Cream
Delicious California Cream
Cream is a deliciously versatile dairy product that has long been used in desserts, ice cream, soups, sauces, and as a rich addition to morning coffee. Check your local grocery for the many different types of cream produced in California.
About Cream
Find more information about cream including a glossary of terms and storage handling tips.
Did you know...
Credit for cream's modern day popularity is attributed to the residents of Vienna, Austria, who have been using it for 300 years.
Cream containing at least 30 percent fat can be turned into whipped cream by mixing it with air. The air bubbles roughly double the cream's volume.
Cream containing at least 30 percent fat can be turned into whipped cream by mixing it with air. The air bubbles roughly double the cream's volume.
Glossary of Cream Terms
Half-and-Half is a mixture of whole milk and cream that contains at least 10.5 percent, but no more than 18 percent milkfat.
Light Cream or Coffee Cream contains at least 18 percent, but no more than 30 percent milkfat, and commonly contains 20 percent milkfat.
Light Whipping Cream, the form most commonly available, contains at least 30 percent, but no more than 36 percent milkfat. Cream must contain at least 30 percent milkfat to produce whipped cream. Whipping cream will double in volume when whipped.
Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream must contain at least 36 percent milkfat. It can be readily whipped and retain its whipped state longer than that of light whipping cream. Manufacturer's Cream contains 36-40 percent milkfat and is available to food service but not retail.
Ultrapasteurized Cream has been briefly heated to temperatures up to 300°F to kill microorganisms. It has a longer shelf life than regular cream, but doesn't whip as well.
Sour Cream results from adding bacteria to pasteurized cream with at least 18 percent milkfat to sour and thicken the cream.
Crème Fraîche is heavy cream that has been slightly soured with bacterial cultures, but is not as sour or as thick as sour cream.
Clotted Cream, a specialty of England, is made by gently heating rich, unpasteurized milk until a semisolid layer of cream forms on the surface. After cooling, the thickened cream is removed.
Cream in aerosol cans is whipped cream packaged in cans under pressure from nitrous oxide, which creates a light, fluffy whipped cream. Sugar, flavorings and a stabilizer may be added.
Cream Storage and Handling
Store cream in its closed container in the refrigerator, which is typically set at 38°F - 40°F.
All cream products are stamped with a "sell by" date, which refers to how long the retail store can keep the product for sale on the shelf. Ultra-pasteurized cream keeps several weeks longer as indicated by the stamped date, but once opened should be handled like pasteurized cream.
To ensure freshness, do not return unused light cream or half-and-half to its original container.
Freezing is not recommended for unwhipped cream, but once whipped, cream may be frozen by placing dollops of whipped cream on waxed paper, then freezing.
An instrumentality of the Department of Food and Agriculture, State of California.
Half-and-Half is a mixture of whole milk and cream that contains at least 10.5 percent, but no more than 18 percent milkfat.
Light Cream or Coffee Cream contains at least 18 percent, but no more than 30 percent milkfat, and commonly contains 20 percent milkfat.
Light Whipping Cream, the form most commonly available, contains at least 30 percent, but no more than 36 percent milkfat. Cream must contain at least 30 percent milkfat to produce whipped cream. Whipping cream will double in volume when whipped.
Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream must contain at least 36 percent milkfat. It can be readily whipped and retain its whipped state longer than that of light whipping cream. Manufacturer's Cream contains 36-40 percent milkfat and is available to food service but not retail.
Ultrapasteurized Cream has been briefly heated to temperatures up to 300°F to kill microorganisms. It has a longer shelf life than regular cream, but doesn't whip as well.
Sour Cream results from adding bacteria to pasteurized cream with at least 18 percent milkfat to sour and thicken the cream.
Crème Fraîche is heavy cream that has been slightly soured with bacterial cultures, but is not as sour or as thick as sour cream.
Clotted Cream, a specialty of England, is made by gently heating rich, unpasteurized milk until a semisolid layer of cream forms on the surface. After cooling, the thickened cream is removed.
Cream in aerosol cans is whipped cream packaged in cans under pressure from nitrous oxide, which creates a light, fluffy whipped cream. Sugar, flavorings and a stabilizer may be added.
Cream Storage and Handling
Store cream in its closed container in the refrigerator, which is typically set at 38°F - 40°F.
All cream products are stamped with a "sell by" date, which refers to how long the retail store can keep the product for sale on the shelf. Ultra-pasteurized cream keeps several weeks longer as indicated by the stamped date, but once opened should be handled like pasteurized cream.
To ensure freshness, do not return unused light cream or half-and-half to its original container.
Freezing is not recommended for unwhipped cream, but once whipped, cream may be frozen by placing dollops of whipped cream on waxed paper, then freezing.
An instrumentality of the Department of Food and Agriculture, State of California.
