Some coffee drinkers can’t fathom taking their coffee black without a creamer. This is because the additive adds a bit of flavor to the beverage. However, it also makes heavy cream in coffee seem like an alternative that could work.
For those not afraid of a little experimentation, you have probably enjoyed having a bit of heavy cream in your coffee in the past. For the rest, we are here to confirm that this minor tweak to your caffeinated beverage is not a bad idea. It holds the potential to make your coffee beverages more enjoyable and can even change the coffee’s texture to suit your needs better. For more information on the same, keep reading.
Of course, one of the biggest hang-ups people have with heavy whipping cream in coffee is how it affects the beverage as a whole. Does it change the taste? Will it be problematic for your health? What other changes can you expect to the beverage and your drinking experience in general? We answer some of these questions below.
Like any other additives that you put in your coffee, tea, and other beverages, heavy cream has the potential to change the taste. However, just how much it affects the drink will depend on how much cream you use.
Coffee, in general, tends to have quite a bitter, acidic taste. As such, most people tend to incorporate sugar, sweeteners, coffee creamer, and, in this case, heavy cream. The cream tends to taste like unsalted butter. Consequently, when you mix the two, the cream brings down the coffee’s bitterness.
Furthermore, it adds some sweetness which can be beneficial, especially if you’re trying to reduce your sugar intake alongside other artificial sweeteners. As we mentioned above, the extent of this effect will depend on how much cream you used. That said, you can still taste the coffee’s most dominant flavors, so it doesn’t change the beverage completely. Some might even say it helps bring out some of the coffee’s flavors.
In addition to reducing the bitterness, it introduces some other changes to your beverage as well. If you’ve tried black coffee and coffee with creamer, you know the latter is somewhat thicker than the former. As for heavy cream, it’s even thicker than creamer. Consequently, your coffee is bound to have more body than usual.
The added body will also mean the drink will fill you up more than your usual pick-me in the morning. As such, if you skip a meal, it probably won’t be as problematic as when you drink black coffee. Additionally, heavy whipping cream in coffee can make the beverage feel softer in your mouth.
Another reason why people wonder whether they can use heavy whipping cream in coffee is their health. This is understandable as, according to science, whipping cream has some of the
highest fat content among dairy products
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(PDF) Significance of Milk Fat in Cream Products
PDF | Cream is a Xuid milk product, comparatively rich in fat, in the form of an emulsion of fat-in-skimmed milk, obtained by physical separation from… | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate
www.researchgate.net
. Since fats get a bad rep, especially for those trying to manage their weight, it’s understandable that most coffee drinkers would be hesitant to use the heavy cream.
However, modern science suggests that natural fats are not as bad as they’re made to look. In fact, most of the fats in the heavy cream are good for your health and can even help improve the gastrointestinal functions of your body. Furthermore, there is no direct correlation between eliminating natural fats from your diet and weight loss.
The question of “Can you put heavy cream in coffee?” is slightly more complicated for the lactose intolerant. Since lactose is present in almost all dairy products, we understand the need to be wary. However, it will likely not be a problem as lactose and other natural dairy sugars are minimal in heavy cream.
That said, almost every food you encounter is harmless unless you take too much of it. As such, it’s vital to consume heavy whipping cream in moderation with your coffee. Notably, you can also get up to 340 calories for each 100g of heavy whipping cream, which again emphasizes our point on moderation.
Even though it has lots of calories, heavy cream in coffee for weight loss is also a thing. As we mentioned above, the natural fats in the cream are not problematic as long as you use the right portions. Also, here’s how it can help with weight loss.
For one, we mentioned it could keep you feeling full for longer. As such, if you’re on a diet that requires you to skip some meals, the coffee can help you enforce it. Additionally, it also helps with the keto diet, as shown below.
Notably, the keto diet is based on starving the body of carbs, so it’s forced to burn fats instead. As such, heavy cream in coffee is perfect for such a diet. This is because it is high in fat and low in carbohydrates without sacrificing calories. Additionally, it sweetens the coffee and reduces the amount of refined sugars you have to put in your beverage. This further reduces the carbohydrates you ingest.
Ultimately, those who have never incorporated heavy cream in their coffees will not be as confident when trying out this new additive. As such, here are some recipes that can help eliminate the reluctance to incorporate this dairy product into your caffeinated beverages.
Bulletproof coffee is perfect for the keto diet since it is high in calories and fat while low in carbs. As such, it can keep you going between meals. It uses butter as one of the main ingredients. However, since heavy cream is high in fat and low in carbs, it makes for the perfect additive as well.
First, you have to brew some strong black coffee with your coffee maker. According to most reviewers, the Bulletproof Original coffee is excellent for such a recipe as it’s tested for toxins before shipping. Additionally, it has notes of plum, orange, and cinnamon with a hazelnut finish that may improve the overall taste of your beverage.
Also, if you need to find the best coffee maker for your large family and aren’t sure how to go about it, our linked guide can help you figure it out. Nevertheless, as your coffee is brewing, you start preparing the rest of your ingredients.
These ingredients will include 1½ tablespoons of butter, ¼ cup of heavy cream, and ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon. 100% erythritol can also be included if you need a low-carb sweetener in your beverage. That said, it’s not necessary and may be omitted by those who don’t want it.
