Below the initial crust layer it was still very clear, but just as thick. I used our Kitchen Aide mixer on "stir" with the wiper paddle to mix the cream. It took about 10 minutes or less to become opaque, so I stopped the process. Putting the cream in to jars was another challenge as it was still extremely thick. At that time the cream had a little grainy texture, but didn't seem too bad to me (for the 1st try anyway). The cream was placed in the fridge for storage and I cam straight to mapletrader.com to see what I did wrong.

After quite a bit of reading I learned how to make many new products similar to maple cream, but I didn't really find an answer to what I may have done wrong. After an hour or so I found a post that said the cream should be able to spread on fresh bread without ripping. So, back to the fridge I went and to my surprise the maple cream was solid. A couple seconds in the microwave made it spreadable, but it left me with even more questions.

So, after that long explanation here is what I'm wondering:

1) Is it typical for the bubbles not to totally reconstitute and start forming crystals?
2) Did I maybe force cool it too fast?
3) Was using the Kitchen Aid mixer on "stir" still too fast of a mixing process? Could that have lead to larger crystals forming?
4) Is it typical for maple cream to get very stiff in the fridge? Should the product I am using (eating) be kept out of the fridge and in the cupboard?


As a final side note: This morning I mixed some of the maple cream with butter and spread it on my English muffin....WOW!!!!! Maple butter is awesome!!!!!!!

Thanks in advance for your help and input.

[Sugarmaker]

Hi,


1) Is it typical for the bubbles not to totally reconstitute and start forming crystals?

No, The taffy formed after cooling should be smooth on top. my guess is that you may have covered it? if so condensation droplets may have formed and dripped into the maple? Also it should have no crust or grain on the top after cooling. Maybe just a little around the edge. better if there is no grain at all. any grain will strat the big grain process chain reaction and make less than ideal product.

2) Did I maybe force cool it too fast?

As far as cooling, this is what I do. I boil it to 232 F ( at my elevation) remove the thermometer and place the pan in the freezer overnight. Next day I set it in a pan of warm water to soften the taffy to get it out of the pan.

3) Was using the Kitchen Aid mixer on "stir" still too fast of a mixing process? Could that have lead to larger crystals forming?

Yes you may have agitated it too aggressively. I made several batches of grainy cream trying to use a mixer. You might try a small batch by hand if you want a work out. The gear type cream machines work very well but are not cheap.

4) Is it typical for maple cream to get very stiff in the fridge? Should the product I am using (eating) be kept out of the fridge and in the cupboard?

The finished product should be somewhat spreadable when taken directly from the fridge. Your boiling temp and agitation time will greatly effect this spread ability. Lower the temp a few degrees and try stirring a pint of syrup by hand. When you do get the results it will be Soooo Gooood!

I think cream is one of thew hardest products to make. Much practice required. When you get the taffy to have no or minimal grain after cooling your on your way to much better cream. Don't forget that when you do make some very good fine grain cream, a teaspoon of it can be used for seed to speed up the agitation process for the next batch.

BTW I had a couple batches go solid on me in the cream machine this season.

Regards,
Chris

[Russell Lampron]

After some bad results using a mixer I went back to stirring it by hand. When it is refrigerated it should still be spreadable but will tear bread. If it is stiffer than that add a little water and stir it in to get it to the right consistency. The taffy like consistency when you started is what you want. You can start stirring it a little sooner if you want but the colder it is when you start the smoother the cream will be.

You are right the butter is awesome! Mixing cream 50/50 with butter makes a nice product. The reaction from some of my customers when they try it for the first time is video worthy. You can blend that with a mixer if you want.

[Russell Lampron]

Hi,


1) Is it typical for the bubbles not to totally reconstitute and start forming crystals?

No, The taffy formed after cooling should be smooth on top. my guess is that you may have covered it? if so condensation droplets may have formed and dripped into the maple? Also it should have no crust or grain on the top after cooling. Maybe just a little around the edge. better if there is no grain at all. any grain will strat the big grain process chain reaction and make less than ideal product.

