What Is Heavy Cream In Australia?

If you’re looking for heavy cream in Australia, you might be confused. What is heavy cream, exactly? And where can you find it?

What is heavy cream in Australia? In Australia, thickened cream is often used to refer to heavy cream in the US. The two are roughly the same milk fat content and are interchangeable in most recipes.

In this blog post, we’ll answer those questions and tell you where to buy heavy cream in Australia.

Table of Contents

What is Heavy Cream?

Heavy cream, also known as heavy whipping cream, is a type of cream that has a higher fat content than other types of cream.

It’s often used in sauces, soups, and desserts.

Is heavy cream the same as whipping cream?

Heavy cream vs. heavy whipping cream: what’s the difference?

According to the labeling standards of the Food and Drug Administration, heavy cream is a cream with no less than 36% fat content.

Heavy cream may also be called heavy whipping cream.

Heavy cream vs. whipping cream: what’s the difference?

The main difference between heavy cream and whipping cream is the fat content. Whipping cream has a slightly lower fat content, 30–36%. It may also be called light whipping cream.

Heavy cream has a higher fat content than whipping cream, so it’s thicker and richer.

Is heavy cream the same as double cream?

No, heavy cream is not the same as double cream. Double cream has a fat content of 48%.

Is heavy cream the same as Half and Half?

No, heavy cream is not the same as Half and Half. Half and Half have a fat content of 12%.

What is Heavy Cream in Australia?

Heavy cream features in countless recipes on the Internet, but you can not find it in Aussie supermarkets.

You mostly can find double cream in most supermarkets. However, as mentioned in recipes, it cannot be used as a substitute for heavy cream.

Heavy cream, with a minimum fat content of 35%, doesn’t quite pack the same punch as double cream, with a hefty 46% fat.

So, what do you need to buy if you want to look for heavy cream?

What is the Australian equivalent of heavy cream?

The answer is simple. The rich version of cream is known in America as heavy cream; in Australia is called thickened cream.

“Heavy Cream, which is the one that’s often labeled thickened cream in Australia, consists of about 35 percent 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 likeliness of curdling when heating,” says Trent Watson, Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia.

Is heavy cream the same as thickened cream?

In Australia, thickened cream is often used to refer to heavy cream. The two are roughly the same milk fat content and are interchangeable in most recipes.

However, in the United States, heavy cream is defined as cream with a 36 to 40 percent milk fat content. On the other hand, Thickened cream has a milk fat content of 35 percent.

Heavy cream is a thick, rich cream that is suitable for whipping. In the United States, it is most often sold as “whipping cream.”

Where can I buy heavy cream in Australia?

Thickened cream is readily available in Australian supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths. It’s usually located in the dairy aisle.

Several options of thickened cream brands in Australia are:

Devondale Thickened Cream
Woolworths
Aldi’s Farmdale
Western Star
Bulla and Bulla Cooking Light
Brownes Dairy
Norco
Coles and Coles Light
Pauls
Riverina Fresh

What Do You Use Heavy Cream for?

shepherd pie — Shepherd’s Pie. Credit: canva

What do you use heavy cream for?

Heavy cream is typically utilized for cake decorations and filling inside pastries because it can maintain its form.

The cream is 35 percent or more milk fat so that it can double in volume and whip exceptionally well. It is also known as heavy whipping cream and is ideal for topping and piping.

Savoury dishes

Several popular savory dishes that use heavy cream are :

Creamy polenta with bolognese sauce
Chicken Alfredo pasta
Crab bisque soup
Macaroni and cheese
Shepherd’s pie
White sauce (béchamel) for lasagna, macaroni and cheese, etc.

Sweet dishes

Heavy cream is also used in many sweet dishes. Some examples are:

Creamy puddings (pumpkin pie, bread pudding, rice pudding)
Ice cream (especially French vanilla, butter pecan, and pistachio)
Crepes Suzette
Warm chocolate cake with ice cream
Lemon curd tart
Pecan pie

What can you use as a heavy cream substitute?

Half and Half can be used as a heavy cream substitute. It has a milk fat content of 12 percent.

You could also try using:

Milk – adding fresh milk to a recipe will make it thinner, so you’ll need to use more than if you were using heavy cream.

Cottage Cheese – blend cottage cheese with a small amount of milk to create a cream-like consistency.

Evaporated milk – You’ll need to add two tablespoons of flour or cornstarch for every cup of evaporated milk. Combine the flour or cornstarch with the evaporated milk before adding it to your recipe.

Butter – mix ¾ cup milk and ¼ melted butter. Although it won’t whip, it will work well in any recipe that calls for heavy cream.

Greek Yogurt – adding Greek Yogurt to a recipe will give it a creamy consistency while also adding protein.

Mayonnaise – mix equal parts of mayonnaise and milk to create a heavy cream substitute.

Different Types of Cream

whipped cream — Whipped cream. Credit: canva

Here are some basic definitions that will help you the next time you doubt which cream product to use.

Half and Half

Half and Half is a mixture of milk and cream. It is a blend of equal parts whole milk and cream. It has a milk fat content of 12 percent.

It is generally used as a coffee creamer or in recipes that call for light cream.

Single cream

Single cream is a type of cream with a milk fat content of 18 percent.

It is thinner than heavy cream and double cream and is used primarily in coffee or tea.

Light cream

Light cream has a milk fat content of 20 percent.

It is thicker than single cream but thinner than heavy cream. It can be used in coffee, tea, or recipes for light cream.

Double cream

Double cream has a milk fat content of 48 percent.

It is the thickest and richest of all the creams and is used primarily in desserts or as a spread.

Creme fraiche

Creme fraiche is made from double cream that has been cultured for a minimum of 12 hours.

It is thicker than double cream and has a sour taste.

It is used in sauces, dressings, and desserts.

Sour cream

Sour cream is a pasteurized cream. It is made from regular or light cream that has been cultured for a minimum of eight hours.

It is thicker than single cream and light cream and has a sour taste.

It is used in sauces, dressings, and desserts.

Clotted cream

Clotted cream is made from whole milk that has been heated to a high temperature.

The cream forms a thick layer on the surface of the milk and is then removed.

It has a milk fat content of 55 percent.

Clotted cream is used as a spread or in desserts.

Whipping cream

Whipping cream is made from regular or light cream that has been whipped to form peaks.

It has a milk fat content of 30-36 percent.

Whipping cream is used as a topping or in desserts.

Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

Heavy cream is a rich and creamy dairy product that enhances the richness and creaminess of dishes and is responsible for creating a silky consistency in many recipes.

It has a milk fat content of 36-40 percent.

Heavy cream is used as a topping or in desserts.

Cream cheese

Cream cheese is made from regular or light cream that has been coagulated with rennet and then drained.

It has a milk fat content of 33-38 percent.

Cream cheese is used as a spread in dressings or desserts.

Summary

The Australian equivalent of American heavy cream is thickened cream. It is readily available in Australian supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths.

FAQs

Is heavy cream the same as double cream?

No, heavy cream has a milk fat content of 36-40 percent, while double cream has a milk fat content of 48 percent.

What is double cream in Australia called?

In Australia, “single” and “double” cream are meaningless. To determine which is which, look for the fat content on the label.

Single cream (often called pouring cream) consists of 33-35% fat, double cream has 60-66 percent fat, and thickened cream is a single cream with an added thickening agent.