Heavy Cream Vs. Whipping Cream

Milk and various milk products are a part of the daily diet for most of us. One of the popular milk products is cream. Cream is the yellowish white component of milk. It contains higher degrees of butterfat and is present in the form of a layer on top of the milk before the process of homogenization takes place. This layer of cream is present in milk even in its pre-homogenization stage, but it has a less firmer structure. There are different types of cream available that vary in their fat content.

♟ Heavy cream contains maximum milk fat before and after the process of homogenization. When milk is devoid of its fat content, it is known as skim milk.

♟ There are two common types of heavy cream available in the U.S., namely: heavy whipping and extra heavy whipping cream.

♟ Amongst these two types, extra heavy whipping cream (has more than 38% fat content) is mostly available in warehouses and several specialty stores.

♟ Regular heavy whipping cream contains 36% and more of fat content. One thing to understand here is that heavy cream and heavy whipping cream both are basically the same.

♟ A ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream contains about 100 calories and 11 grams of fat, so its consumption can possibly benefit underweight people. It also contains small amounts of vitamin A, phosphorous, and potassium. However, people with serious health disorders (diabetes, cancer, etc.) should consult their doctor before consuming this fat-rich product.

☛ If you are wondering how to make whipped cream, then let me tell you that it is made by blending cream with the help of a mixer, blender, whip, or fork.

☛ Since whipping cream is not a naturally available product, you can find it in various flavors. It contains more than 30% of butterfat.

☛ It is lightweight and really fluffy and is a popular topping for various dessert recipes, like ice cream, cake, pudding, cupcakes, pie, etc.

☛ Similar to heavy cream, whipping cream is also available in two forms, i.e., light whipping and regular whipped cream.

☛ Light whipping cream contains about 30 - 36% of butterfat, while regular whipping cream contains about 36% or more fat. You can easily make whipping cream at home, and use this cost-effective cream frosting for desserts.

There are a few points on which you can decide whether to use heavy cream or whipped cream frosting for cakes and other desserts.

• First of all, let's discuss a bit more about the fat content of both these types of cream. By now, we know that heavy cream contains more fat than whipping cream.

• Both these types of cream are used for decorating dessert recipes. But, when it comes to choosing one amongst both, heavy whipping cream is often selected.

• The main reason behind this is the capacity of heavy cream to hold its initial form for a longer period of time.

• On the other hand, when we compare both on the basis of shelf life, it is important to understand that whipping cream has a longer shelf life.

• However, it is also important that one should always purchase heavy cream that comes with a tag of limited shelf life, because the fresher the heavy cream, the better it tastes.

• But, you can choose whipping cream if you want to cut down on your fat intake. Hence, we can say that whipping cream is a heavy cream substitute that you can use when the latter is not available.

As a final verdict on heavy cream vs. whipping cream, one can say that the former is chosen by those who want to maintain a rich texture in the recipe, while the latter is chosen by those who want to control their fat intake.