Heavy cream

Heavy cream — sold as heavy whipping cream in the United States — is the richest of the everyday creams, standardised to roughly 36–40% milkfat. That high fat is what gives it its signature powers: it whips to firm, stable peaks that hold their shape, and it can be boiled, reduced and simmered into sauces without curdling or splitting. It is the cream the kitchen reaches for when a dish must be both rich and robust — the base for ganache, ice cream custards, panna cotta and pan sauces alike.