Half and Half

A combination of equal parts milk and light cream that contains up to 15 percent milk fat. Half and Half will typically range between 10% to 18% fat content. It is often used as an ingredient in many recipes, as a milk product for cereal, or as a creamer for coffee. Fat-free Half and Half is made from skim milk so the creamy rich taste may be lacking, depending on the brand. When used in sauce or soup recipes, some fat-free products will have a tendency to curdle. Fat-free Half and Half may also be a poor choice for making pie fillings due to the finished texture which lacks in firmness.

If it becomes necessary to make half and half, use equal parts of milk (or evaporated milk) and whole milk. Also, a mixture of 7/8 cup of milk combined with 1½ tablespoons of butter or margarine will produce a respective subsitute for half and half.