Hold on a sec, guys! I know a majority of you will be thrashing down on me with full force because I am hurting their feelings! Yes, I understand that heavy cream is close to your hearts. But this article is not for cream lovers. Today, we will be giving the floor to the minority. People who cannot have heavy cream or any sort of dairy items. That does not mean this is not for you. If you are seeking a healthy substitute for heavy cream, then rest assured my friend! You are in the right place.
What is Heavy Cream?
For the aliens (I am just sarcastic, do not take it personally and call the cops!) who do not know what exactly heavy cream is, this portion is for them. Heavy cream is a sort of cream which is made out of milk. The term ‘heavy’ is used because this cream contains a serious amount of fat. Almost 35 per cent to 40 per cent of the cream content is fat. And it is mostly dairy. This makes the cream very tempting and delicious. Speaking of delicious, heavy cream is used in a wide range of recipes.
Uses of Heavy Cream
Now, the next question is, where do we use heavy cream? And why do we use it? I will answer the latter question first. Heavy cream contains fat at an enormous amount. Fat is well known for its smooth texture. This explains a hell lot. In our cuisine or any other cuisine, gravy and other sort of dishes require a substance that can make the soup or gravy smooth and rich in flavours. That is why heavy cream is the first choice.
Now, where do we use it? Simple. We can use it in gravies, soups, sauces, ice creams, sour creams, and even tenderizing meat. Also, some can use it to make their homemade butter. As you can see, heavy cream has a huge fan base. But can we overcome the hurdle and the popularity of the heavy cream? Let us find it out on our own.
Substitute for Heavy Cream
Also known as Heavy Whipped Cream, heavy cream is a staple substance for cooking in a lot of cuisines around the globe. We have already decoded the reason of being so famous among the community. Now, the main focus of ours is to find ourselves a substitute for that.
But why do we need a substitute? As of my research, there are two specific reasons. The first reason is for the high-fat content. It contains 36-40% fat. That is pretty harmful to our health if we consume it regularly. So, we seek a healthier substitute for it.
Now, the second reason is some of us are lactose intolerant. My dad is lactose, intolerant person. And I clearly remember him struggling the whole night after having a cake that contained dairy substance. So, I know how painful the feeling is. As the heavy whipped cream contains plenty of dairy ingredients, this is a dead-end for the lactose-intolerant people. As a result, they are also seeking a healthier and above all, safer substitute. Or another prospect might be that you simply ran out of stock!
If you fall into one of these groups, then, today is your lucky day, my friend. This article is going to be the lifesaver for you. Because we will be introducing a wide range of substitutes for heavy cream. So, buckle up your seat belts, this is going to be a fun ride.
Here is a list of good and solid substitutes for heavy whipped cream:
- Milk and Butter
- Milk and Cornstarch
- Soy Milk and Olive Oil
- Evaporated Milk
- Silken Tofu and Soy Milk
- Half-&-Half and Butter
- Greek Yogurt and Milk
- Cream Cheese
- Coconut Cream
Lucky for you, I am going to share with you the prep work for these substances as well. Now let us move on to the first-ever substitute as this one is the most common of them all. I am talking about Butter and Milk.
Milk and Butter: The Usual Substitute
Suppose you ran out of Heavy Cream while making a cake for the kids. But you don’t have any time to hit the stores. Then this substitute will do the job for you.
Now all you have to do is to melt ¼ cup of butter. Then take 1/3 of lukewarm milk. Add the ¼ cup melted butter in the milk and stir it or whip it well until the mixture thicken. You will get a similar texture to heavy cream after some good and solid sessions of whipping. But if the mild is skimmed or low in fat, the mixture will not be as thick as a regular cream. In that case, all you need to do is to add a spoon of flour while whipping the mixture.
This will taste exactly like whipped cream as it is similar to the cream. The heavy cream has a high-fat content. The melted butter meets up the same fat creditability. On the other hand, the milk eases the daily essentials. But there is one shortcoming. And that is you will not get the same consistency in whipped for as you will be expecting or getting in heavy cream. But this substitute will be sufficient for cooking or baking as the taste factor will be very close to each other.
Now, this substitute contains a dairy product, and that is milk. So, people who have issues with lactose and dairy products, I suggest them to avoid this substitute as well. This one is not for the healthier options as well as it contains a similar amount of fat as we add in the melted butter. This substitute is for those lot who will run out of heavy cream or has no time to buy it from the superstore.
