Softening Cream Cheese Quickly

 I am one of those people who often decides to make a recipe at the last minute.  Now the problem is that I don't like to wait while things like butter and cream cheese soften to room temperature.  In the past, I have used the microwave to speed things up, but that creates the risk of melting not softening.

Recently I learned of a way to soften cream cheese quickly and easily.  Just put the cream cheese in a zip-top bag.  Zip the bag shut squeezing out as much air as possible, then place the bag of cream cheese in hot water.  Depending on the amount of cream cheese, it will soften in just a few minutes.  You can squeeze the bag as it softens to help the cheese soften faster.  In the photo I was softening 4 oz. of cream cheese, and it took about 10 minutes.  When the cream cheese has softened, I cut the bag open with kitchen scissors and scrape the cream cheese into the mixing bowl with a spatula.I have used this idea several times now, and I think it works very well.

This came from Tom Small, chef at Tacoma's Boathouse 19 who was appearing on a public television show KCTS Cooks Kitchen Classics, a fundraising program for the station.


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