Using Milk In Place Of Heavy Cream Requires One Addition You Can't Forget - Tasting Table

"We've all been there. You get a flash of inspiration or a sudden late-night craving for something comforting with a creamy sauce. But a quick assessment of the fridge reveals you're missing a key ingredient: heavy cream. It might not be something you always have on hand just in case. The good news is that you can assemble a good substitute for heavy cream from a couple of more common ingredients."

"Heavy cream (by law) must be at least 36% milk fat, while the fat percentage in milk ranges from 0% for skim up to 3.25% for whole milk. The best way to boost the fat content of the milk is by adding melted butter. Butter is of course made from cream and contains around 80% milk fat."

"While it's not a perfect replacement in every situation, this combination of milk and butter will work well for cooked dishes like sauces or soups, or in baking. To replace a cup of heavy cream you'll need ¾ cup of milk, and ¼ cup (or 4 tablespoons) of unsalted butter. Start by melting the butter, then cool it slightly before whisking well into the milk."

Heavy cream must be at least 36% milk fat, while milk ranges from 0% (skim) to 3.25% (whole). Butter contains about 80% milk fat and can boost milk's fat content when combined. For most cooked dishes and baking, replace 1 cup heavy cream with ¾ cup milk plus ¼ cup unsalted butter: melt the butter, cool slightly, then whisk into the milk. This mixture yields richer sauces, soups, quiches, scrambled eggs, and mashed potatoes. The substitute performs poorly when whipping is required or when cream must set, such as in ganache or panna cotta.

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