Plant cream

{{Short description|Vegan imitation of dairy cream}}

File:Vegan whipped cream.jpg]]

Plant cream is an imitation of dairy cream made without dairy products, and thus vegan. It is typically produced by grinding plant material into a thick liquid to which gums are added to imitate the viscosity and mouthfeel of cream. Common varieties are soy cream, coconut cream,{{cite web|url=http://www.soyatoo.de/en/our-products/|title=Soyatoo soy cream and rice cream|website=Soyatoo.de|access-date=28 November 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www2.oatly.com/|title=The power of Swedish oats|website=2.oatly.com|access-date=28 November 2017|archive-date=11 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811095315/http://www.oatly.com/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://mimiccreme.com/nutrition.html|title=Mimiccreme - Parhaat suomalaiset nettikasinot|website=Mimiccreme.com|access-date=28 November 2017}} and cashew cream.{{cite journal |last1=Lightowler |first1=Helen |last2=Davies |first2=Jill |title=The vegan dairy |journal=Nutrition & Food Science |date=1 January 1998 |volume=98 |issue=3 |pages=153–157 |doi=10.1108/00346659810208305 |url=https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00346659810208305/full/html |issn=0034-6659|url-access=subscription }} It is used as a dessert topping and in many other dishes and beverages.

Some imitation cream contains a mixture of non-dairy and dairy ingredients. For instance, Cool Whip includes some milk;{{cite web|url=http://www.kraftrecipes.com/products/cool-whip-original-whipped-topp-218.aspx|title=Cool Whip|website= Kraft Foods|access-date=2018-02-08}} Elmlea sells both fully plant-based[https://www.elmlea.com/productoverview/double-plant "Elmlea Double Plant Cream"] and mixed imitation creams.[https://www.elmlea.com/productoverview/elmlea-double "Elmlea Double"]

As of 1998, plant cream was similar in price to double cream but more expensive than single cream.

Whipped toppings are 'fat foams'; usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Upon whipping, some fat is released from the fat globules. This fat 'glues' a network of fat globules. Air is entrapped in this network thus creating the foam.{{Cite web |title=Whipped Topping |url=https://www.sisterna.com/food/applications/dairy-desserts/whipped-topping/ |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=Sisterna |language=en}} They differ from whipped cream dessert toppings due to containing very little to no dairy whatsoever.