Whole milk can be used as a substitute for heavy cream in many recipes, but it will not have the same richness or ability to whip like heavy cream. To simulate heavy cream using whole milk, it is common to add melted butter to increase the fat content. A typical mix is 3/4 cup whole milk with 1/4 cup melted butter to replace 1 cup of heavy cream. This substitute works well for cooking, baking, sauces, soups, and mashed potatoes but will not whip into peaks like heavy cream. Using plain whole milk alone will result in less richness and a thinner consistency but can still be acceptable in some dishes like soups or mashed potatoes. For example, some recommendations are:
- Use 1 cup of whole milk combined with 1/2 cup melted butter or
- Mix 3/4 cup whole milk with 1/4 cup melted butter for each cup of heavy cream needed.
- For less fat but still thickened substitute, add cornstarch to whole milk.
If only using whole milk without additional fat, expect thinner, less creamy results, but it can substitute in certain recipes with some texture and flavor compromise.
In summary, whole milk can replace heavy cream in most cooking but usually requires added fat like butter to get closer to heavy cream's texture and richness. Direct swapping of whole milk for heavy cream will work for some recipes but with less creaminess.
