If you’re following a US recipe and heavy cream is on the ingredients list, you won’t find it anywhere in the supermarkets. Why? Because it goes by a different name here. Heavy cream refers to a high-fat pouring or whipping cream with around 35%+ milk fat. In Australia, the equivalent for heavy cream is thickened cream or pure cream.
What is heavy cream?
We spoke to Trent Watson, an accredited practising dietician and the spokesperson for the Dietitians Association Australia, to get details on what sets heavy cream and other creams apart.
Trent Watson explains that thickened cream consists of about “35 per cent milk fat (or 35 grams per hundred ml). Often, it contains additives – gelatine, vegetable gums, and this helps hold its shape when it’s whipped, and that reduces the likelihood of curdling when heating.”
Is there a difference between thickened and heavy cream?
In Australia, heavy cream is commonly known as thickened cream; the two both contain similar milk fat content percentages and are generally interchangeable in recipes.
But if you have a recipe from the US, it’s worth double-checking the type of cream that’s required. This is because, in the US, heavy cream is classified as having a milk fat content percentage of 36 to 40 and may be sold as “whipping cream”. This is more similar to “pure cream” in Australia, which has around 40 per cent fat content.
Meanwhile, thickened cream in the US contains 35 per cent milk fat content. And “double cream” contains more than 48 per cent milk fat content.
What do you use heavy cream for?
Heavy cream is often used for cake decorations and as a filling for pastries because it’s able to hold its shape. If the cream has a milk fat percentage of 35 per cent or more, it whips extremely well and can double in volume, so it’s often used for topping and piping.
Sometimes thickeners like gelatine and vegetable gums are included to help with the whipping process, while also ensuring the cream doesn’t separate or curdle.
As well as desserts, this type of cream can also be used in main courses. For example, this creamy chicken gnocchi requires 150ml of thickened cream, which is simply stirred into the pan of ingredients. A typical pavlova also involves thickened cream, whipped with icing sugar to help create the topping.
Can you make it from scratch?
“There are very few people out there who are going to be milking the cow and making it from scratch,” jokes Watson. It is not an easy task to make thickened or heavy cream from scratch, but it can be done by whipping milk, butter and normal cream together. Honestly, though, it may just be easier to buy some at the grocery store!
Australian cream fat content guide
| Label in AUS | Typical fat % | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Thickened cream | 35% | Equivalent of US heavy cream. It has added stabilisers like gums and gelatin, making it thicker and able to hold its shape for desserts. Best for whipping for desserts, cakes, trifles, pavlova or topping fruit crumbles. |
| Pure cream | 35-40%+ | Similar to US heavy cream with no added thickeners or stabilisers. Silky, rich and thinner than thickened cream. Best for adding smoothness to pasta sauces, soups, quiches and pouring over fruit. It won’t whip to stiff peaks. |
| Double cream (extra thick) | 45-50%+ | Richer and thicker than heavy cream with a high fat content. Ideal for dolloping on desserts, whipping for toppings, making homemade ice cream or using in sauces which need extra thickness and richness. It contains no thickeners, allowing it to withstand heat, and it freezes well. |
| Pouring cream | 35% | Similar to thickened cream, but a thinner, more pourable version. Perfect for adding richness to soups, sauces and desserts without heavy thickening. It can be poured straight into dishes or stirred in. Not for whipping. |
| Cooking cream | 20-30% | Similar to thickened cream, but it will not curdle or split in hot dishes, and it thickens quickly. It is not used for whipping as stabilisers prevent it from forming stiff peaks. Use it in savoury dishes like pasta sauces, curries, soups, risottos and casseroles. |
Aussie supermarket products to buy when after heavy cream
- Bulla thickened cream
- Woolworths thickened cream
- Coles thickened cream
- Riverina Fresh cream thickened
- Dairy Farmers thickened cream
- Pauls Zymil thickened cream
- Pura thick cream
What is the right cream to use based on the recipe?
| Recipe | Aussie cream | Desired texture |
|---|---|---|
| Whipped cream | Thickened cream Double cream | Normal Whips fast, extra-rich texture |
| Pasta or soup | Cooking cream | For a silky sauce. It will add richness without splitting |
| Extra rich, thick sauce | Double cream | Can be reduced to a coating sauce |
| Lower-fat sauce | Pouring or cooking cream | Lower-fat sauce, use for everyday creamy texture |
| Custard, ganache, muffins or batters | Thickened or pure cream | Holds structure and richness. Adds fat and moisture |
| Ice cream base | Thickened or double cream | Double cream for an ultra-creamy texture |
What can you use as a substitute for thickened cream?
“There are a couple of substitutes you can use – things like Greek yoghurt or evaporated milk. For vegans, they can use blended tofu as a plant-based alternative,” continues Watson.
“The other alternative is use the half-half approach, whether it’s Greek yoghurt and thickened cream or substitute half the cream with a low-fat alternative.”
| Vegan substitute | Desired texture |
|---|---|
| Coconut cream | Very rich and thick. For whipping, dolloping, making custards, ganache or savoury dishes. The richest option, but it has a mild coconut flavour. |
| Greek yoghurt | Thick, creamy and slightly tangy. Good to use for baking and savoury dishes. Not suitable for whipping. |
| Evaporated milk | Lightly creamy and silky. Best for baking, soups and sauces. It is lower fat and won’t whip or thicken like cream. |
| Blended tofu | Thick, smooth and neutral in flavour. Best for savoury sauces, dressings and baking. Blend until silky. It’s a good dairy-free option. |
| Coconut whipping cream | Designed to whip and has the most neutral coconut taste. |
| Soy whipping cream | Smooth and light creaminess. For whipping, dolloping, cakes, muffins or savoury cooking. Most neutral flavour with the closest texture to dairy. |
| Aquafaba + stabiliser | Lighter, mousse-like texture. |
| Cashew cream | Best for Alfredo-style pastas, soups or cheesecake fillings. |
| Soy cooking | Best for neutral sauces and savoury dishes. |
| Oat cream | Best for cakes, muffins, lighter sauces and everyday cooking. |
Australian supermarket substitutes
- Ayam Coconut Cream
- Kara Coconut Cream
- Natures Charm Coconut Whipping Cream
- Flora thickened plant cream
- Oatly Cooking Cream
- Natumi soy cream for cooking
Tip: Add icing sugar or vanilla to mask coconut notes if serving with fruit or chocolate.
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