I am always on the look-out for a plausible alternative to cream cheese.
Original Creamy Scheese
Having tried this on my sandwiches today, I’m sad to say this isn’t it! There’s nothing wrong with it as a food substance, it just doesn’t taste anything like cream cheese. The texture is quite good (not as firm as some substitutes I’ve tried), but if you ate it with your eyes shut you wouldn’t guess it was cream cheese as the taste is all wrong. It smells of soya, which is a bit off-putting, and it has the usual slightly flat taste associated with that smell. The really odd bit, however, is the slight cheddary flavour which has been added. The lid describes it as “A delicious alternative to cream cheese”. It’s not. It’s not actively unpleasant, but neither is it cream cheese.
It is dairy free, gluten free, lactose free, cholesterol free, vegan etc. etc. Sadly it’s going in the food free category. I’m not in the market for martyrdom. If something doesn’t taste good, I don’t care how ethically it’s made I’m not eating it.
where to get it: health food shops only. Not cheap at £2.29 for 255g/9oz.
gotchas: just doesn’t taste right. Haven’t the people who make these substitutes ever tasted the real thing?
Pure soft and creamy spread
The Pure website promotes this as the perfect solution to making cheesecakes. I have yet to try this, though it’s high on my list of experiments for very soon. It’s possible that the spread will be good for this, but I’m afraid it’s not good on bread. It’s MUCH too sweet for cream cheese and has the flatness that seems to go with soya far too often. Another disappointment. This one I actively disliked. The sweetness is just all wrong for anything pretending to be cream cheese.
Where to get it: most health food shops and large supermarkets. Morrison’s, Waitrose and larger Tesco’s all carry it.
Gotchas:doesn’t taste anything like cream cheese.
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