To some people, Coffee Cream means “coffee-flavoured” cream used as a filling for baked goods. But here, we’re talking about what North Americans call Coffee Cream or Table Cream: a cream with somewhere between 18 to 30% fat that is used as a cream in coffee. It doesn’t have a high enough fat content to be whipped.
It’s a very pedestrian cream, not very glamorous, maybe the most exciting thing it ever gets to do is a sauce — but if you’re a coffee drinker, there’s nothing like it in a cup of fresh-brewed coffee first thing in the morning.
Substitutes
If using in a sauce, try Evaporated Milk, Half and Half Cream, Single Cream or even just milk (though not skim milk).
Be aware that if you are using these lower-fat substitutes, you shouldn’t let what you are making — such as a sauce or a soup — get too hot, or it will curdle, unlike the heavier cream.
Storage Hints
Do not freeze. It will separate upon thawing and curdle when poured into hot coffee.