My “Perfect” Cream

I was going to skip today’s post because I had originally decided to set about how to make the “perfect” cream.   Then my cream turned out to be not so perfect, this time.   In the past, I would have opted to wait and try again before blogging about it.   Since overcoming the perfectionist tendencies that sometimes slow me down is a huge part of my intentions for this year, I forced myself to post this anyway.  Despite my less-than-perfect results.

The original ceratum refrigerans (cold cerate) is attributed to Galen and contained olive oil, beeswax, and rosewater. I’ve seen literally hundreds of variations in printed texts and the handwritten receipts I transcribe. I can’t even imagine the skill it takes to whip this up without an electronic device.

I remember my first batch of cream that turned out exactly right. I finally felt as though I had arrived at the moment I tipped the jar upside down and the cream was firm enough that it didn’t run out of the jar. Making cream involves emulsifying oil and water and that, my friends, is not a quick-and-simple task.  Anyone who tells you differently is fibbing to you.   Still, I thought I would explain my method to those who want to give it a go.  It is easier than some I’ve seen.    Absolutely crucial to this process is a blender.  I prefer to use my immersion blender, but an old-fashioned one will work just as well.

The idea of a cream is to use equal amounts of lipids and liquids. The difference between fat and oil is that fat becomes solid at room temperature. I have two containers that are the same size that

So, on one side, today’s recipe was 1/3 cup of coconut oil and one-half ounce of beeswax melted together and mixed with 2/3 cup of rose-infused olive oil which I had made in the fall.    On the other side was 1/3 cup aloe vera gel and enough rose hydrosol to bring it level to the other side.   

That is the first trick I’ve learned.  Don’t measure your liquid ingredients exactly.  Match the level of the liquid ingredients to the level of the lipid ingredients. The next trick is to patiently wait until the oils are at room temperature.  You will be able to tell when they are cool.   They become creamy and opaque.   It helps if you give them a quick stir with your immersion blender now and again to keep the oil and fat mixed. You can put the mixture in a cold-water bath, but then you run the risk of the oils being too cold.   The key is to have everything at room temperature.  It is kind of like making mayonnaise.

Once the oils are at room temperature, you start to blend the two sides by very slowly trickling the liquids into the lipids– blending the whole while.   It will start to turn white and creamy and eventually, it will resemble something like whipped buttercream.  This sounds easy enough, doesn’t it?

The thing is that it is all about patience when making cream.    Sometimes,  you think you’ve waited long enough but you’ve rushed the cooling process and you end up with lotion rather than cream.  Alternately you trickle the water in too quickly and the two substances don’t aerate properly and you have made some sort of gooey water.    Sometimes you over-mix and your cream starts to sweat once it sets up.

Don’t worry too much.   I’ve never botched a batch so badly that I couldn’t use it.    As I mentioned today on Facebook,  I firmly believe the inventor of lotion was someone who had botched a batch of face cream.  You never know you might even luck out and the cream will set up as it cools.   Next time you can experiment with using more beeswax or maybe a tad more coconut oil and less olive oil.  Or you could try a different fat.  Shea butter makes a firmer cream than coconut oil.   The point is not to become discouraged.  This is supposed to be fun, remember?

This afternoon, it was not looking hopeful for today’s batch so I put it in the fridge and waited a bit.

This is what I ended up with and while it survived the “upside down test” while cold I am leaving it out overnight to see what happens at room temperature.   I am guessing it won’t hold in the morning.    If I were to hazard a guess as to why, I’d say it is because I subconsciously skimped on the beeswax.   I am down to my last lovely pound of local beeswax and I am hoarding at this point until I find a reliable source.    You know what,  it still smells wonderful and it will work just the same.