The Key Difference Between Heavy Cream And Whipping Cream

Hang around whiskey connoisseurs and you're bound to hear, "All bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon." It turns out that when it comes to cream, all heavy cream is whipping cream, but not all whipping cream is heavy cream. Cream is the fat-heavy substance that naturally rises to the top of unhomogenized milk. Heavy cream, aka heavy whipping cream, contains at least 36% milk fat. That high milk fat content does more than add calories; it yields a sturdier cream that can give structural support to dishes. Think of a two-layer cake where cream not only separates the two layers but also supports the top one. (This richness explains why a substitute for heavy cream when you can't find it is a mixture of milk and butter, though this combo won't whip the way heavy cream does.)

By contrast, whipping cream, or light whipping cream, has a milk fat content between 30% and 36%. This difference, while small, is more significant than you might think, as lower milk fat results in less body or firmness. Note that light whipping cream is the same as whipping cream, with the word "light" used in opposition to "heavy," not as a reduced-fat version of regular whipping cream. Whipping cream doesn't hold its shape as long as heavy cream. It melts away faster, and if left out of the fridge also curdles faster. You can use it as an airy topping over a cookie with perhaps a strawberry or blueberry to sink into its pillowy texture.

At first glance, when you realize the difference between the two types of cream is fat content, you might think the choice depends on dietary needs. This mistake could lead to disappointments in the kitchen, especially when recipes specifically call for the use of heavy cream. Heavy cream plays a major role in rich, filling, and comforting soups like cream of mushroom or lobster bisque. And we've already touched on its effects on desserts. Use regular whipping cream to decorate the walls of a kid's birthday cake and your designs will lose their form before you start singing "Happy Birthday." If you need a vegan option that maintains the structure which heavy cream provides, Flora plant cream is a good heavy cream substitute. 

If your recipe calls for whipping cream, it's likely you need to add an ethereal quality to your dish that doesn't need to stay in place for too long. Whipping cream works well over a pumpkin spice latte or a strawberry shake, not to mention atop pies or fruit salads. It also lends its own level of richness to sauces or soups, though, again, heavy cream yields the thickest results. Now you can confidently order the right cream from your milkman if you still have old-school dairy delivery, or grab it from the grocery store shelf without breaking out in sweats trying to figure out which one you need.