Definition: Half and Half is a dairy product consisting of half light cream and half milk.
Half and half has a fat content of between 10.5 percent and 12 percent. This compares with light cream, which contains anywhere from 16 percent to 29 percent butterfat, and whole milk, which has about 3.5 percent butterfat.
Half and Half Calories: Half and half calories are largely a function of the fat content. One cup of half and half has approximately 315 calories. One fluid ounce of half and half represents around 39 calories.
Half and Half Recipes: Half and half can be used in cooking, but keep in mind that it has a much lower fat content than heavy cream. Thus, half and half won't hold its peaks when whipped, and it won't provide the same thickening to a sauce.
Most recipes in the culinary arts that call for cream generally call for heavy cream. The reason for that is that heavy cream has a higher fat content, which means that it is more stable in sauces, and doesn't tend to form a skin on top when heated. Heavy cream will also hold firm peaks when whipped.
Half and Half Substitute: It would be easy to mix light cream with milk to form half and half. But in the U.S., light cream (16 to 29 percent fat) isn't commonly available. So you'd be wanting to blend whole milk with either heavy whipping cream (36 to 40 percent butterfat) or light whipping cream (30 to 35 percent butterfat).
If you have heavy whipping cream and milk, you can make half and half by combining four parts whole milk with one part heavy cream. If you only have light whipping cream, use three parts whole milk and one part light whipping cream.
Half and half has a fat content of between 10.5 percent and 12 percent. This compares with light cream, which contains anywhere from 16 percent to 29 percent butterfat, and whole milk, which has about 3.5 percent butterfat.
Half and Half Calories: Half and half calories are largely a function of the fat content. One cup of half and half has approximately 315 calories. One fluid ounce of half and half represents around 39 calories.
Half and Half Recipes: Half and half can be used in cooking, but keep in mind that it has a much lower fat content than heavy cream. Thus, half and half won't hold its peaks when whipped, and it won't provide the same thickening to a sauce.
Most recipes in the culinary arts that call for cream generally call for heavy cream. The reason for that is that heavy cream has a higher fat content, which means that it is more stable in sauces, and doesn't tend to form a skin on top when heated. Heavy cream will also hold firm peaks when whipped.
Half and Half Substitute: It would be easy to mix light cream with milk to form half and half. But in the U.S., light cream (16 to 29 percent fat) isn't commonly available. So you'd be wanting to blend whole milk with either heavy whipping cream (36 to 40 percent butterfat) or light whipping cream (30 to 35 percent butterfat).
If you have heavy whipping cream and milk, you can make half and half by combining four parts whole milk with one part heavy cream. If you only have light whipping cream, use three parts whole milk and one part light whipping cream.
Also Known As: Half cream (UK)
