Can we all agree that Nestlé All-Purpose Cream is a Filipino ingredient? Many home cooks use it for sweet, creamy fare like mango float and fruit shakes. But did you know that you can use all-purpose cream for everyday cooking, too?
How can I use Nestlé All-Purpose Cream in my everyday cooking?
Use Nestlé All-Purpose Cream like heavy cream—to add the right amount of richness and depth to your lutong bahay. Use it for:
- Thicker sauces. Gising-gising looking too loose and watery? Add ¼ cup of cream to bind everything together with a newly thickened sauce.
- Heartier stews. All-purpose cream can mellow out a stew while giving the sauce a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel. This works especially well with cheesy kaldereta!
- Quick gravies. Add a splash of cream to pan drippings for a creamy, no-fuss gravy.
Don’t be afraid to add all-purpose cream to dishes you already love—start with ¼ to ½ cup. These three recipes will show you how, all while getting a Filipino three-course meal on the table. Dessert included!
Creamy Gising-Gising (Winged Beans in Coconut Milk)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 cups ground pork
- ½ cup minced red onion
- 2–3 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 large siling labuyo (red chilies), deseeded and finely minced
- ¼ cup bagoong
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 4 cups sigarilyas (winged beans), cut into ½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup Nestlé All-Purpose Cream
- salt and pepper, to taste
Cook pork: Heat neutral oil in a pan over high heat. Add ground pork and cook until brown and any liquid has evaporated, about 5–7 minutes.
Cook aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. In the same pan with the excess rendered fat (add more neutral oil as needed), add onion, ginger, garlic, red chilies, and bagoong. Cook, stirring frequently, until aromatics are soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add sigarilyas: Pour in coconut milk and add sigarilyas. Stir until evenly coated. Cover the pan and cook until sigarilyas is tender but still crunchy, 10 minutes. Uncover pan and finish with Nestlé All-Purpose Cream to thicken the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Creamy Beef Kaldereta with Cheese
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef brisket, cut into 1 ½-inch thick pieces
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 2 –3 garlic cloves, roughly minced
- 1 siling labuyo (red chili), deseeded and finely minced
- 3 cups beef broth, divided
- 1 can (400g) whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 can (85g) liver spread
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp crushed black pepper
- 1 ¼ cup diced potato
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- ⅔ cup sliced red and green bell peppers
- ½ cup Nestlé All-Purpose Cream
- ¼ cup grated processed cheese, divided in half
Sear beef: Pat beef brisket dry with a paper towel. Season all over with salt and pepper.
Heat neutral oil in a large braising pan, heavy-bottomed pot, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear beef until golden brown on all sides. Remove beef and set aside.
Cook aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. In the same pan with the rendered fat (add more neutral oil the fat is not enough), add onion, garlic, and minced siling labuyo. Sauté for a few minutes until fragrant.
Make kaldereta base: Add 2 cups beef broth, whole peeled tomatoes, liver spread, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Add seared beef back in. Increase heat and bring liquid to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a steady simmer. Cover pot and cook until beef is a few minutes shy of fork-tender, 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes.
Add vegetables and cheese: Add potatoes and carrots. Cover pot and cook until vegetables are fork-tender, 8–10 minutes. If kaldereta looks dry or the sauce has over-reduced, add remaining beef stock ½ cup at a time. Add bell peppers and half of the processed cheese. Continue cooking uncovered, 5 minutes. Stir in Nestlé All-Purpose Cream, taste, and season with salt and pepper.
Serve: Transfer kaldereta to a serving platter. Sprinkle remaining processed cheese on top. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Creamy Tropical Fruit Salad
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ½ cup mango, cut in to 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup melon, cut into 1” inch cubes
- ½ cup shredded coconut meat
- ½ cup nata de coco
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup Nestlé All-Purpose Cream
- ¼ cup condensed milk
Make fruit salad: Combine mango, pineapple, melon, coconut meat, and nata de coco in a mixing bowl. In a smaller separate bowl, combine coconut milk, Nestlé All-Purpose Cream, and condensed milk. Stir to disperse condensed milk into the mixture. Pour milk mixture over the fruits, stir, and cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve cold.
