coconut cream
The thick, rich layer that separates from coconut milk, or a product sold that way -- higher in fat and lower in water than regular coconut milk, used to add richness or as a base for desserts and drinks.
Substitutions
- coconut milk
Tips & common mistakes
Skimming off just the solid cap from the top of a can without stirring the rest back in leaves the remainder thin and watery, throwing off a recipe that's counting on the whole can's richness. Shaking a cold can vigorously before opening doesn't fully recombine the separated layers the way scooping everything into a bowl and whisking it does.
Storage
Refrigerating an unopened can tends to make the separation firmer and harder to recombine once it's opened cold -- letting it come closer to room temperature before opening and stirring makes it easier to blend back together.