What Is Cream Meal: Purpose and Recipes!

You may sometimes surf the frying or baking recipe and the term cream meal comes up. As it is not very popular in households, it’s easy to get confused.

So, what is cream meal?

The cream meal is a flour made of corn that has two types of textures. The first texture is gritty which is similar to the corn meal. And the second texture is smooth and powdery which is similar to corn flour. It is used in recipes to get the benefit of both corn flour and corn meal. It gives the dish extra crunchiness and keeps the dish from getting hard or crumbly.

To know more about this mystery item, keep reading!

What Is Cream Meal?

The cream meal is a type of flour that is usually made from dried corn kernels. It has a unique texture in between cornmeal and corn flour.

That means the cream meal has a gritty texture like the corn meal and a smooth and powdery texture like corn flour. Just like corn flour and corn meal, the cream meal is also gluten-free.

Speaking of corn, have you tried corn chips yet? These are really tasty and healthy as well. You can even make corn chips at home.

Okay, now back to the cream meal. The cream meal is usually used in making batter and bread for frying foods. It is also used in making corn dogs, tamales, and cornbreads. It tastes slightly sweet and earthy just like corn flour or corn.

Some common cream meal brands are Indian girl cream meal and Shawnee yellow cream meal. If you are wondering what a yellow cream meal is, it is basically the same thing as a regular cream meal. The yellow-cream meal gives the dish a yellow color. Tastewise, both are the same.

However, the cream meal is not very popular in households yet. Corn meal is usually used in commercial bakeries and fast food chains. As a result, you won’t find it available in many stores nearby.

The Benefit of Using Cream Meal?

The mixed granulation of cream meal makes a dish advantage of both cornmeal and corn flour.

The corn meal is usually used in making muffins, cornbread, etc. While it gives the baked goods a satisfying crunchy texture, it also makes the dish crumbly, due to the rough granule, the baked goods fall apart easily.

On the other hand, baking goods made with cornflour are more put together and less crumbly. However, if you want an extra crunch on your baking goods, you will not be able to get it from corn flour.

So, if you use a cream meal instead of a corn meal, the dish will have a satisfying crunch. And the smooth texture will ensure the dish is more put together.

Moreover, if you only use cornmeal as frying breading, the crush will be too hard and you may break a tooth or two. Using a cream meal instead will make the crust crispy and soft at the same time.

How To Make Cream Meal At Home?

As it is hard to find a cream meal in a department store nearby, I am going to tell you how to make it at home.

The recipe is very easy. Here’s what you are going to need.

Corn flour – 1 cup
Corn meal – 1 cup

Mix the corn flour and corn meal together and voila! Your cream meal is ready! pour it in an air-tight jar and place it in a dry and cool place.

Recipes Using Cream Meal

Here, I am gonna share two delicious recipes using the cream meal. Let’s dive right into it.

Cream Meal Muffins

The cream meal muffins will be crunchy and more put together than regular corn meal muffins.

Ingredients

Cream Meal – 1 cup
All-purpose flour – 1 cup
Milk – 1 cup
Baking powder- 2 teaspoons
Egg – 1 (beaten)
Sugar – ⅓ cup
Canola oil – ¼ cup
Salt – ½ teaspoons

Process

First, you have to preheat your oven to 400^O Fahrenheit.
While the oven is preparing, grease your muffin pan. You can use paper muffin liners as well.
Take a large bowl. Pour cream meal, baking powder, flour, sugar, and salt into it. Don’t forget to sift these dry ingredients before pouring them. Mix them well.
Pour milk, egg, and oil into the mixture and mix them all properly. ‘
Pour the batter into the muffin pan. only fill half of the cup.
Bake the muffin at 400^o Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Your muffin is ready to enjoy.

Crispy Cream Meal Fish Fry

Here is a delicious cod fish fry recipe using the cream meal.

Ingredients

Codfish filets – 4 pieces (approx. 3 ounces each)
Cream Meal – ⅔ cup
Milk – ½ cup
Oil – 1 cup
ground black pepper ½ teaspoon
cayenne pepper – ⅛ teaspoon
Paprica – 1 teaspoon
garlic powder – ½ teaspoon
dried thyme – ½ teaspoon
Salt – ½ teaspoon
lemon juice – 1 tablespoon

Process

Take a bowl and pour milk and lemon juice on it. Place the cod fish filets on the bow, and let the filets soak for 5 minutes.
Take a deep pan and pour oil into it. Heat the oil over medium heat.
While the oil is heating, take a shallow bowl and mix the cream meal, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and thyme together.
Take the fish filets and coat them properly in the cream meal mixture. Make sure both sides are evenly coated.
Fry the filets in the oil until they turn golden brown on both sides.
Take the fish fries out of the pan and keep them on a paper towel-covered dish. Now enjoy the crispy fish fry while it’s hot.

You can also make Popayes fried chicken sandwiches with cream meal instead of cornstarch.

FAQs

Is Cream Meal Related To Cream?

No, the cream meal is not related to the regular cream. The cream meal is a special granulation of corn. Due to its smooth texture, it gives a certain creaminess to the dish. And that’s why it is called a cream meal.

Is Cream Meal Good For You?

Yes, the cream meal is good for you. As made from corn, the cream meal is an excellent source of selenium and fiber. It keeps the cholesterol level in check and takes care of your heart. And as it is gluten-free, it won’t trigger an autoimmune response.

Can I Replace The Plain Flour With Cornflour?

Yes, you can replace plain flour with corn flour. However, plain flour will not give your dish the sweet and earthy flavor that you will get from corn flour. Also, plain flour doesn’t make your fries as crispy as corn flour.

EndNote

Now you know what is cream meal and how to use it in recipes. You should try the recipes using the cream meal and see how delicious the recipes turn out. I am sure you will not be disappointed.

That’s all for now. Have a very good day and happy cooking!