Have you tasted real whipped cream? I sure hope so. It puts Cool Whip and the canned stuff to shame.
Homemade whipped cream is ultra luxurious, decadent, and as delicious as the best vanilla ice cream. Real whipped cream doesn’t have any strange preservatives or additives, either.
Whipped cream is the perfect creamy topper for desserts and hot drinks. Since the holidays are here, I thought I’d share a tutorial with everything you need to know about making whipped cream.
If you’ve never made whipped cream before, it may seem a little intimidating at first. I promise, it’s so easy to make. You can make whipped cream in under 10 minutes!
Ingredients for Fresh Whipped Cream Technically, you only need one – heavy cream! But if you want something at least a little bit sweet (you do, trust me!), then you need three total ingredients: Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) Sugar (powdered sugar or granulated sugar)
Uses for Whipped Cream
Here are a few recipes that would benefit from a dollop or two:
Soft peaks are like semi-melted ice cream. At this stage, the whipped cream is floppy but has an ultra luxurious texture. Soft peaks are perfect for folding into desserts or floating on top of Irish coffee.
Imagine a slice of classic pumpkin pie dolloped with homemade whipped cream—that’s what medium peaks look like. At this stage, the whipped cream will have more significant swirl marks and a more stable structure.
Also known as firm peaks, stiff peaks have an intensely rippled texture when you lift the beaters. Stiff peaks aren’t quite as luxurious and decadent as the former two, but you could ice a cake with this texture.
Once your mixture reaches stiff peaks, stop blending! You’ll see what happens if you blend too long below.
Watch How to Make Whipped Cream
Whipped cream is truly so easy to make. Here are a few tips before you get started:
- Whipped cream doubles in size. Meaning, if you use 1 cup heavy cream, you’ll end up with about 2 cups whipped cream. You can divide or multiply the amount of heavy cream to get your desired quantity of whipped cream (making extra is never a bad idea).
- Equipment options: I love using my hand mixer (affiliate link) to make whipped cream because I hate lugging out my heavy stand mixer. You can also use an immersion blender or whip it together by hand, if you’re patient (Bon Appetit has a video for that).
- Start chilled. At minimum, your heavy cream needs to be chilled. The whipped cream will whip up faster if your bowl and beaters are chilled as well. Use a tempered glass bowl (think Pyrex) or stainless steel bowl so it retains the cold temperature (plastic bowls will not).
- If you’re in a hurry, use a hand mixer or immersion blender. Choose a sturdy bowl with a smaller base and tall sides (a 4-cup liquid measuring cup is perfect) and chill it for 15 minutes in the freezer. That way, the blender is agitating more of the cream at once, and the cold walls help it whip up even faster.
- The only ingredient you really need is heavy whipping cream. To make it taste like the whipped cream you know and love, I recommend adding a tiny bit of sweetener and vanilla.
- Traditional recipe typically call for powdered sugar, but I like to use maple syrup or honey because they add a subtle hint of extra-delicious flavor. I like to use high-quality organic cream because I’m convinced it produces a more tasty end result.
- Pay attention. When you first start blending the mixture, it might not seem like you’re doing much. Then the whipped cream will start progressing from soft peaks to medium to stiff peaks fairly quickly. You’ll learn more about the differences between those textures below.
How to Make Whipped Cream | Easy and Amazing
FAQ
What is whipped cream made of?
What ingredients are in heavy whipping cream?
What are the two components of whipped 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 makes whipped cream unique?
Perhaps more than anything else, what makes whipped cream unique is its texture. It forms soft, light peaks that are higher than many dairy products. This is because it is made with heavy cream, which has a higher butterfat content (at least 30 percent).
What does whipped cream look like?
The whipped cream on the left has a soft texture but still holds its shape; the cream on the right looks curdled and may have a grainy mouthfeel because it was overwhipped. Immediately portion the whipped cream onto your dessert of choice or use as desired.