Half and Half Recipes + Tips for Freezing Leftovers - NeighborFood (2024)

FAQs

What exactly is in half and half? ›

Half and half is simply a mixture of equal parts whole milk and cream. That's it. If you wanted to go further down the half and half rabbit hole, you would learn that the percentage of fat in whole milk is only 3.25%. The percentage of fat in half and half varies between 10.5% and 18%.

Pour the desired amount half and half into the mug you'll be drinking your coffee in before you make the coffee. (This amount is totally a matter of personal taste.) Heat it in the microwave to take the chill out, maybe 20 seconds. Once the coffee is ready, pour it directly into the warmed half and half.

Storing it in a sealable, freezer-safe plastic bag is the way to go — just make sure the freezer is set to 0 degrees F or lower. Half-and-half can stay frozen indefinitely as long as it's stored correctly, but it's recommended to use it within three months for the best flavor.

Half and half can easily be used in place of whole milk with the addition of a little water. Combine ¾ cup half and half and ¼ cup water for every cup of whole milk you're substituting. 1 cup whole milk: combine ¾ cup half and half and ¼ cup water.

Takeaway. You can indeed use half-and-half to make whipped cream. But you won't really get the best results by using it. If your need for whipped cream is insatiable and half-an-half is all you've got, then you'll need to thoroughly chill it in the fridge before moving it to the freezer.

Heavy cream commonly contains 36% milk fat, which translates to about 11 grams of fat per liquid ounce, with 7 grams of that being saturated fat. Compare that to half-and-half, which only has around 3 grams of fat per ounce, including 2 grams of saturated fat. There's also a big jump in calories between the two.

For this substitution, you'll want to combine ¾ cup of half-and-half with ¼ cup melted unsalted butter—this will replace 1 cup of heavy cream. The substitute will work well in both cooking and baking, but it's not the best option for whipping.

BREVE. A Breve is an espresso drink that uses half and half or cream instead of milk.

The best way to do this is to run it under hot water in the sink or let it warm up in the bag in a pot of simmering water. You'll want to make sure the bag is airtight before doing this first. It's not a good idea to try to microwave it to thaw it. It will get grainy very quickly this way.

The result is velvety smooth milk, which you'll find in cappuccinos and dessert coffees. Half and half can be a bit trickier to work with, but we've run through the process below step by step, so you'll nail it the first time.

How long can I keep half and half in the fridge? ›

How long is an open container of Half & Half good for in my refrigerator? The product should be used within 7 to 10 days of opening or by the date printed on the container -- whichever date comes first.

Yes, you can make whipped cream with half and half. However, it may not be as thick or stable as whipped cream made with heavy cream due to the lower fat content.

No, there is no suitable substitute for heavy cream. You cannot make butter from milk or from half-and-half. This is because those dairy products do not have enough fat in them. Heavy cream butter is a fantastic texture and flavor due to its fat content.

According to Eat By Date, half-and-half is still safe to drink seven to 10 days past the sell-by date. And that's just for the cartons you buy from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. If you have those tiny individual half-and-half cups (like what you'd find at a diner), they can last up to six months!