Heavy Cream

How to Use Heavy Cream

Also referred to as whipping cream, heavy cream is a dairy item that is used in a variety of recipes. Because it contains an amount of butterfat up to 40%, you will usually need to whip it or use a high speed mixer when using it in recipes. In other countries you can find heavy cream with an even higher butterfat content and it is often called double cream instead.

 

When you are cooking and heavy cream is included as an ingredient you will most likely need to whip it first. Once you whip heavy cream the volume doubles. It also is whipped best when it is at a very cold temperature and is able to stay cold while you are whipping it. If you find that it is not whipping well you may want to chill it and try again. Once you increase the volume of heavy cream it is usally folded in with other ingredients in the recipe. You can substitute six ounces of milk and one-third cup of butter for heavy cream in recipes where it does not need to be whipped.

 

Storing heavy cream properly is important because it is more perishable than other dairy products. Unless you are using a pasteurized heavy cream, you want to make sure that it is stored in a cold part of your refrigerator, not on the door. Any recipes that you make that included heavy cream will need to also be stored properly once they are finished cooking.

 

You can use heavy cream in a variety of different alcoholic drinks in order to make them thicker and creamier. Creamy drinks from Irish coffee, to white Russians and eggnog may have heavy cream added to them to make the texture creamier. Instead of whipped cream, try whipping some heavy cream as a garnish for hot chocolate or Irish coffee.