Heavy Cream
Heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream, is the high-fat portion skimmed from milk, prized for whipping into stable peaks and for enriching sauces without curdling.
How to buy
Look for a fat content around 36-40%, labeled heavy cream or heavy whipping cream; whipping cream at around 30-35% fat is lighter and less stable once whipped. Ultra-pasteurized versions keep longer but whip up slightly less voluminously than pasteurized cream.
How to store
Refrigerate tightly sealed and use within about a week of opening; unopened, well-sealed cartons often keep close to their printed date. It freezes reasonably well for cooking use, though not for whipping, since the texture changes slightly after thawing.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Rich, mildly sweet, and purely milky, with a richness that mellows and rounds out other strong flavors in sauces and desserts.
- Texture
- Thick and velvety when poured, and transforms entirely when whipped, moving from soft billowy peaks to stiff peaks, and eventually to butter if overbeaten.
- Aroma
- A mild, sweet, clean dairy aroma with essentially no tang.
How to prepare
- Whipped — Beaten to soft or stiff peaks for toppings, fillings, and frostings.
- Reduced — Simmered down in a pan sauce to thicken and concentrate flavor.
- Churned — Agitated long enough to separate into homemade butter and buttermilk.
- Simmered into custard — Gently heated with eggs and sugar for custards, ganaches, and ice cream bases.
Classic dishes
American
- Whipped cream topping — Heavy cream whipped with a touch of sugar for topping desserts and drinks.
- New England clam chowder — A creamy chowder thickened and enriched with heavy cream.
- Homemade ice cream base — Heavy cream churned with sugar and flavorings into a rich, dense ice cream.
- Beef stroganoff — Sautéed beef and mushrooms finished in a sauce enriched with heavy cream.
Italian
- Fettuccine Alfredo — A simple pasta sauce built on reduced heavy cream, butter, and parmesan.
- Panna cotta — A set dessert of sweetened heavy cream, lightly gelled and often flavored with vanilla.
- Tiramisu — A layered dessert using whipped cream folded into a mascarpone and egg mixture.
Indian
- Butter chicken — A tomato-based curry finished with heavy cream for a smooth, rich sauce.
- Korma — A mild curry enriched with heavy cream and ground nuts.
French
- Crème brûlée — A silky baked custard made rich with heavy cream and topped with a caramelized sugar crust.
- Chocolate ganache — Melted chocolate blended with hot heavy cream into a smooth, pourable or whippable glaze.
- Chantilly cream — Lightly sweetened whipped cream used to top pastries and fruit desserts.
- Vichyssoise — A chilled leek and potato soup finished with heavy cream for body.
- Creamy mushroom soup — Sautéed mushrooms simmered into a soup enriched with heavy cream.
- Lobster bisque — A rich shellfish soup finished with heavy cream for a velvety texture.
Spanish
- Crema catalana — A Spanish custard dessert similar to crème brûlée, built on heavy cream and egg yolks.
British & Irish
- Clotted cream for scones — Cream slowly heated and skimmed into a thick, spoonable topping for scones.
Substitutions
- Crème Fraîche — Tangier and thicker; good for finishing sauces but less ideal for whipping into stiff peaks.
- Sour Cream — Thinner and tangier; works stirred into hot dishes off heat but won't whip.