Quick answer: cheese foam is a thick, pourable topping of cream cheese, cream, milk, sugar and salt, floated on iced tea or coffee. Beat 2 oz of softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt, then whip in ½ cup of cold heavy cream and ¼ cup of milk until thick but still pourable.
What is cheese foam?
It is a sweet-and-salty cream cap that comes from Taiwan’s tea shops and is now common on bubble tea menus everywhere, where it is also sold as cheese tea, milk cap or sea salt cream. The foam floats on the drink and is sipped together with the tea.
Ingredients (tops 3-4 drinks)
- 2 oz (55 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) cold heavy cream
- ¼ cup (60 ml) cold milk
How to make it
- Beat the softened cream cheese with the sugar and salt until completely smooth.
- Add the milk a little at a time, beating until there are no lumps.
- Add the cold cream and whip until the mixture thickens and falls from the whisk in a ribbon. Stop before soft peaks; it should pour.
- Spoon it slowly over iced tea or coffee so it floats. Dust with matcha or cocoa if you like.
Sea salt cream (no cheese)
Whip ½ cup of cold heavy cream with ¼ cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar and ¼ teaspoon of sea salt until thick and pourable. It is lighter than cheese foam and close to a salted cold foam.
In a whipped cream dispenser
Blend the cheese foam base until completely smooth and strain it, so no lumps block the nozzle. Charge and shake only briefly for a soft, pourable foam. See how to use a whipped cream dispenser.
Tips
- Soften the cream cheese first; cold cream cheese leaves lumps.
- Keep the cream and milk cold so the foam whips quickly.
- Taste for salt: it should be noticeable but not savory.
- Use it within a day and keep it refrigerated.
Related: cold foam, vanilla sweet cream and cream cheese whipped cream.
Frequently asked questions
What does cheese foam taste like?
Like lightly sweetened, slightly salty melted cheesecake: creamy and rich, with a little tang from the cream cheese.
Is cheese foam the same as sea salt cream?
They are very similar. Sea salt cream is usually whipped cream and milk with salt; cheese foam adds cream cheese for body and tang.
What tea goes best with cheese foam?
Strong, unsweetened or lightly sweetened iced teas such as jasmine green, oolong, black tea and matcha, and also cold brew coffee.
How do you drink cheese foam tea?
Sip it from the rim of the cup without a straw so you get foam and tea together.
