Description
Light cream, also known as table cream, is a versatile dairy product containing 18% to 30% milk fat. Thicker than whole milk but lighter than heavy cream, it adds smooth creaminess to coffee, soups, sauces, and desserts without overwhelming richness. This guide explores its uses, handling tips, and substitutions to help you enhance your dishes with light cream’s delicate texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Light cream (pasteurized milk and cream with 18-30% milk fat)
- Stabilizers such as carrageenan (sometimes included in store-bought versions)
Instructions
- Adding to Coffee: Pour light cream directly into your coffee as a creamer to add subtle richness without overpowering the beverage.
- Incorporating in Soups and Sauces: Whisk light cream into soups or sauces near the end of cooking to enhance creaminess while preventing curdling or separation.
- Cooking with Eggs: Add light cream to scrambled eggs or omelets to achieve a softer, creamier texture during cooking.
- Substitutions: Use half-and-half or heavy cream if a richer texture is desired, keeping in mind that light cream’s lower fat content makes it unsuitable for whipping.
Notes
- Light cream is sometimes labeled as “table cream” in various regions.
- It cannot be whipped like heavy cream due to its lower fat content.
- Combining 1 part heavy cream with 1 part whole milk can substitute light cream if unavailable.
- Avoid boiling light cream as it may cause separation and curdling.
