What is Maple Cream?

From our perspective, maple cream seems to be the one maple confection least known by the general public. That's also a shame because it's arguably the most delicious, and most versatile of the whole maple family, perhaps only behind maple syrup itself. We'll get into all of that here.

Maple cream is made from a single ingredient, pure maple syrup. The only ingredients are time, temperature manipulation, and stirring at critical points. Born of just a few simple steps, this spreadable maple syrup can be used as a topping for your favorite desserts, or all on its own.

Just like all of our maple products, maple cream is naturally gluten-free and vegan, with no additives whatsoever. Let's learn how maple cream is produced, the techniques used to ensure it has a perfect texture, and why it's such an amazing treat.

Maple Cream Uses

Maple cream is a delicious maple spread that can be used in many ways to add sweetness and flavor to your meals. It has a velvety texture, similar to creamy peanut butter, making it perfect for spreading on toast, muffins, donuts, or sugar cookies.

You can also use maple cream as an alternative topping for waffles or pancakes. I've taken a waffle to go when I'm busy at the sugarhouse by spreading some on top when I'm on the move and don't want to miss out.

One of the most underrated uses is a replacement for artificially produced frostings on your favorite desserts. I've got a few ideas that will be forthcoming on using maple cream as a filling for some of my favorite desserts, think donuts, and other pastries. Plus, you can mix in flavors like cinnamon or other spices to make your unique flavor profiles.

These are just a few ideas, we'd love to hear how you use maple cream in day-to-day life!

The Maple Cream Flavor Choices

Traditionally, maple cream is produced with lighter grades of maple syrup, typically Amber Rich or Golden Delicate Taste. At Carman Brook Farm, we are proud to offer two delicious flavors of maple cream: traditional light and dark.

Our traditional light maple cream is made from our Amber Rich Taste maple syrup and has a subtle, sweet maple flavor that pairs perfectly with warm breakfast foods like pancakes, waffles, French toast, and more.

Our darker version is made with our Strong Taste Very Dark Maple Syrup for a deeper, more intense maple flavor that can be enjoyed on its own or as an indulgent topping for your favorite desserts.

No matter which flavor you choose to enjoy, our maple cream is crafted from carefully selected barrels of real maple syrup we produced during that year's season and then crafted into creamy perfection in our small-batch process. All of our maple cream is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan-friendly, and free of preservatives or artificial colors and flavors—just the way nature intended!

We hope you'll experience the deliciousness that only real Vermont maple syrup can provide when you enjoy one of our lusciously creamy maple creams. Whether it's light or dark—or both!—you won't be disappointed in the amazing taste these natural treats have to offer.

Maple Cream Vs. Maple Butter

I find more misinformation about maple butter and maple cream than almost anything else in the maple world. Similar to maple sugar, maple candy, and maple syrup candy, there are many terms referencing the same product which creates confusion. In this case, there's a bit more to it, but many people use the term interchangeably and refer to the 100% pure maple syrup product that is maple cream.

The reality is quite different, while both are spreadable cream, maple butter is made by mixing maple syrup with butter, whereas maple cream is crafted from only maple syrup. While this isn't a problem for most people, we find that there is a lot of confusion from people who want vegan-friendly maple cream while avoiding animal-derived products such as butter.

Our farm's cream is a single-ingredient product made solely from our own maple syrup. This makes it a great option for those looking for vegan and gluten-free alternatives to other sweets with multiple ingredients.

On the other hand, maple butter is created by combining two parts of butter with one part of maple syrup. This combination creates a unique taste as well as a spreadable consistency that makes it perfect for spreading on toast or muffins in place of regular everyday butter. While still sweet and richly flavored, this blend of butter and sweetness provides a more subtle flavor than straight-up pure maple syrup.

Maple Cream Recipe - Make it at home

To make maple cream, first, you need to boil your real maple syrup to about 22-24 degrees above the point water boils, depending on your atmospheric pressure this number moves around a little bit.

Continuing to boil maple syrup removes additional water and also helps concentrate the flavor of the maple syrup so that it can be whipped into a smooth spreadable mixture later on. DO NOT STIR UNTIL AFTER IT'S COOLED. I typed this in all caps because it's one of the key points to remember if you want a smooth consistency when you finish. The key to a successful maple cream recipe is to control sugar crystal formation, and this is a major mistake to avoid.

This video is from our old cream machine, but shows the color change you can expect when you stir it at home. Look at that smooth consistency!

The boiled-down syrup must then be cooled by placing it in the freezer for several hours or overnight; this step prevents sugar crystals from forming which would otherwise give your finished product an unpleasant grainy texture. Our cream specialist Jon has a particular dislike for grainy maple cream, and so do the rest of us on the team.

Once cooled, you simply need to whip up your boiled-down syrup until light and fluffy like buttercream frosting; this should take about 10 minutes using either electric beaters or a stand mixer. At this point, you have a delicious spreadable maple cream ready to enjoy! You can use it right away as a topping on desserts such as ice cream or yogurt, or you can fill in the middle of cookies just like almond butter would. Store this product in the refrigerator for up to six months after completion.

There's something so delicious about maple cream that everyone should experience it at least once in their life. Its creamy texture, satiating sweetness, and rich maple flavor make it hard to resist - and since it only contains one natural ingredient (maple syrup), you can feel good about indulging yourself without worrying about artificial flavors or preservatives. Plus, because it's vegan and gluten-free, maple cream can be enjoyed by almost everyone.

From boiling down the syrup to whipping up its creamy spreadable consistency, it isn't difficult to make your own delicious homemade maple cream. Give this easy one-ingredient treat a try - you won't regret it! And once you've made your first batch of maple cream, experiment with adding different ingredients such as nuts or spices to create something truly special. Enjoy

Tips for Making Your Homemade Maple Spread

Making your homemade maple cream spread is a great way to enjoy the sweet, smooth flavor of maple syrup in a whole new way. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but you can also customize it with your favorite flavors and spices. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a delicious spread that’s perfect for spreading on toast or stirring into oatmeal. Below I'll provide a few tips from our team on making your homemade maple cream spread so that you can enjoy its rich flavor any time!

• Once cooked to the proper temperature of 234-236F, ensure you begin the cooling process as soon as possible.
• The soon-to-be cream should have the texture and look of maple taffy with a brown color that looks similar to the syrup it was. Remember, the stirring is what produces sugar crystals which change the color to what you expect.
• Mist water with a spritzer or spray bottle over the cream while it's cooling to prevent unwanted sugar crystals from forming on the surface while it cools.
• Store your undisturbed maple cream in the freezer for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator until it is around 40F. Don't worry about temperatures colder than freezing, as the sugar content is high enough to prevent it from freezing into a maple syrup ice cube.
• Don't constantly stick a candy thermometer in the product as each time you do you're inducing an unwanted sugar crystal to form. Be patient! If you let it sit overnight you don't have to even worry about taking the temperature.
• I'd like to highlight this one more time as it's important: Don't disturb your maple cream until you're ready to stir it!
• Refrigerate your finished maple cream in a container of your choice.
• Don't reheat, as it will return to the consistency of thick maple syrup.
• Separation is normal when stored in the refrigerator, just stir it back together before use and it'll return to its normal consistency.

Share with us in the comments about how your home made maple cream came out.