“Pregreta smetana” (overheated cream) – a revived Slovenian traditional dairy product

The aim of the study was to standardize the technological process for an almost unknown traditional dairy product from the south-eastern part of Slovenia, called “pregreta smetana” or “overheated cream”. Traditional process for its production was and still is passed from generation to generation by oral tradition and personal notes, resulting in many variations of a final product. Nevertheless, there are some steps, common in all traditional processes regardless to the local area of origin: milk is poured into wide and shallow containers, and after fat-layer is formed on the milk surface during cooling period, the overheating follows. However, time/temperature regimes of overheating and other handlings differ from producer to producer. Therefore, four different technological processes were accomplished, where special attention was focused to parameters as follows: the size of crust patches, the temperature and the time of overheating, and the mode of stirring. From the results of chemical and sensory analysis of the overheated cream samples, the technological process was standardized. Taste and aroma of the standardized product were typical, soft, creamy and caramelized, the texture was buttery, smooth to slightly crumbly with crust patches, while colour was golden brown to brownish and evenly marbled with crust patches.