Mouthwatering Dishes You Can Make With Leftover Heavy Cream 

We’ve all been there, wondering what to do with that half-carton of heavy cream left over after following a particular recipe, or after putting it out as the cream for the coffee at your last dinner party, and it just sits there. It sits there sadly as it slowly goes to waste. But what to do with a half-carton of heavy cream? 

The reality is that heavy cream is precisely as versatile as your imagination. You really can do pretty much anything with it. It can thicken up pasta sauces, serve as the base for no churn ice cream, or you can use it put together caramel sauces or savory sauces (such as Buffalo), or use it to make extra creamy custards. And the list just goes on and on from there.

Best of all, none of these applications are particularly difficult to do, either.

Today, we’re going to start by answering the question “How Long Does Heavy Cream Last?” and from there we’re going to cover some of the best ways for using it up.

The Basics

• How Long Does Heavy Cream Last?  Unopened, heavy cream lasts about month in the fridge. After it’s been opened, heavy cream takes about five to seven days to sour.
• It’s all about the fat.  Fat is flavor. Fat is texture. Simple as that. It is fat that gives heavy creamy the ‘thickness’ to contain or ‘hold onto’ the air that allows you to whip it into whipped cream. But how much fat is needed for this? To compare, whole milk contains about 4% fat as total volume. Half and half clocks in at around 12%. Light cream tops out at around 20% fat by volume. Whipping cream can reach up to 34%. Heavy Cream, however, can have up to 40% of its total volume as butterfat. So, if you’re wondering why heavy is so delicious and creamy, it’s because nearly half of its volume is butterfat.

• Whipped Cream. The most obvious thing to do with left over heavy cream is simply whip it up, and add a dollop to ‘everything.’ Seriously, homemade oatmeal with a little whipped cream stirred in, along with butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon, is simply delicious.

• Tips for Whipped Cream.  Use a chilled bowl. Don’t overwhip. You want light and air peaks, not a stiff batter-like substance. Don’t be afraid to sweeten it. Remember your flavorings, such as vanilla, almond, or rum extract. Also, a pinch of gelatin will help stabilize the cream, allowing it to keep its form much better, especially during refrigeration. Add the gelatin in before whipping.
• My Personal Recipe for Whipped Cream.  I use about a third of a cup of heavy cream with two tablespoons of sugar, and a cap full of vanilla. I then whip that until it forms peaks. The end result is a decadently sweet and flavorful whipped cream.

• In Coffee. Heavy cream adds body and accentuates flavor when added to coffee – due to its higher fat content. As such, perhaps the simplest way to use up heavy cream is to simply use it in your coffee.

Desserts

• Ice Cream.  No churn ice cream is possibly one of the easiest desserts to make. Seriously, just whip up the cream, fold in condensed milk and your desired flavorings (such as vanilla, caramel or chocolate sauces, etc..), and then let it sit in the freezer.
• Cream Puffs.  I’ll describe my Italian Style Cream Puffs as ‘intricate but not complicated’ to make. They combine a crisped shell with a decadently smooth and rich interior. These are perhaps the most ‘elegant’ way to use up heavy cream.
• Puddings and Custards.  Pudding and custard are delightfully easy to prepare, and are a great way to use up leftover heavy cream.
• Tiramisu Cake.  This is one of my favorite cakes ever, and despite its rich texture and layers of flavor, it’s super simple and no-bake! Can you believe that? So, if you want what is perhaps the most delicious way to use up your heavy cream, grab my tiramisu recipe.

Savory Ideas – Tips for Thickening Up Dinner

• Fried Chicken.  Want to give the coating of your next batch of fried chicken a little more body? Take a recipe like my Cajun Fried Chicken, and simply substitute heavy cream for the milk.
• Mashed Potatoes.  This is super simple to do. For example, with my Ricotta Mashed Potatoes, simply substitute half (or all!) of the whole milk with heavy cream, and you’ve kicked those potatoes up a fair few notches.

• Soup.  Take my Spicy Cream of Potato Soup and substitute one cup of milk for one cup of heavy cream, and you’ll have thickened the soup up considerably.

• Biscuits.  Okay, this one’s a fair bit more involved than the above, but if you have heavy cream leftover, you’ve got a ‘secret ingredient’ for making some of the moistest, most flavorful biscuits ever. As an example, take my breakfast biscuits and replace half of the milk with heavy cream.

And those are my top ways for using up heavy cream. What are some of your favorite ways to use up heavy cream? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you.