Whisk the cream in a large bowl to bring out the fluffiness. Once the coffee is done brewing, put 1½ cups of the same into a large mug. Next, add the butter to your coffee in addition to the erythritol if you want your coffee to be sweeter. Follow this up by stirring and mixing the sweetener and butter into your coffee.
Next, you either put this mix into a blender or use a frother to mix the coffee and butter further. The result should be a foamy and well-combined drink. After that, you put it back in the mug and top it off with the heavy whipping cream. The ground cinnamon is the final touch, and the coffee can be served immediately after that.
As for the cold brew, it’s quite easy to make. It uses coarse ground coffee, and it’s better to mix it with cold water and let it sit for up to 12 hours. This allows the grounds to be infused with your water to make a more concentrated brew. In addition to this coffee, you’ll need heavy cream, sugar-free maple syrup, and some ice cubes.
Reviewers and experts agree that Hoosier Heavy Cream Powder works well for cold brews and other such coffee recipes. That said, you’ll have to mix with water and let it sit in your refrigerator overnight for the powder to revert to its natural heavy cream form. Of course, this makes it ideal for a cold brew since the cream will already be cold.
After that, mix the ingredients in a large container like a jug and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Serve in a tall glass, and you can add some more ice cubes for good measure.
For those who own espresso machines, you can also add heavy cream to your beverages. Jura makes some of the best espresso and espresso + coffee maker machines in the market. If you need to find the most outstanding Jura machines and are unsure what to look for, you can follow the link for guidance.
Also, espresso goes better with whipped cream. As such, you’ll have to whip your heavy cream to achieve the right consistency. For this, ensure you use cold heavy whipping cream. Additionally, chill your whisk attachments and bowl in your refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, and that will help with the consistency.
In your bowl, mix the heavy cream, a bit of sugar, and some vanilla extract. This is one of many ways to flavor the cream. Use a whisk attachment in your mixer and whip the cream at medium-high speeds. Additionally, check on the mix frequently to ensure it doesn’t get overwhipped. Once it’s ready, set it aside and pull a single or double-shot of espresso from your machine.
After that, you can use the whipped cream as a topping before you serve the beverage.
Can you put heavy whipping cream in Irish coffee? The answer to that is yes. However, you do have to whip it as described above before using it in the beverage. Other than the hot coffee and the whipped cream, you need Irish whiskey and maple syrup.
Notably, a single-serve coffee maker helps simplify your Irish coffee recipe by a lot. If you need help finding the best single-serve coffee maker, the linked guide can be pretty informative. For the recipe, add Irish whiskey to a fresh cup of coffee. Maple syrup can help tone down the taste of the whiskey, but it’s not necessary. As such, only add it if it appeals to your taste buds.
Add another splash of coffee, and then top it up with your whipped cream before serving.
For a keto-friendly coffee frappe with heavy cream, here’s the recipe. You’ll need heavy cream, a keto-friendly sweetener, strong coffee, vanilla extract, and unsweetened almond milk. Blend these ingredients until you achieve a smooth consistency, then you serve. Simple as that.
Notably, substitutes for heavy cream are worth looking into for those who find the idea of heavy whipping cream in their coffee unappealing. Here are a few options.
Whipping cream has already been mentioned in some of the recipes mentioned above. That said, the cream has to be cool, so it doesn’t melt into your coffee. This is one reason why we insist on cold heavy cream and cold whipping equipment while making your whipped cream.
Heavy cream is often used to make whipped cream healthier:
To mimic the fat and milk composition of heavy cream, you can use butter and milk alternatives. It might not whip the same way as heavy cream, but if you mix a ¾ cup milk and a ¼ cup unsalted butter, you’ll get something somewhat similar in taste and texture.
While brown rice and low-fat milk make an excellent substitute for heavy cream in savory dishes, it doesn’t work all that well for coffee.
If you use full-fat coconut cream, you can be sure the consistency and how it whips will be similar to heavy cream. However, you’ll need to chill the milk in a refrigerator until it firms up to achieve these results. After that, you whip the semi-solid cream using a handheld mixer or a similar tool such as a blender. That said, the coconut flavor is going to be pretty pronounced.
As for pureed tofu, it does not whip. However, for the coffee recipes that don’t require any whipping, it works just fine.
Evaporated milk doesn’t have as much saturated fat as heavy cream. You also cannot achieve a similar consistency to heavy cream while whipping evaporated milk. Nevertheless, milk is a great alternative for coffee, especially if you’re cutting down on calories. This is because studies by the
USDA
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FoodData Central
Milk, evaporated, 2% fat, with added vitamin A and vitamin D
fdc.nal.usda.gov
suggest that evaporated milk for each 100g of evaporated milk. This is less than half the calories found in heavy cream.
There are so many possibilities when considering heavy cream in coffee. Some of the recipes on how to incorporate this into your caffeinated beverage are included above. Additionally, there are extra benefits, especially for the keto diet community. Ultimately, every person should try the different recipes at least once to determine if this additive is worth including in your daily pick-me cup of coffee.
