Creaming (cooking)
Creaming refers to several different culinary processes. In baking, it means the blending of ingredients with a softened form of a solid fat. In cooking, it means a dish has been poached in milk, cream, or a similar liquid. In the dairy industry, it means separating cream from milk.
Baking
In baking, creaming is the technique of softening solid fat, such as shortening or butter, into a smooth mass and then blending it with other ingredients. The technique is most often used in making buttercream, cake batter, or cookie dough. The dry ingredients are mixed or beaten with the softened fat until it becomes light and fluffy, increasing in volume due to the incorporation of tiny air bubbles. Locked into the semi-solid fat, these air bubbles remain in the final batter, and expand as the item is baked, serving as a form of leavening agent.Cooking
Image:Creamed_corn.jpg|thumb|left|A bowl of creamed cornIn cooking, creaming is when food is prepared by slow simmering or poaching in milk or cream, such as creamed chipped beef on toast.
Some preparations of "creamed" food substitute a suspension of water and starch for some or all of the milk or cream. This produces a "creamy" texture, but with no actual cream or milk. Creamed corn uses only the liquid "milk" from mashed corn kernels.