How to thicken cream - 3 best ways

Cream is used as an ingredient and as a topping in a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes. It adds texture, volume and a dense richness to whatever is added to it.

There are many types of cream used in cooking, heavy cream being one of the most common and versatile of all.

It is known to be especially heavy and dense and is used in cakes, mousses, pasta, curries, soups, sauces and countless other recipes.

Sometimes you may need an even heavier and denser cream to add more texture and volume to your food. Despite its many culinary applications, heavy cream may not suit your needs. For this, you need to thicken it.

How can you thicken the cream? There are 3 easy ways to thicken heavy cream for a different texture to add to your food. You can reduce it to the heat, add gelatin to it, or add flour or cornstarch as thickening agents.

Which method you choose depends on the time you have, the ingredients available, and what seems easiest to you.

Read on to find out how to thicken cream, how to determine which method is best for you, and much more.

The 3 best ways to thicken cream

Below are what, in our opinion, are the three best ways to thicken cream. Each method will depend on your preference and application, so be sure to take a look at each one to see how it might benefit you.

heat the cream

Heating the cream evaporates its water content and reduces it to the desired thickness.

Although the concept is quite simple, this method is often considered the most time consuming and requires the most attention on your part.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to reduce the cream to make it thicker:

• Start heating the cream carefully, making sure it stays below boiling point.
• Avoid letting it boil, as high heat can ruin its texture.
• Keep it over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon to prevent it from curdling and burning.
• If the cream starts to boil, immediately reduce the heat or remove it from the heat.
• Be sure to check the thickness of the cream every 10 minutes to prevent it from overcooking.
• When it reaches the desired consistency, you can lower the heat and let it cool.
• When it has cooled down a bit, you can taste the cream to see if there are any drastic changes in flavor and if it is suitable for the dish you need it for.

The thickness of the cream will depend on the time it is heated, which can be between 10 and 30 minutes. The longer the cream is heated, the thicker it will be.

You should note that a slight flavor change is to be expected when heating dairy products, including cream. This is completely normal and should be taken into account when using this method to thicken cream for a recipe.

The slight variation in its flavor does not mean that you have burned the cream. Creme brulee (not to be confused with Creme Brulee) has a distinct, bitter taste, so if your cream burns when you reduce it, you’ll know it.

Add gelatin to the cream

Adding gelatin to cream is one of the easiest ways to thicken it without affecting its flavour. All you’ll need is the right amount of gelatin and a few quick instructions to follow.

The most important thing here is to determine how much gelatin you will need to achieve the desired consistency. Once you’ve figured it out, it’s a fairly easy task that can be completed in a matter of minutes.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to add gelatin to cream to thicken it:

• Once you determine the proper amount of gelatin needed to thicken the cream, follow the instructions that came with it to prepare it for incorporation.
• Take a small bowl of cold water and sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly over the water (or with certain types of gelatin, submerge if they come in the form of gelatin sheets).
• Let it sit for 5 minutes to absorb the water and thicken. This process is called flowering.
• Start slowly pouring the gelatin mixture into the cream, making sure not to pour too much at once, as this could result in a texture you don’t want.
• Remember to keep whisking the cream constantly to ensure that the gelatin is incorporated correctly so that it can thicken properly and evenly.

As a note of caution, if the gelatin and cream are not fully incorporated, it can result in a poor texture and only in certain areas of thickness.

This can change the cream completely from what you intended and make it unusable for your recipe.

Add flour or cornstarch to the cream

Adding flour or cornstarch to the cream is perhaps the easiest method to thicken it. The trickier decision is choosing whether to use flour or cornstarch as a thickening agent.

On second thought, flour and cornstarch have the same effect on cream, so you don’t have to worry about choosing the right one. You can choose what you have on hand and what you feel most comfortable working with.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to add flour (or cornstarch) to the cream to thicken it:

• Start by making a flour (or cornstarch) porridge by mixing equal parts flour (or cornstarch) and cold water.
• Be sure to mix it well to avoid lumps, as these can affect the texture of the cream when mixed.
• When the flour (or cornstarch) mixture is ready, add it to the cream a little at a time, about a teaspoon at a time, mixing well to get a smooth, even texture throughout the cream.
• Keep adding the mixture little by little to the cream until you get the desired thickness.
• Once it’s ready, you can do a little taste test to see if the cream has any raw flour flavor, which can be present in anything flour is added to.
• If there is, you can remove it by simmering the heavy cream for 2-3 minutes and before you know it, you’ll have the perfect heavy cream, ready to use in your recipe.

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over some of our favorite ways to thicken cream, let’s go over some questions that may have come up while reading this article.

How do you choose the best method to thicken cream?

As we have already said, there are three different methods to add thickness to your cream.

You can choose to reduce it by heating it, adding one of the most common thickening agents out there: gelatin, or using other standard thickening agents like flour or cornstarch.

Heating the cream carries the risk of burning it, and even if you manage to thicken it successfully, there will be a slight flavor change guaranteed.

Using gelatin can be a bit of a problem, especially if you haven’t worked with it before, and deciding on the right amount of flour (or cornstarch) can be hit or miss until you do.

All three methods have their pros and cons, and there is no definitive answer as to the best method for thickening the cream. It takes trial and error, along with your personal preferences, to find out what works best for you.

Can the cream be frozen?

Heavy cream can spoil if not used for a long time. Therefore, you should look for ways to store it safely for later use.

Like milk, you can keep heavy cream in the freezer for 1-2 months. However, it may cause slight changes in flavor and texture once thawed.

To freeze small amounts, you can fill an ice cube tray with the cream and place it in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the tray to a freezer bag and remove one or more cubes when you need to use them.

To store large quantities, you can simply freeze the cream in the carton it came in. To allow room for expansion, make sure there is 1 inch of headspace in the container.

Be sure to label each bag and carton with the storage date so you don’t use it beyond the recommended time.

How to defrost the cream?

Defrosting cream is as easy as freezing it. You just have to transfer the frozen cream from the freezer to the fridge and leave it overnight to thaw slowly.

Once fully thawed, you may notice that the cream has a more runny consistency and separates a bit. This is normal.

You just have to stir the defrosted cream well to mix all the ingredients and it will be ready to be used again.

Can thawed cream be refrozen?

No, you should never try to freeze cream that has already been thawed once. Freezing and thawing cream has slight effects on its texture and flavor. If you try to refreeze it, it will definitely lose its texture, flavor, and consistency.

Therefore, to prevent this from happening, freeze the cream in small batches so that you can take out a single serving and thaw only what is necessary.