Milk can be used as a substitute for heavy cream in some recipes, especially in cooking and baking, but it will not provide the same richness, texture, or ability to whip like heavy cream. To mimic heavy cream, a common method is to mix milk with melted butter—typically about 3/4 cup of milk with 1/4 cup melted butter to replace 1 cup of heavy cream. This mixture works well for sauces, soups, and baking where creaminess is desired but whipping is not required. For savory dishes like cream sauces, combining milk with a thickener such as cornstarch can help improve the texture. However, pure milk alone is lighter and less creamy, so the final dish may be less rich when substituting directly without modification.
In summary:
- Use 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup melted butter as a heavy cream substitute.
- Milk alone will make a thinner, less creamy dish.
- Adding thickeners like cornstarch or mixing with yogurt may improve texture.
- This substitute is best for cooking and baking, not for whipping or making whipped cream.
This combination allows milk to act as a reasonable stand-in for heavy cream in many recipes, but the results may vary depending on the specific dish.
