Many of us are no strangers to mixing up heavy cream and whipping cream while shopping or cooking. Be it a hearty chowder, creamy Alfredo sauce, or succulent butter chicken, we often opt for the cream that's easily available. To end this culinary drama once and for all, let's delve into the science behind these dairy products.

Heavy cream, obtained during the milk skimming process before homogenization, is primarily a whole milk byproduct. Its robust, fatty character and noticeable thickness serve as the secret sauce, literally, behind your delectable soups, stews, and sauces. And yes, not forgetting its indispensable role in creating your favorite ice cream.

Cream Extraction technology has come a long way since the game-changing invention of the centrifuge-type machine by German brewer Antonin Prandtl in 1864, which accelerated the cream separation from milk. Today, centrifuges continue to be critical in dairy production.

Now, about heavy whipping cream - it's fashioned similarly to heavy cream. The night and day difference? It's all about fat percentage. As per the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), heavy cream must hold at least 36% milkfat, while heavy whipping cream's milkfat content lies anywhere between 30–36%.

The big revelation - you can seamlessly swap heavy cream for heavy whipping cream and back in your recipes! Interestingly, heavy cream's higher milkfat percentage, contrary to its name, makes it more suitable for whipping. It offers superior stability while reaching the desired peak stiffness over whipping cream. Remember this kitchen hack the next time you bake that dreamy pavlova or fluffy chiffon cake.