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Heavy cream poured into a bowl, showing its thick, slow-flowing consistency.

Demonstrates the defining physical property of heavy cream — its viscosity and opaque white color — which distinguishes it from lighter dairy products.

Dairy & Eggs

Heavy Cream

Rich cream that whips, enriches sauces, and sets ganache

Luxuriously thick, heavy cream whips into soft peaks, silkens a pan sauce, and melts chocolate into ganache. Keep it cold and it holds for a couple of weeks.

Heavy cream (heavy whipping cream) is the high-fat layer of milk, typically 36–40% milkfat — rich enough to whip into stable peaks and, crucially, to boil down without curdling. That high fat content is its superpower: it shrugs off acid and heat that would split milk, so cooks reduce it into pan sauces, fold it into soups, set it as ganache, and whip it for desserts. The same fat carries flavor and gives a luxurious, coating mouthfeel. Look for cream simply labeled cream rather than 'UHT' if you want the cleanest flavor, though ultra-pasteurized keeps far longer and still whips.

Measured in: ml
Storage: Refrigerate
Shelf life: 14 days

Allergens

Dairy

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Dairy

Types & varieties

Heavy / double cream (~36–48%)

The richest pourable cream; whips firm and reduces beautifully — double cream is the UK ~48% version.

Whipping cream (~30–36%)

Whips to softer peaks; lighter body, slightly less heat-stable.

UHT / long-life cream

Ultra-pasteurized for shelf life; whips but tastes faintly cooked.

Nata para montar (~35%)

The Spanish heavy-cream equivalent — it whips and reduces; nata para cocinar/ligera (~18%) is for sauces only and won’t whip.

Clotted cream

Gently heated until ultra-thick (~55% fat) — a spoonable luxury for scones.

Half-and-Half

An equal blend of whole milk and cream (~10–12% fat); enriches coffee and sauces but won't whip — too lean to hold air like heavy cream.

Single / Light Cream

Pourable cream around 18-20% fat for enriching coffee, soups and sauces. Will not whip and curdles if boiled hard, so stir in off the heat where heavy cream would hold.

How to choose

For whipping and reducing, buy cream at 36% fat or higher; lower-fat 'light' creams won't hold peaks or boil safely. Plain pasteurized cream tastes cleaner than UHT but spoils sooner. Cream should smell sweet and pour smoothly; a sour smell or thickened lumps mean it's turning.

How to store / food safety

Keep cold at or below 4°C and tightly closed — it absorbs odors and is highly perishable. It freezes for cooking but separates on thaw, so use thawed cream in cooked sauces rather than whipping. Whipped cream should stay refrigerated and is eaten the same day for best texture.

How to cook

Heavy cream's fat lets it reduce and simmer without curdling — build a pan sauce by deglazing, adding cream, and bubbling until it coats a spoon. To whip, start with cream, bowl and beaters all cold; stop at soft or firm peaks and don't overbeat or it turns to butter. A spoonful added late enriches and tames acidity in soups and curries.

Common uses

Whipped cream for dessertsReduced pan and pasta saucesGanache and trufflesPanna cotta and ice creamEnriching soups and bisquesQuiche and savory custardsScones with clotted creamSmoothing curries off the heat

Tips & pitfalls

Chill the bowl, beaters, and cream before whipping for faster, more stable peaks.
Stop whipping at firm peaks — a few seconds more and you make butter.
Reduce cream gently; high heat can scorch the milk solids.
Stir a splash into a too-acidic or too-spicy sauce to round it out.
Stabilize whipped cream with a little powdered sugar or mascarpone for piping.

Nutrition

340kcal

Energy

1423 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 3%Carbs 3%Fat 93%

Protein

2.8g

6% DV

Carbs

2.8g

1% DV

Fat

36.1g

46% DV

Fiber

0% DV

Sugars

2.9g

of which

Sodium

27mg

1% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin A46% DV

Riboflavin (B2)14% DV

Vitamin D8% DV

Vitamin B127% DV

Vitamin E6% DV

Calcium5% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Cream, fluid, heavy whipping

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In the shops

Matched grocery products

Whipping Cream
Hacendado · 0.5 L · Mercadona
€1.95
Whipping Cream
Hacendado · 0.6 L · Mercadona
€2.25
ATO UHT Whipping Cream
ATO · l · Bonpreu
€1.45
Asturiana Liquid Whipping Cream
ASTURIANA · l · Bonpreu
€2.49
Kaiku Lactose-Free Whipping Cream
KAIKU · l · Bonpreu
€2.15

Good to know

Type: High-fat cream, ~36–40% milkfat
Flavor: Rich, sweet, milky; very smooth
Nutrition: ~340 kcal/100g, ~36g fat, ~2g protein
Storage: Refrigerate; whips best very cold
Buy: 36%+ fat; plain over UHT for flavor

Substitutes

Whipping cream — Slightly lower fat; whips softer and reduces nearly as well.
Evaporated milk plus butter — For cooking richness when whipping isn't needed.
Crème fraîche — Tangier but heat-stable; great in sauces, not for whipping volume.

Pairs with

VanillaChocolateBerries Mushroom Garlic Brandy ParmesanCoffee

Also called

whipping cream · nata · nata para montar