Milk and Cornstarch
If you want the same consistency, but want it to be less in fat and calories, then this is a good substitute for you. The ingredients are Milk and Cornstarch. To replace 1 Cup of heavy cream, you will need two tablespoons of Cornstarch and 1 Cup of Milk.
All you need to do is simply mix the two ingredients by stirring it well. That is all for you. This substitute has a limited amount of fat. But it will equal itself with the consistency of the regular heavy cream.
You can also restrict the calorie count even more if you opt to add in skimmed milk instead of whole milk. This will slightly reduce the consistency, but the results will not differ that much. So, this one is indeed a healthier option. I still advise skipping this one as well if you cannot tolerate milk.
But, the next option will be the one for you. The next substitute is Soy Milk and Olive Oil.
Soy Milk and Olive Oil
Soy milk is a great alternative if you want to avoid dairy milk or if you are thinking of going vegan. Whatever the case is, this will give you satisfactory results.
Now, if you want the same consistency and probably the similar taste of 1 Cup of Heavy cream, all you need is 1/3 cup of Olive Oil and 2/3 Cup of Soy Milk. Now, mix them and stir them vigorously until the oil and the milk completely dissolves with each other.
The results will be satisfactory. And above all, it is healthy, and also people with lactose issues can consume it without any hesitation. But recipes that require whipping will be a difficult task for this substitute.
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Evaporated Milk
Evaporated milk is a common dairy product. This is a great substitute because it has an equal amount of consistency and the water percentage is low as it gets. Speaking of water content, evaporated milk contains 60 per cent less water than regular milk. So, it is thick as the cream.
You can easily use it as a good substitute which contains a lower amount of fat. That means this will be a good solution for the people who are willing to find a healthier solution for the fat percentage. But this one is still not suitable for the recipes that need whipped cream.
Now, let us move on to the next substitute. The next one is Silken Tofu and Soy Milk.
Silken Tofu and Soy Milk
Tofu is a popular ingredient, especially if you are into vegan dishes. It has a great quality texture. The silken tofu is like regular tofu, but it is made out of condensed soy milk that is formed into solid white bricks or blocks.
Now, silken tofu has a huge advantage. And that is it has a higher protein content. It is suitable for those who are in want of a healthier substitute. The texture is pretty soft. If you blend it with soy milk, you will get a great substitute for heavy cream.
Half-&-Half and Butter
Half-&-Half cream contains less amount of fat. The fat content is almost third in terms of the contents of heavy cream. So, if you add butter with half-&half cream, it will be of just a similar consistency. The half-&-half cream is made out of whole milk and cream. So, it is lighter as well.
To use butter and half-&-half as a great substitute, all we need to do is to mix them in a specified portion. To be exact, you will have to take 7/8 cup of Half-&-half cream and 1/8 cups of melted butter. Then mix them, stir it well.
This substitute fills up all the sections, including whipping as well. So, this is a great substitute. You can also use only the half-&-half cream in soups or gravies for a good result and taste.
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Greek Yogurt and Milk
Greek Yogurt is high in protein content. So, if you want to fill the barrier of dashing up the protein in your gravies, this is the right substitute. But, you will have to keep this in mind that the consistency of Greek Yogurt is thicker than cream. So, to make it thin, you will have to add milk with the yoghurt. Take ½ cups of Greek Yogurt and ½ cups of milk. Mix them and voila! The substitute is complete.
But you will have to keep that in mind that this substitute is only for the gravies and baking. Whipping is still far away from the destination. On the other hand, the tenderness will be missing in the baking items and desserts as this substitute is low in fat.
Cream Cheese
The Show Stopper ingredient in my all-time favourite cheesecake, cream cheese is a great single-ingredient substitute for the heavy cream. It is best to use cream soups or gravies that require a creamy texture. Speaking of cream cheese, this is a fresh cheese which is made out of milk and cream.
But there are limitations in this substitute. Cream cheese might alter the taste of the finished food as it is not similar in the fat content. On the other hand, it is not suitable for whipping. So, when you are using it as a substitution, please use it wisely.
Coconut Cream
Coconut cream is yet another vegan substitute for our beloved heavy cream. All we have to do is to buy a can of coconut milk and chill it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, open up the can and pour the liquid in a separate pan. The remaining cream-like substance can be scooped out. That is the coconut cream. It is a single ingredient substitute.
You can alternate heavy cream with an equal amount of coconut cream, and the result will be pleasing as well.
Finishing Touch to the Dish!
So, these were some of the substitutes of heavy cream. I hope you will love these. Do use them in your dishes and let me know which one is the best. Till then, Goodbye and Stay safe! And keep on cooking!
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