Cream

Cream is the fat-enriched portion of milk — the same emulsion, just with more fat globules per unit of water. This concentration is what gives cream its heat stability, whipping ability, and unmatched utility in sauce-making.

Types by fat content

The fat percentage defines what cream can do:

• Half-and-half (10–20% fat): Borders between milk and cream. Cannot whip. Curdles more easily than heavier creams.
• Light/whipping cream (30–36% fat): Can whip to soft peaks. Adequate for many sauces.
• Heavy/whipping cream (36–40% fat): The kitchen workhorse. Whips to stiff peaks. Survives boiling, reduction, and acidic ingredients.
• Double cream (40–48% fat): Very rich, whips to very stiff peaks. Clotted cream (55%+) is an extreme — cream heated slowly to 180°F/82°C until a thick layer of coagulated protein and concentrated fat forms on the surface.

Whipping science

Whipping cream is an exercise in controlled emulsion disruption. When a whisk incorporates air:

Custards

A custard is egg proteins diluted in milk or cream, cooked until the proteins form a delicate network that traps the liquid. The fundamental ratio — roughly 1 egg per 1 cup liquid plus 2 tablespoons sugar — produces a gel so fragile that a few degrees of overcooking can destroy it. Mastering custards means mastering temperature control.

The two families

All custards divide into two categories based on how they’re cooked: