What dairy products do you usually have in your refrigerator? I almost always have skim milk and heavy cream. Many recipes call for some sort of dairy. If you do not have the specific type called for, can you substitute? The fat content of the dairy product is what is most important. This Cooking Tip will delve into the types of dairy products and why the fat content makes a difference.
You also may wish to take a look at these prior Cooking Tips about specific dairy products.
Yogurt
Canned milk products
Buttermilk
Sour Cream
The main component of milk is water. Cow’s milk is 87% water & 13% milk solids. Some believe that whole milk is diluted down to make lower fat milk. Rather, what is done is that all the cream is skimmed off and then it is put back in to make the desired fat percentage.
If you pour a glass of fat-free milk, you expect that there would be zero fat in that cup and you would be correct. However, beyond that, it is not so straight forward. All milk and many other dairy products will be labeled with a percent fat content. That percent is based on the amount of milk fat in the product by weight.
Both the FDA and the IDFA (International Dairy Foods Association) lists the required fat content for the different labels of these products. Here is the terminology along with the fat content.
| Dairy Product | Fat Content by Percentage |
|---|---|
| Whole milk | 3.25-3.5% milk fat (Many people will just call this 4% fat.) |
| Reduced Fat or 2% milk | 2% milk fat |
| Low Fat or 1% milk | 1% milk fat |
| Fat-Free or Skim milk | 0% milk fat |
| Half & Half | 10.5-18% milk fat |
| Light Cream | 18-30% milk fat |
| Light Whipping Cream | 30-36% |
| Heavy Cream | A minimum of 36% milk fat |
| Heavy Whipping Cream | 36-40% (Some will say this is the same as heavy cream, but the fat percentage is slightly higher.) |
| Sour Cream, regular | A minimum of 18% |
| Yogurt | 3.25-8.25% milk fat |
| Crème Fraiche | About 30% |
Some recipes that contain a dairy product will also specify which specific kind in terms of fat content. Others do not. Whether or not the recipe is that specific, you should know that not all dairy products are interchangeable in cooking and baking.
Whipping
Whereas you can whip light whipping cream, heavy cream, and heavy whipping cream, you will not be able to whip something with a lower fat content. Most will say that you need at least 35% milk fat to be able to whip it.
Hot Preparations
Using low fat dairy in cooked (hot) dishes is where many people go wrong. The higher the fat content, the better it will work in hot dishes. If you do not have a high enough fat content, the dairy will separate and curdle.
- Heavy cream – This can easily be heated, boiled, and even reduced without the cream breaking or separating. However, adding high acid ingredients such as citrus, wine, and tomatoes might cause some slight curdling. As the fat percentage decreases, the tendency to separate and curdle with heat increases.
- Milk – Since the highest fat content in milk is about 4%, use with caution in high heat applications. When you do wish to use milk, try to use whole milk. Adding flour or cornstarch helps stabilize and prevent curdling. As an example, roux-based dishes are usually fine to incorporate dairy into.
- Sour cream – As this product has a relatively low fat percentage, it should not be boiled. When using, add it towards the end of the cooking process on low heat.
- Yogurt – Since even full fat yogurt is relatively low in fat, treat it as sour cream.
- Crème Fraiche – Because of the higher high-fat content, it can tolerate high heat. It makes a wonderful (although more expensive) substitute for sour cream in cooked applications.
Cold Applications
Because you do not run the risk of curdling with heat, using dairy products in cold preparations is easier. However, realize that richness and texture may suffer as the fat percentage decreases.
Comparison Testing
America’s Test Kitchen ran a couple of taste tests comparing higher to lower fat dairy in different dishes.
In one, they compared using half & half to whole milk in vanilla pudding, mashed potatoes and shortcakes. According to them, the differences were most obvious in the potatoes. The batch made with half/half was much creamier, had a smoother texture, and a more buttery flavor. Flavor differences in the vanilla pudding were minimal but the one made with milk had a looser texture. They found almost no difference in the shortbread. They concluded that substitution was probably fine in baked goods. However, when creaminess is important, stick to the higher fat dairy.
Their second comparison tested whole milk, 1% milk and skim milk in pancakes, a yellow layer cake and chocolate pudding. Each of the recipes originally called for whole milk. With pancakes, most of the tasters could not tell any difference. The yellow cake was a different story in that using skim milk led to a dry and tough cake. The one made with whole milk was moist and tender. Using 1% milk was closer to whole. With the chocolate pudding, skim milk produced a pudding that was less rich and creamy as compared to whole & 1%, with whole giving the best mouthfeel. The higher fat milks also gave the pudding more chocolate flavor.
If you are making a recipe that doesn’t specify a type of dairy product in terms of fat content, you will probably get better results using one with a higher fat content.
Substitutions
If you, like me, only have skim milk and heavy cream in your refrigerator, what do you do when your recipe calls for something else? Do you need to run to the store? Not always. If you need half & half, can you just use half skim milk and half cream? Not really. There is a bit more math involved.
Cook’s Illustrated has done the math and produced a great chart to help with this. I have this chart printed out and taped inside a cupboard for easy reference.
| What the recipe specifies | What to use instead |
|---|---|
| 1 cup whole milk | ⅝ cup skim milk + ⅜ cup half & half ⅔ cup 1% milk + ⅓ cup half & half ¾ cup 2% milk + ¼ cup half and half ⅞ cup skim milk + ⅛ cup heavy cream |
| 1 cup half and half | ¾ cup whole milk + ¼ cup heavy cream ⅔ cup skim or low-fat milk + ⅓ cup heavy cream |
| 1 cup heavy cream | 1 cup evaporated milk can be used in soups and sauces but not for whipping or in baking |
I hope this Tip helps you when you are wondering what dairy to use in a recipe or you are wondering why a certain dish didn’t turn out. Dairy is a very important and wonderful ingredient to use in our kitchens. Just be sure you are using these products properly.
Culinary Journeys, LLC 