Evaporated milk can be kept for more than a year on the shelf without going bad. Also, it can be used in place of milk or half and half in delicious recipes. What more can you ask? Evaporated milk vs heavy cream, which is a better option for you?
Before you choose, note that heavy cream isn’t just any cream but one of the most popular staple kitchen ingredients in the world. Tasty, creamy, and versatile. What more can you ask for in a cream?
What is evaporated milk?
Evaporated milk is first fresh milk before it is heated to take out more than half of the water. During the heating process, about 60% of the water content evaporates.
After that, it is homogenized, packed in a can, and then goes through a heat sterilization procedure which is a part of canning.
Evaporated milk comes in three types based on the amount of milk fat. They include whole milk, reduced-fat milk, and skim milk.
Whole milk still contains all its milk fat content (3.5%), reduced-fat milk contains 2% milk fat, and skim milk contains little to no milk fat.
What is heavy cream?
Heavy cream is also called heavy whipping cream. The Food and Drug Administration has labeled it as a cream with nothing less than 36% milk fat.
Heavy cream is milk fat that gathers on top of fresh milk if it hasn’t been homogenized. Commonly, you’ll only find heavy cream that contains 36% fat in a grocery store, while you get the one with 40% in restaurants.
Heavy cream is so versatile. You can beat it into a semi-solid form that keeps up its shape. You can use this for piping or to give a mousse a raise for lightness. Also, you can freeze it in an ice cream machine and can frost a cake with it.
For a delightful result, it is a great option for thickener your soup or sauce. Heavy cream holds up a long time on the fridge, so you can always have some at home.
Evaporated milk vs heavy cream
Evaporated milk is a good milk choice for baked goods. But, it will not deliver thickness like heavy cream and does not whip well.
In addition, evaporated milk gives body to your smoothies and serves as a sweetener and thickener for coffee.
It also adds taste and richness to soups and chowders and improves the flavor of sauces and even oatmeal. For desserts, you can also use it instead of sweetened condensed milk.
On the other hand, heavy cream is good for decorating cakes or pies. You can use it to thicken your sauces and ganache. Heavy cream is also a good cream choice for ice cream and soup.
Although heavy cream is high in calories, it is also rich in healthy fat and contains several vitamins and minerals. Heavy cream contains more than twice the calories and five times the fat content of evaporated milk.
Typically, you should use it in small proportions in recipes that need a bit of creaminess or in coffee. So, it may not necessarily add substantial calories to your diet.
The serving size for heavy cream is half the serving size of evaporated milk. That is, one teaspoon of heavy cream equals two teaspoons of evaporated milk.
Similarities between evaporated milk and heavy cream
Both products are not very similar. However, you can use both to add flavor and thickness to recipes in their different capacities.
Both also share similar cooking and flavor properties, especially when used in recipes like mashed potatoes, gravy, and pumpkin pie.
This means that you can substitute heavy cream with evaporated milk. It is a great way to add a soothing texture and flavor without consuming too many calories and fat.
Can you substitute evaporated milk for heavy cream?
Evaporated milk is a great alternative to heavy cream when making baked goods, soups, sauces, and desserts.
The amount of evaporated milk you use to replace heavy cream depends on the recipe. Some recipes require a cup-for-cup substitution and some may require more or less.
Which has a better taste, evaporated milk or heavy cream?
Both taste good. Evaporated milk tastes like regular milk, except that it’s a little thicker and creamier due to the reduction of water content. It’s not too sweet since there is no added sugar, and it still has a fatty, milky taste.
Heavy cream also has a rich, fatty, and creamy taste. If you’re using it in some recipes, you may have to sweeten it.
Can you make heavy cream from evaporated milk?
Yes, you can. You can do this by creaming evaporated milk at high speed and adding whipped cream until it starts foaming.
This will take about a minute. You can also add vanilla and sugar. Afterward, beat the mixture for another few minutes and allow it to stand for a minute. Pour it into a glass and enjoy your heavy cream.
Which is healthier, evaporated milk vs heavy cream?
Evaporated milk is healthier than heavy cream. It contains fewer calories and less fat. Heavy cream has two times the number of calories and five times the amount of fat in evaporated milk.
Evaporated milk also contains more protein than heavy cream. A cup of heavy cream contains only 3.4 grams of protein which is less than half the 17 grams in evaporated milk.
Evaporated milk also contains more calcium and phosphorus, which are important for bone health.
Is heavy cream or evaporated milk better for weight gain?
Heavy cream will help you gain weight faster than evaporated cream. However, it will load you with too many calories and unhealthy fat.
Moreover, this can lead to excess weight gain and other health risks.
FAQs
What is the best milk for mac and cheese?
The best milk for mac and cheese is whole milk.
Can you whip evaporated milk?
Yes, you can. Evaporated milk has a lower fat content and won’t whip as expected. So, to work that out, place the evaporated milk and your beaters in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before you start the whipping process.
You can use evaporated milk in place of whipping cream.
Can you use evaporated milk as creamer in coffee?
Yes, you can. Most people don’t like their coffee all plain and black. This is why there are many alternatives to make it tastier and more desirable. One of which is using evaporated milk.
Can you use milk instead of heavy cream for your pasta?
Yes, you can. Using milk instead of heavy cream in a pasta recipe will give you a good outcome.
Conclusion
In this comparison of evaporated milk vs heavy cream, you’ll agree that both products are good for you in their different capacities. The important thing is to know what, when, and how to use both products.
That is, you must know when to switch one in favor of the other. Most importantly, ensure you consume both in moderation.
Thank you for reading.
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