Cream

It's been a busy a week for us due to the festive season coming up this Friday. We want to thank everyone for their tremendous support and overwhelming orders. Today, we have the chance to continue with our pastry kitchen tips on cream.

What is cream? Why is it important for us to know more about cream in baking? Find out more on this topic below.

Left to its own devices, milk straight from the cow will separate into layers; a bottom layer of almost fat-free liquid and top layer of solid-butterfat thick cream. Since straight-from-the-cow cream is rarely available, we are most familiar with commercially prepared creams, which have been separated from the milk by centrifugal force.

There are a number of different types of cream on the market:

Heavy (or heavy whipping) cream: This is the richest, highest-quality commercial cream, with 36 to 40 per cent butterfat. It is primarily used to make whipped cream or crème Chantilly. Heavy cream will double in volume, when whipped. Unlike the more widely available ultra-pasteurized heavy cream, this cream is generally only found in speciality-food stores or fine dairies.

Ultra-pasteurized cream: Also called whipping cream, this is cream that has been quickly heated to 149 deg Celsius to increase its shelf life by destroying any microorganisms that would create spoilage. It is not as cleanly flavoured nor does it whip as easily as regular cream, due to changes in the molecular structure during pasteurization.

Light whipping cream: A lower-fat cream, light whipping cream has 30 to 36 per cent butterfat. It may also have added emulsifiers and stabilizers to improve its whipping capabilities.

Light table or coffee cream: Light cream most frequently contains about 20 percent butterfat, although it can have up to 30 percent. It is, as its alternative names indicate, most often used to lighten hot beverages.

Half-and-half: Just as its name indicates, this is a mixture of equal parts whole milk and cream, with 10 to 12 percent butterfat. It is most often used in beverages. It cannot be whipped. (Also available in a nonfat form, which is simply nonfat milk thickened with a number of additives. We do not recommend it.)

Pressurized whipped cream: Today, many people only know the whipped creams that come from pressurized can, available from the refrigerated dairy section of supermarkets. Most are not pure cream and instead contain a mixture of cream and sugar along with emulsifiers, stabilizers, and the gas that simulates the whipping action. It is not to be confused with other pressurized "nondairy" dessert toppings that contain absolutely no cream. It is not recommended for use in the pastry kitchen.