What is heavy cream? If you have to make it, how, or where can you buy it?

 Heavy cream, which is also called heavy whipping cream in many parts of the country, has a fat content of between 36% and 40% (occasionally 42%). Light cream has between 18% and 30% butterfat (but generally averages 20%), and light whipping cream has between 30% and 36% fat. If you find a carton in the store labeled whipping cream, it is bound to be light whipping cream.

Many, many supermarkets carry heavy cream, but perhaps you should ask the manager at yours if it is available. We doubt that substituting light whipping cream for heavy cream will seriously compromise whatever you’re cooking, if you must make the substitution.

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