Whipped cream is the perfect addition to virtually any dessert. You can top off an angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream or add a generous dollop of this wonderful, sweet, fluffy topping to peach cobbler or pumpkin pie. It’s a lovely way to accent a cup of hot chocolate or a milkshake as well. Honestly, it can even be a terrific standalone snack if you’re just looking for a sweet treat. Though it’s readily available at any supermarket, nothing quite compares to fresh, homemade whipped cream. You can easily make it at home using one of the following simple methods.
First Things First
Before getting started, be sure you have the right ingredients on hand. Those include cold heavy cream or whipping cream and sugar for basic whipped cream. Though you can use either granulated or powdered sugar, most bakers recommend using the latter if you’re making a big batch.
You’ll also need vanilla extract for a basic whipped cream. If you’d like to venture outside the box, you can use other flavorings, like lemon or orange extract, espresso or cocoa powder, cinnamon, or peppermint extract. Those are really all the ingredients you need to get started. Now, let’s delve into the different ways to make homemade whipped cream.
- Heavy cream
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Vanilla extract
1) Immersion Blender
One of the fastest and simplest ways to make whipped cream is with an Immersion Blender. Just put your ingredients into a deep bowl, plunge in the blender, and turn it on. Be sure to move it around the bowl and up and down to get all the cream whipped to perfection. Keep blending until the mixture starts to form stiff peaks. Then, it’s ready to enjoy.
2) Hand Mixer
Another option is to use a hand mixer. This standard kitchen tool can be used for endless recipes, and whipped cream is no exception. Add the basic ingredients to a deep bowl, dip the beaters into them, and turn on your mixer. Before long, you’ll have a beautiful batch of whipped topping to use in any way you see fit.
Whip the cream with the electric mixer until frothy, add the remaining ingredients, then continue beating until stiff peaks form.
3) Stand Mixer
You can also use a stand mixer to make whipped cream. Follow the previously mentioned protocol here, and equip your stand mixer with its whisk attachment. Start off at a low speed for a few seconds. Then, you can turn it up. Don’t walk away for very long, though. One of the interesting things about homemade whipped cream is that it can quickly turn to butter if you over-mix it.
4) Whisk
It’s also possible to make homemade whipped cream with a manual whisk. Manual is the key word here. This method takes about five minutes or so, but it feels like much longer when you’re doing all the work by hand. It’ll wear out your arms too.
5) Shaking
Another way to make homemade whipped cream is the shaking method. Just put the ingredients into a jar or bowl with a tightly fitting, well-sealed lid. If the lid isn’t tightly sealed, you’ll make a mess instead of a fluffy whipped topping. As is the case with a manual whisk, this process takes patience and stamina. It definitely works, though. If you have kids, this is a fun project to get them involved in.
Making Your Own Whipped Cream
Making homemade whipped cream is fast and simple, and the results are well worth the added time and effort. You can make it in a variety of flavors to mesh with the dessert you’re topping or your mood. Whether you use an immersion blender or mixer or one of the manual alternatives, your homemade whipped cream is sure to impress your family and guests.
