Dont weep, whipped cream, its all going to be alright. Sure, you have a tendency to lose your spine as you sit out for a while (you fall, you run, and, no offense, you become a little unappetizing), but were about to fix that.
Chin up! There are lots of ways to make longer-lasting, more stable whipped cream that wont have a breakdown as it graces chocolate cake, strawberry ice, rhubarb buckle, or a pile of vegetables (yes, you read that right). That means more opportunity to prep in advance and less of an urge to rush through dinner to get to that cream-topped lemon custard pie (though, lets be real, I do that no matter what).
The methods for achieving dependable whipped cream fall into two main categories: additional ingredients or whipping technique. Heres how to make fluffy, swoopy whipped cream thatll last as long as your dreamiest summer party.
If you dont have crème fraîche on hand to make whipped cream, yogurt (full-fat plain or Greek) or sour cream will have a similar life-boosting effect. Start off with 1/2 cup of yogurt per 1 cup of heavy cream (simply whip them together until you have soft peaks), knowing that you can add a little more yogurt to taste.
And maybe were stretching the bounds of what can be considered “whipped cream,” but for her “cheaters whipped cream,” Erin McDowell mixes heavy cream into a mixture of fluffy cream cheese and powdered sugar. This creates a sweet, tangy mixture thats as light and swoopable as traditional whipped cream yet strong enough to hold up three layers of cake-sized shortcakes—plus tons of juicy strawberries—in her Not-So-Short Cake. It’s not only luxuriously creamy, it holds for hours (even at room temperature!) and the cream cheese gives it a really nice little bit of a tang. Eric McDowell
Instead of always using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer to make homemade whipped cream, use a food processor, an immersion blender, or a blender for a dense, smooth, stable whipped cream made in almost no time. In other words: Dont walk away from the machine.
Or, if you want to whip the cream ahead of time, but not to necessarily adorn your pie or cake in advance, you can hold the whipped cream in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl for up to 8 hours, according to Cooks Illustrated.
And for the lowest maintenance option, just whip your cream as usual, store the covered bowl in the refrigerator, then take a wire whisk to it, reincorporating any runaway liquid, right before youre ready to use it.
So now that youve got whipped cream that wont die out on you, what shall you do with it? I like to use crème fraîche whip to top a pavlova. Since the meringue can also be made ahead of time, youve got an easy-to-prep dessert that wont fade if dinner drones on.
This berry-topped version is flavored with almond and cardamom (a combination I love), but you could easily replace the almond extract with vanilla extract and/or omit the cardamom entirely. Flavor the whipped cream how youd like and switch up the fruit, too. Two fun ideas: chocolate whipped cream with brûléed bananas; or date syrup whipped cream with crumbled halva and fresh figs.
But thats not all! Fill a cream puff, top a shortcake, smother a vanilla cake, or simply set a few punnets of berries next to a billowing bowl of whipped cream and have it.
Whipped cream will hold for 2 to 3 hours in most cases, although this time is shortened in warmer weather. The point is that unless you are making your topping more than a couple of hours ahead, you don’t need to worry about your whipped cream deflating.
Ingredients for Making Homemade Whipped Cream
Pastry chefs often look to a gelatin mixture for weep-less whipped cream with no unwanted flavor that will retain its fluff for up to 24 hours in advance (Cooks Illustrated also declared gelatin the best stabilizer of the bunch). To make about 3 cups of whipped cream, melt 1/2 teaspoon gelatin in 1 1/2 tablespoons of water (need a gelatin refresher? Here you go). Whip 1 1/2 cups of cream on medium speed just until the beaters leave a trail, then slowly stream in the gelatin mixture and beat on high until soft peaks form.
Baking queen Rose Levy Beranbaum recommends using a small amount of cornstarch. To make 2 cups of whipped cream, youll first need to whisk the cornstarch with powdered sugar to prevent clumps (Beranbaum recommends 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons sugar). Then, add this to a portion of the cream (1/4 cup), bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and let it cool completely. Next, whip the remaining cream (3/4 cup) using a whisk attachment or hand mixer until the beaters leave marks, stream in the cornstarch mixture, and beat until you have peaks of the desired consistency.
