Easily Turn Milk Into A Heavy Cream Substitute With One Addition

Did you know there's an easy way to make a workable heavy cream substitute right in your kitchen using just basic milk and butter? It's a simple mixture of whole milk and unsalted butter which spotlights as one of the best heavy cream substitutes around. To get 1 cup of this alternative, begin by gently melting ¼ cup of unsalted butter, then let it sit for a bit until it reaches room temperature. From there, you'll want to whisk the butter into about ¾ cup of whole milk. Using whole milk makes sense here since its greater fat quantity makes for a thicker cream. The objective here is to boost the milk's fat percentage, moving it closer to the profile of actual heavy cream.

While this is a great alternative which provides the necessary richness to your dish, this substitute won't be quite as workable as heavy cream. The flavor profile isn't will be noticeably more buttery, for one. The texture is also a bit thinner than real heavy cream since it doesn't have as much milkfat compared to standard cream. A more scientific point of difference lies in the fat's configuration. With actual heavy cream, the fat particles are extremely small and spread out within the liquid. Melting butter clumps the fat together, so blending it into milk doesn't quite recreate the same smooth mixture. This will affect the mouthfeel and its mixing properties.

This milk and butter creation performs best in dishes where heavy cream mainly contributes liquid fat for some texture and creaminess, not so much when it's needed for building structure. It can certainly go into pan sauces or be used to add some richness to cream-based soups like chowders. It could also easily find its way into pasta sauces, but understand it won't be as thick and won't mix as well compared to actual heavy cream. Baked treats like cakes, muffins, a loaf of banana bread, scones, and biscuits are great options for this substitute, as the cream primarily adds fat and liquid to the mixture. Another delicious side item this would whisk nicely with is mashed potatoes or it could be used in many baked casseroles recipes.

If you're trying to master custard, it won't give you exactly what you'd want from true heavy cream, but it could still work even if it has a lighter feel. If you're wanting to avoid dairy, you can use plant-based milk like soy, almond, or macadamia nut milk along with a neutral oil (like vegetable oil). This plant-based option works similarly for adding richness. But again, the biggest restriction you'll face when using either dairy and non-dairy versions is whipping all the ingredients together evenly like actual heavy cream.