Chantilly cream is a super fluffy and silky cream made of heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla. Use it as a frosting for cakes or a topping for pies, pavlovas and more.
What’s the Difference Between Chantilly Cream and Whipped Cream? Chantilly cream is always sweetened and flavored with vanilla, while whipped cream is often prepared unsweetened or just very lightly sweetened.
What is chantilly cream
Over the years I was always under the impression that chantilly cream was a sweetened whipped cream with vanilla. Turns out people have used the name chantilly cream for several other types of creams, some that include cream cheese, mascarpone, a mousseline buttercream base (like pastry cream), etc.
Chantilly cream is thought to originate in France at the Château de Chantilly. This type of cream was originally heavy whipping cream whipped with sugar and vanilla. Nowadays it is also common to add mascarpone to it, however I’m going to let that be called mascarpone cream and you can find it in my Tiramisu Cake recipe.
Difference between chantilly cream and whipped cream
Technically chantilly cream is a sweetened whipped cream but it does imply that it was flavored with vanilla as well…which most people do with whipped cream anyway.
The main difference I found between whipped cream and chantilly cream is that chantilly cream uses about double the amount of sugar than traditional whipped cream recipes.
Flavor wise the amount of sugar didn’t make a huge difference since it’s just going from 2 Tbsp to 4 Tbsp of sugar however I found that when you use more sugar (chantilly cream), the texture of the whipped cream feels more “full”.
It’s difficult to describe but basically it feels more like a full bodied cream and less like sweet air LOL.
- Sugar: Traditionally I believe they used a super fine sugar which is like a cross between powdered sugar and granulated sugar. It’s very fine but doesn’t contain cornstarch like powdered sugar. I wrote the recipe with powdered sugar but you can use either powdered, super fine or granulated sugar; just make sure you measure it by weight not volume.
- I HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale, as powdered ingredients are so often over measured.
- Heavy Cream: You’ll need heavy whipping cream (or double cream) to make the chantilly cream.
- Make sure to use something between 35%-45% fat. I haven’t tried a dairy free cream but if you have a dairy free heavy cream or whipped topping you like, feel free to use that instead.
- Vanilla: The main flavor here is vanilla so I like to use vanilla bean paste. Vanilla extract and vanilla beans also work, the higher the quality the better the flavor.
- Salt: I add salt to everything, specifically fine sea salt because it tastes better. It doesn’t make creams salty but I think it just kind of cuts the sweetness and brings out the flavors.
Step 1: Sift the sugar into the bowl with the salt.
Step 2: Add the heavy whipping cream and vanilla bean paste and whip until it’s thick and fluffy and just when it reaches a stiff peak. Don’t over-beat or it won’t be smooth anymore (and can turn to butter lol).
*If you over-beat slightly, add a touch more cream and fold just until it’s combined.
Step 3: Use a rubber spatula to fold it back and forth a little to smooth out the cream and make it look silky.
Chantilly Cream (French whipped cream)
FAQ
Is whipped cream the same as Chantilly?
Why is it called Chantilly cream?
Is whipped cream the same as whipping cream?
Why is Chantilly cream so good?
Is Chantilly cream the same as whipped cream?
While some folks don’t differentiate between whipped cream and Chantilly cream, many bakers consider Chantilly cream to be the slightly sweeter and more decadent sibling of whipped cream, thanks to its use of confectioner’s sugar. So, what is Chantilly cream?
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.
What is the secret to stabilised whipped cream / chantilly cream?
Mascarpone is the secret to stabilised whipped cream / Chantilly cream. There are various methods to stabilise whipped cream. My recipe uses mascarpone which is a genius, thoroughly tested discovery by my French Pastry Chef teacher, Jennifer Pogmore.
What is the difference between Chantilly cream and vanilla?
The only difference between the two is the addition of the two extra ingredients, sugar and vanilla. Otherwise, they can be used in the same way. Saying that, though, Chantilly cream will add a touch of class to just about anything. Tastes incredible. The sugar dissolves to sweeten the cream gently whilst the vanilla adds the perfect flavour.