If you have ever baked at a high level, then you’ll know how valuable table cream is in the process. Table cream is a lot thicker than regular cream and is often used for baking, which is why it has a great consistency.
But what if you don’t have any to hand in the house and you are halfway through your recipe? Well, this is why you’ll need some substitutes. These are foods that are very similar in consistency and flavor.
So where can you find these alternatives to table cream? How will it influence the flavor of your final dish? Well, we’ve done some of the work for you, compiling a list of the 5 best table cream alternatives on the market.
What Is Table Cream?
This cream is very thick and should not really be consumed on its own. It is around 30% fat and is only really used for baking.
You can get a few different varieties of table cream. Here are just a few of them along with the fat content of each one:
- 50/50 cream – this is around 18% fat, with half of it being milk and half of it being light cream.
- Light cream – 18%-30% fat, this is what is commonly known as table cream.
- Whipped cream – 36% fat, this is also used in a lot of baking, mainly as a topping.
- Heavy cream – this is anything that is classified as around 36% and over.
Once you process milk, the thicker fat that is skimmed off the top is used in this type of cream.
If you are going to be wanting something that will beef up your cake mixture, then we would suggest that you use table cream.
But what if you don’t have this to hand? Well, here are some of the best table cream substitutes that we have found on the internet, each one is chosen for how closely it resembles table cream in terms of flavor, texture and consistency.
5 Best Table Cream Substitutes
1. Half And Half Cream
This is a table cream that comes with a lower percentage than traditional table cream. This is because it is made with half milk and half regular cream.
The cream portion of half and half comes with around 17.9% milkfat. This is the thinnest of all the creams that we have listed here and might not be suitable for you to use in some recipes.
If you are looking to reduce the overall fat content in your cakes, sauces or homemade gravies, then using half and half will be the perfect substitute.
If you are finding that your gravy or sauce is too thin, then you can always add cornstarch or flour to thicken it up a little bit.
If you are going to be using your cream in other things like coffee or tea, then having half and half might be better as it will not be as thick and will reduce your overall calories.
You should only use around 1 cup of this type of table cream. If you use any more then the chances are that whatever you are adding it to will become way too thick.
2. Evaporated Milk
This is another widely available alternative to this type of milk, often known as condensed milk, this one comes in a tin and you can get it at most supermarkets.
This milk is unsweetened, which makes it perfect if you are using it to make savory sauces and gravy.
Condense milk is basically regular milk with around 60% of the water removed. This is great for use in coffee, a sit will give you that added thickness.
This kind of milk has a much stronger flavor than regular milk, which is why you can mix it with normal milk to get that much richer taste.
If you are going to be using this one instead of regular milk or table cream, we recommend that you mix it with some water first.
In terms of ratio, we would recommend that you have around half evaporated milk and around half water. Once again, if your mixture is too thin, then we would recommend adding cornstarch or flour to thicken it up.
3. Coconut Milk
If you are trying to stick to your non-dairy diet, then we would certainly recommend you try some coconut milk instead of table cream.
This stuff is usually quite thin, but you can boil away some of the water and the leftover mixture will be very thick and creamy.
One of the best reasons to use this milk is that it has a little bit of that classic coconut flavoring to it.
This is not the same as coconut water, which is what comes inside a coconut. Coconut milk is made by mixing some of the flesh of the coconut with the water that you get inside. This is usually done in the processing plant.
If you want to sweeten up this drink, then you can always mix it in with vanilla extract or some sugar.
This is great for baking, mainly because it will add a sweet and coconutty texture to whatever you are baking. That will also save you some extra money on adding coconut and sugar to your final mixture.
4. Greek Yogurt And Milk
This is another popular alternative for your table cream, mainly because it is so widely available and you can get it from most supermarkets.
You can also use Greek yogurt to make even more yogurt. All you have to do is add this to some warm milk and leave it to sit in a warm place.
This is because the bacteria from your yogurt will soon begin to multiply and will eventually turn the yogurt into more yogurt. Neat huh?
The great thing about Greek yogurt is that it will not overwhelm the flavors of whatever you are baking it into.
If you are using yogurt as a replacement for table cream, then you might find that it is way too thick. You can always make it thinner by adding some milk and mixing it together.
This comes with a similar fat content to table cream, so if you want to use less of this, then you can. You can also use milk to dilute some of the thickness.
5. Silken Tofu
This is another popular substitute for vegans who cannot touch dairy. This comes with a much thicker consistency than table cream, which might mean that you will have to mix it with some milk or water before adding it to your recipe.
You can use tofu in such a variety of different ways that it is actually hard to count all the different dishes that this will apply to.
You can make gravy and sauces with it. It is also used in baking, especially by vegan chefs who have learned to work with the unique consistency of tofu.
Silken tofu is actually made from soya milk, which is what gives it its amazing consistency. This is a lot softer than regular tofu, so you won’t have to mash it up or add milk beforehand.
This tofu si also very crumbly, which is what makes its consistency very similar to eggs.
If you’re going to be using it as a substitute for table cream, then we would suggest that you blend it up first. You’ll need to make sure that the tofu is very creamy and soft before using it.
Conclusion
We hope that our guide to some of the best table cream substitutes has given you a better idea of what you should be using and how it will affect your final dish.
Remember the consistency of the alternative will affect the final outcome of the dish.
What Can I Use Instead Of Table Cream? – 5 Great Alternatives
Have you run out of table cream and are struggling to swap it out for something else? Well, check out our top 5 table cream alternatives.
Ingredients
Half And Half Cream
Evaporated Milk
Coconut Milk
Greek Yogurt And Milk
Silken Tofu
Directions
- Decided on what substitute you need
- Pick a substitute from the list above
- Read what you need to substitute with
- Create the recipe and enjoy
Recipe Video
Cooking is great for your mental, physical, and emotional health. What’s the worst that could happen? Find a recipe that you like the sound of and cook it along with me. You might even unlock a new passion!
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