Cream

Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization, formed because the less dense butterfat rises to the top of the milk and can be skimmed off, producing what is called gravity cream, though industrial production instead uses centrifugal separators to make separator cream. Cream is often sold in grades defined by their butterfat content and contains high levels of saturated fat, rising in proportion from light cream to heavy cream. Cream skimmed from milk may be called sweet cream to distinguish it from cream skimmed from whey, a cheese-making byproduct, which has a lower fat content and a saltier, tangier, cheesier taste; in many countries partially fermented cream is also sold as sour cream or creme fraiche, with both fresh and fermented forms carrying many culinary uses in sweet and savory dishes alike.