Heavy cream is used to make gravies rich and creamy. (Image Credit: Istock)
Heavy cream is commonly used to make gravies rich and creamy. Some of our most beloved dishes, such as butter chicken, shahi paneer, malai kofta, korma, etc., all require the use of heavy cream. After all, it's what gives these dishes their impeccable taste. Without it, they'll just taste like ordinary curry. Since we use it so often, we can easily run out of it as well. Oftentimes, we realise this right in the middle of our cooking process. This can be quite annoying, right? Well, there's no need to panic, as there are some excellent alternatives that you can use in place of heavy cream. Some of these are healthier, while others are suitable for lactose-intolerant people too. Intrigued to know what these substitutes are? Read on.
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Here Are 5 Best Substitutes For Heavy Cream:
1. Use butter and milk
A combination of butter and milk makes a great alternative if you run out of heavy cream. Adding butter to milk helps increase its fat content, making it quite similar to heavy cream. This substitute works well for recipes that require heavy cream only for flavour and creaminess. It will not work well for whisking into stiff peaks. But the creaminess will just be on par with regular heavy cream.
2. Coconut cream
If you don't mind the flavour of coconut in your dishes, coconut cream will be your best option. It has a similar creaminess to heavy cream and is a much healthier alternative. Additionally, it is also suitable for people who are lactose intolerant or are following a vegan diet. Unlike butter and milk, coconut cream can be whipped too!
3. Sour cream
Another excellent alternative to heavy cream is sour cream. It has a fat percentage similar to that of heavy cream. However, its sour taste may overpower the overall taste of your dish. So, make sure not to use too much of it. You can even balance out the sourness by adding a bit of sugar to it, and it'll work just as well.
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4. Use cornstarch and milk
Cornstarch is a popular thickening agent. When combined with milk, it replicates the texture of heavy cream quite well. It has fewer calories than regular heavy cream and is ideal for those who are trying to lose weight. To make it healthier, you can even opt for skim milk or whole milk. However, you won't be able to whip this mixture.
5. Use olive oil and soy milk
If you do not have butter in your pantry, you can even add a bit of olive oil to the milk. The only difference is that we are using soy milk over here, making this a dairy-free alternative. Olive oil helps increase the fat content of soy milk and gives a similar creaminess to that of regular heavy cream. Again, this is only suitable for recipes that do not require whipping.
Use these substitutes in place of heavy cream in your recipes, and share your experience with us in the comments below.