Cream chargers, also known as nitrous oxide (N2O) chargers or whipped cream cartridges, are small metal cylinders filled with food-grade nitrous oxide gas. Here's a description of cream chargers and their common uses:

1. Composition: Cream chargers are typically made of recyclable steel and contain nitrous oxide gas under high pressure. The gas is food-grade and free from contaminants, making cream chargers safe for use in culinary applications.

2. Uses:

   • Whipped Cream: Cream chargers are commonly used to make whipped cream quickly and easily. When the charger is inserted into a whipped cream dispenser (also known as a cream whipper or whipped cream siphon) and discharged, the nitrous oxide gas expands rapidly, aerating the liquid cream and turning it into whipped cream.
   • Other Culinary Applications: In addition to whipped cream, cream chargers can be used to foam sauces, soups, and cocktails, infuse liquids with flavors, and create foams and espumas in molecular gastronomy techniques.

3. Whipped Cream Dispensers: Cream chargers are designed to be used with whipped cream dispensers, which are specialized kitchen tools used to aerate and dispense whipped cream. The dispenser typically consists of a metal canister, a dispenser head with a nozzle, and a mechanism for inserting and puncturing cream chargers.

4. "Nangs" is a colloquial term used primarily in Australia and New Zealand to refer to whipped cream chargers or cream chargers. These small metal cylinders contain nitrous oxide (N2O) gas under high pressure and are commonly used for making whipped cream quickly and easily. The term "nangs" is derived from the sound made when the gas is released from the charger and dispensed into a whipped cream dispenser, resulting in a characteristic "nanging" sound.