 Show I was recently at Metro, a members-only store that sells things for professionals in large quantities with lots of food items. However unlike “members-only” stores elsewhere, you need to have some professional affiliation to join. Excitedly, I stocked up on lots of the things that I use a lot of, including cassonade sugar sold in bags close to 5-pounds, hazelnuts, tin containers for giving away treats from recipe-testing, and I picked up a few cases of wine, just because there happened to be a little extra room in the trunk of the car that needed filling. (I like to think my wine consumption is somehow tied to my professional activities, too. But maybe it’s just because of them?) In the middle of the store is a huge refrigerated section with all kinds of butter and seemingly every kind of dairy product available in France, most in professional-sizes, and I picked up a 6-pack of heavy cream. As in six liters of cream, with a higher-than-normal butterfat content of 35%. (Most heavy cream in France is 30%, and is sometimes hard to whip, and often ultra-sterilized. Good quality crème fraîche, a cultured cream, is sold in tubs in supermarkets and fromageries. It’s easily available and seems to be used more often than liquid cream.) At the rate I go through things around here, I was sure I was going to go through all that cream within the next five weeks. But as the expiration date rolled around, there were still five liters of cream in my refrigerator, ready to go south. So I froze it. Yes, you can freeze cream just fine. Many bakers will sometimes find themselves with an extra cup or so, especially if you buy it by the liter or quart. So you can freeze it just by sticking the carton right in the freezer. The liquid inside may expand a bit, so if the containers are absolutely full, you may want to pour a little out first. But most containers I’ve run across have a bit of breathing room in them and I just pop them in there, just like that. To use the cream, take it out and leave it in the refrigerator one or two days before you need it. Larger packages, like a liter or quart, will take longer to defrost than a cup of cream. Before using it, give it a really good shake as the butterfat can settle to the bottom of the container and it may need to be re-emulsified. Then you’re good to go. You can use it for any baking application. And it can be whipped as well; it may appear a bit grainy at first, but sweetening it will smooth it out. But do make sure you’ve incorporated the butterfat completely, as watered down cream won’t whip. Related Posts and Links French Sugars Ingredients for American Baking in Paris Crème fraîche, crème épaisse, crème liquide, crème fleurette, pasteurisée, UHT (C’est moi qui l’ai fait! – French creams, in French), How to Make Crème Fraîche (Serious Eats) What’s the Difference Between Heavy Cream and Whipping Cream? (The Kitchn) What is Half-and-Half?
Here’s how to freeze big and small amounts of heavy cream, so you can keep your leftovers from going to waste, and stock up when you find a good deal. How to Freeze Leftover Heavy CreamIf you bought heavy cream for a recipe, and you’re now left with a partial container that you aren’t sure what to do with it, freezing it is a good option. Since most recipes only call for a small amount of heavy cream, it’s smart to freeze your leftovers in small portions. This makes it easy to pull out just what you need, while leaving the rest frozen; and it greatly reduces, or even eliminates, thaw time. To do this, simply pour heavy cream into ice cube trays or muffins pans, and pop them in the freezer. Most ice cube trays make two Tablespoon cubes, and most muffin pans hold between 1/4-1/2 cups in each muffin cup. Use water and a liquid measuring cup to figure out how much yours holds. Once the heavy cream is frozen, transfer the cubes, or cups, to freezer bags, and return them to the freezer. Be sure to label the bags with the contents and portion sizes. This will make it easy to know how many you need to grab for the recipe you’re working on. Leftover whipped cream can also be frozen for later use. Here’s how I recommend freezing it. How to Freeze Full Containers of Heavy CreamIf you like to stock up on heavy cream when it’s on sale, or you don’t grocery shop often, you can also freeze full containers of heavy cream, until you need them. Since liquids expand when they freeze, you just need to remove an inch or so of heavy cream from each carton, before you stick them in the freezer. How to Use Frozen Heavy CreamAs soon as you thaw your heavy cream, it’ll go right back to being able to do all the things it was able to do before. This includes whipping into stiff peaks. If the butterfat appears to have separated during thawing, just stir it back in, before you use it. Need to add a small amount of heavy cream to a soup, sauce or hot dish? Then, there’s no need to thaw it first. Just add it directly to the pot or pan, and it’ll thaw as the recipe cooks. If your ice cube tray makes two-Tablespoon cubes, here’s how to convert your cubes to cup measurements: 2 cubes = 1/4 cup Uses for Heavy CreamIf you don’t have much room in your freezer at the moment, consider using your leftover heavy cream to make homemade ice cream, sour cream or whipped cream.
To Freeze Small Portions: Pour heavy cream into ice cube trays or muffin pans. Freeze. Then, transfer frozen cubes or cups to a freezer bag. To Freeze Full Containers: Pour an inch of heavy cream out of the carton, or bottle, to allow room for expansion. Then, stick the container in the freezer. To use: If you just need a small amount for a soup, sauce or hot dish, go ahead and add the cream, while it’s still frozen. It’ll thaw, as the dish cooks. If you need a large amount for ice cream, etc., thaw the cream in the fridge, before using. Heavy cream that has been frozen can still be whipped to stiff peaks. Notes
Keywords: how to freeze heavy cream, the best way to freeze heavy cream, how to freeze leftover heavy cream Post navigationCan thawed frozen cream be whipped?It's important to note that frozen-then-thawed heavy cream will not whip as nicely as fresh heavy cream. The heavy cream will develop ice crystals the longer it sits in your freezer, and the added water content will prevent the cream from becoming as voluminous as a carton of fresh heavy cream.
Can heavy cream be frozen and then whipped?Yes, you can freeze heavy whipping cream straight from the carton. Whether you intend to cook with it or whip it, it will still be good to go with a bit of stirring after it's thawed.
Is heavy cream ruined if it freezes?As you probably know, most dairy products don't freeze that well. And heavy cream isn't an exception here. Like with freezing sour cream, heavy cream separates after thawing, and getting it back to its original texture is impossible. It's like with pickles – once you pickle a cucumber, you cannot un-pickle it.
How do you fix frozen heavy cream?How to Defrost Frozen Heavy Cream? Defrosting frozen heavy cream couldn't be any easier. Just take the cream out of the freezer and then transfer it to the fridge. Leave to thaw overnight.
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Can you whip frozen heavy cream
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