Is whipping cream the same as heavy cream

Have you ever wondered how cream changes from an entirely liquid state into a fluffy and airy solid by just a few minutes of whisking? You can whisk milk as long as you want and you'll never get anything more than a wet bowl of bubbles. Cream, on the other hand, transforms. It's a homogenized blend of milk and milk fat (meaning solid milk fat is microscopically distributed throughout the milk rather than separated into a solid layer at the top of the liquid). It's this distribution of fat throughout the liquid that allows cream to be whipped in the first place. As air bubbles are forced into the cream, they get caught by the fat molecules and are suspended throughout the substance, forming an airy and pillowy texture from an otherwise thick liquid.

But if you look at the top shelf of that small refrigerated section in your grocery store, you're sure to notice that both "heavy cream" and "whipping cream" sit side by side. But what accounts for the difference, you might ask? It's the amount of fat in the cream. Heavy cream has a higher percentage of milk fat (about 36%) while whipping cream has less (around 30%). Don't let the names deceive you: both can and should be used for whipped cream. However, since there is more fat in heavy cream, the air bubbles that get caught in the heavy cream are held firmer and longer than those in the whipping cream. This means that heavy cream makes a sturdier whipped cream that holds its shape longer than the lighter and softer whipped cream made from whipping cream.

The Best Substitutes for Heavy Cream

Heavy whipping cream should be used for sweets that require a stronger cream (like trifles, with layers of whipped cream sandwiched between heavy layers of fruit and cake) while pies and desserts like strawberry shortcake or a gooey fudge cake benefit from a simple dollop of whipped whipping cream that's softer and a little more "wet." Choosing one or the other will never ruin a dessert, but picking the right cream might just make it a little more perfect.

If don’t get around to making many cakes, finding the right ingredients can be equally as daunting as the cooking process.

WATCH: How to whip cream

And when your favourite part is lathering sponge cakes with cream, picking the right variety is crucial. Between heavy cream, double cream and whipped cream, the choice isn’t easy. So is heavy cream the ingredient you need to nail desert?

What is heavy cream?

“Heavy Cream, which is the one that’s often labelled thickened cream in Australia, consists of about 35 per cent milk fat (or 35 grams per hundred ml). Often, it contains additives – gelatine, vegetable gums and this helps hold its shape when it’s whipped and that reduces the likeliness of curdling when heating,” says Trent Watson, Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia.

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Is there a difference between heavy and thick cream?

In Australia, heavy cream is commonly known as thickened cream, The two both contain similar milk fat content percentages and are generally interchangeable in recipes. 

However, In the U.S., cream with a milk fat content percentage of 36 to 40 is classified as heavy cream. Meanwhile thickened cream contains a milk fat content percentage of 35. Heavy cream has no additives but is still naturally thick and fit for whipping. in the US, heavy cream is usually sold as ‘whipping cream’. Double cream contains more than 48 per cent milk fat content.

What do you use heavy cream for?

Typically, because heavy cream is able to hold its shape, it’s often used for cake decorations and as the filling for inside pastries. If the cream has a milk fat percentage of 35 per cent or more, it whips extremely well and can double in volume. It is also known as heavy whipping cream and is extremely suitable for topping and piping. 

Including thickeners like gelatine and vegetable gums helps with the whipping process while also ensuring the cream doesn't separate or curdle.  

In recipes, the cream can be used both for dessert and a main course. Creamy chicken dishes require about 600ml of thickened cream that is simply stirred into the pan of ingredients while a typical pavlova involves thickened cream to be beaten with icing sugar to help create the topping.  

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What can you use as a substitute?

“There are a couple of substitutes you can use - things like Greek Yoghurt or evaporated milk. The only other one, which would be suitable for vegans, is a blended tofu as a plant-based alternative," continues Watson.

“The other alternative is use the half-half approach, whether it’s greek yoghurt and thickened cream or substitute half the cream with a low fat alternative."

Can you make it from scratch?

“There are very few people out there who are going to be milking the cow and making it from scratch," jokes Watson. 

Alex PierottiAlex has high hopes of being the next Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. He lives for Pinterest, knows his way around a toolbox and frothed millennial pink before it was in fashion. When he's not catching up on old episodes of Better Homes and Gardens, you'll find him tending to his veggie patch or plating up a mean roast lamb (with all the trimmings).

Are heavy cream and whipping cream the same thing?

What is a substitute for heavy cream?