Regards,
Chris

My syrup/taffy always has a layer of "scum", for lack of a better word, on top from the bubbles. Should I skim that off after it forms? I have always put mine in an ice bath and not touched it or the thermometer after removing it from the heat. I always just stir it in and make nice smooth cream. Should I put a drop of defoamer in as I'm boiling the syrup? I don't use anything now.

[TuckerMike]

Thanks for the input.

Chris, When I finished the boil I left it uncovered, so there was no condensation contamination of the product. Maybe it would have been better to let it sit for a couple minutes, to give the bubbles a chance to reconstitute, before I started the force cool? Sounds like my clear taffy consistency was correct and I just need to keep the top crust from forming?


Russ, you mentioned adding some water back to it when stirring....could I add some syrup to help with the initial stir?

I'm going to try another batch tonight and see if I can get better results. I'm also going to try the maple covered almonds, those really sound good!

Thanks again for the info!

[wiam]

I always mist with water in a spray bottle at start of cooling. Cream will get stiff when you stop stirring. If you let it set at room temp overnight it will be softer and easier to put in containers. That was how I did it when I used a turntable machine. I always got nervous of how stiff it went when I turned the machine off. Now I use a gear pump machine and it goes right into containers from the valve. Still gets stiff then but softens back up soon. Quite often there will be some crystallized bubbles left on top. I don't find that to be a problem.

[Daveg]

Can anyone speak as to making a second attempt on a batch, ie, reheating to dissolve the larger crystals and start over? Mine went up to 237°F so I would like to dilute it and try again, if possible.

[Russell Lampron]

Yes Mike I add a couple of tablespoons of water to a half gallon batch and stir it in. If it is still too stiff I continue adding a little water at a time until I get the consistency that I want.

I didn't know that it would soften after it sits like William says and will try that the next time that I have a dry batch.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
I am not a expert on cream. I keep trying! I do use some defoamer during the boil. Usually when I have a batch get grainy I cant get it back to smooth??? maybe haven't tried hard enough. I do know when i get a batch set up in the cream machine its pretty much a disaster! Hand stirring or paddle machine might be way easier to thin it down. I have heard about adding some hot syrup also?
Regards,
Chris

[TuckerMike]

Tonight I checked the maple cream I made last evening. It was still very hard and the grains were very coarse. I almost think it would be better to reheat it and pour it into candy molds that to try and resurrect it as cream. Besides, once you get large crystal formation, there's no going back to small crystals, is there?

Not enough time to try a new batch tonight.

[Page Meadow Maple]

Made my first batch of maple cream yesterday. Think it might be just a little thin. What should the texture and thickness be when you take it straight from the fridge?

16269

[Russell Lampron]

Made my first batch of maple cream yesterday. Think it might be just a little thin. What should the texture and thickness be when you take it straight from the fridge?

16269

It should be soft enough to spread on toast just out of the fridge and soft enough at room temperature to spread on a piece of bread without tearing. It should also be smooth and not grainy.

[unc23win]

It is a good idea to have syrup ready to add to the cream to thin it back out if it turns too fast for your processing speed. It doesn't need to be hot. I had to do that once. I think the hardest part about cream is learning what your boiling temperature is for your syrup and stove your doing it on.

[jimmygarison]

Good idea to have syrup ready to add to the cream to thin it back out if it turns too fast for your processing speed. It does not need to be hot. I had to do that once a time.

[Potters3]

It took me a year and about 12 batches to almost figure out. Last 3 batches are good. I stir in a kitchen aid with whisk at 95 degrees. Used paddle on earlier batches very grainy, whisk seems to have fixed that. I mist with water when it get too thick. All about temp at your location, if to hard or thick try heating to 2 or 3 degrees less. Keep a good notebook so you know what temps work for you.