This may sound like a bit too much trouble—and the mixture wont hold up well at room temperature—but your whipped cream will survive on a cake in the refrigerator for 24 hours (and Beranbaum says that “many people have reported that this recipes has saved their lives”). The addition of a little sour cream or crème fraîche to every cup of whipping cream will ensure that beautiful sheen, extra smoothness, and fuller flavor Nancy Silverton
But lets say you dont want to add gelatin (hi, vegetarians) or cornstarch (too finicky). That brings you to crème fraîche, which I learned about from Chef Nancy Silverton via Kristen Miglore. I also saw this done at the restaurant where I used to work: Wed make “CFW”—crème fraîche whip—in the morning to last through the end of dinner service.
Crème fraîche not only adds a touch of tangy sophistication to plain ol whipped cream, but the extra saturated fat (42% butterfat compared to heavy creams 30%) helps capture and retain air bubbles for added resilience. Silverton instructs whipping the cream to soft peaks using a whisk attachment and then gently folding in the crème fraîche by hand. I took a shortcut and used a blender: I added the cream and crème fraîche to the container, started on the lowest setting, then increased to high speed for 10 to 15 seconds. Done!
If you dont have crème fraîche on hand to make whipped cream, yogurt (full-fat plain or Greek) or sour cream will have a similar life-boosting effect. Start off with 1/2 cup of yogurt per 1 cup of heavy cream (simply whip them together until you have soft peaks), knowing that you can add a little more yogurt to taste.
And maybe were stretching the bounds of what can be considered “whipped cream,” but for her “cheaters whipped cream,” Erin McDowell mixes heavy cream into a mixture of fluffy cream cheese and powdered sugar. This creates a sweet, tangy mixture thats as light and swoopable as traditional whipped cream yet strong enough to hold up three layers of cake-sized shortcakes—plus tons of juicy strawberries—in her Not-So-Short Cake. It’s not only luxuriously creamy, it holds for hours (even at room temperature!) and the cream cheese gives it a really nice little bit of a tang. Eric McDowell
Tips for Making Whipped Cream
Instead of always using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer to make homemade whipped cream, use a food processor, an immersion blender, or a blender for a dense, smooth, stable whipped cream made in almost no time. In other words: Dont walk away from the machine.
Or, if you want to whip the cream ahead of time, but not to necessarily adorn your pie or cake in advance, you can hold the whipped cream in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl for up to 8 hours, according to Cooks Illustrated.
And for the lowest maintenance option, just whip your cream as usual, store the covered bowl in the refrigerator, then take a wire whisk to it, reincorporating any runaway liquid, right before youre ready to use it.
So now that youve got whipped cream that wont die out on you, what shall you do with it? I like to use crème fraîche whip to top a pavlova. Since the meringue can also be made ahead of time, youve got an easy-to-prep dessert that wont fade if dinner drones on.
This berry-topped version is flavored with almond and cardamom (a combination I love), but you could easily replace the almond extract with vanilla extract and/or omit the cardamom entirely. Flavor the whipped cream how youd like and switch up the fruit, too. Two fun ideas: chocolate whipped cream with brûléed bananas; or date syrup whipped cream with crumbled halva and fresh figs.
But thats not all! Fill a cream puff, top a shortcake, smother a vanilla cake, or simply set a few punnets of berries next to a billowing bowl of whipped cream and have it.
How To Stop Whipped Cream From Melting
FAQ
How do you keep whipped cream firm?
How long will whipped cream stay firm in the fridge?
How far in advance can you whip cream?
How long does it take for whipped cream to go flat?
How long does whipped cream last?
The good news is that there are several ways to make whipped cream last longer — all of which can be done with basic ingredients you probably already have in your pantry or refrigerator. If you want to whip up a batch in advance, you’ll be able to store it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours using one of these methods.
What are the nutritional values of whip cream?
The whipped cream is a source of choline and fat-soluble vitamins such as, vitamins A, D, E, and K which are present in milk fat. The vitamins from whole milk can help to prevent osteoporosis and promote a good vision. However whipped cream is very rich in calories, each 100 grams of whipped cream contains approximately 300 calories, 30 grams of lipids and 20 grams of carbohydrates, thus it should be consumed in moderation.
How long can you keep whipped cream in the fridge?
Start whipping 1 cup heavy cream as usual. Just after soft peaks start to form, add about 1/4 cup sour cream. You can keep your stabilized whipped cream in the fridge for at least four hours before serving. It’s better to under-whip your cream than over-whip it, so watch it carefully.
How long does it take to make whipped cream?
Both tools produced whipped cream that was soft, smooth and fluffy, with firm peaks. After an hour and even two hours, the whipped cream batches made with the mini chopper and the immersion blender maintained their shape and texture, looking as good as when they were freshly whipped. The winner!