Whipped cream (Chantilly cream)

Here’s my recipe for whipped cream. Actually, it’s technically called Chantilly Cream which might sound fancy but it’s just whipped cream that’s lightly sweetened and flavoured with vanilla. It’s basically the better whipped cream!

BONUS: Learn the easy trick to make stabilised whipped cream so it stays fluffy and perfect for 2 – 3 days, without weeping. Super handy so you can make whipped cream ahead!

Whipped cream

The whipped cream I make “all the time” is actually called Chantilly cream. This is just the proper French name for sweetened whipped cream – as opposed to cream whipped without sugar. It has the same fluffy texture as plain whipped cream but a more luxurious flavour and an elegant satiny sheen. Basically, it’s a classier, tastier version of plain whipped cream!

All the things I use whipped cream for!

So many things! Here are just some ideas:

• decorate and fill cakes

• pipe onto cupcakes or mini cheesecakes

• fill éclairs, profiteroles and apple turnovers

• dollop or pipe on fruit

• serve with apple pie and other pies, and apple crumble

Stabilising whipped cream (won’t deflate for days!)

Stabilising whipped cream means giving it structure so the whipped cream has a longer shelf life. You know how ordinary whipped cream weeps and deflates overnight? If it’s stabilised, it won’t. It will stay fluffy and hold its piped shape (or in a bowl, ready to be piped) for 2 – 3 days.

Another benefit is that stabilised whipped cream will not squirt out when you take a bite of cream filled éclairs or apple turnovers. Because, don’t you just hate that!?

It tastes the same, has the same fluffy texture and looks the same as ordinary whipped cream. So there’s really no point showing you a photo of stabilised whipped cream – because it looks exactly the same!

How to stabilise WHIPPED 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.

Mascarpone is a thick Italian cream with a consistency like cream cheese but a flavour like whipped cream. When whipped with cream, it becomes light and fluffy like whipped cream but it holds its form for much longer than whipped cream.

Unlike other methods of stabilising cream (cornflour/cornstarch, gelatine, pudding mix – ick!), using mascarpone does not alter the flavour or mouthfeel of the whipped cream. It also produces the most reliable result. In contrast, we found that some other methods, like cornflour/cornstarch, produced unreliable results.

Yep, we tested all the common methods. And discarded them all.

Mascarpone is the BEST way to make stabilised cream!

And onwards, to the recipe!

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Ingredients

All you need is cream, vanilla and icing sugar (powdered sugar) to make whipped cream (Chantilly Cream). For the stabilised option, you will also need mascarpone cream. Some notes on each of these ingredient is below the photo!

• Cream – Heavy / thickened cream, or cream suitable for whipping (the carton should say). Here in Australia, there are also pouring creams which which will not whip. Such creams are clearly labelled as such!

  Make sure your cream is fridge cold. Warm cream won’t whip!

• Vanilla – For the best flavour, use vanilla beans. Else, in order of preference, vanilla bean paste (which has the little vanilla specks in it), vanilla extract and lastly, vanilla essence (which is the most economical because it is artificial – and tastes as such).

• Icing sugar / powdered sugar – This is used to sweeten the cream. It’s finer and lighter than caster sugar (superfine sugar) so it dissolves more easily and adds a slightly more delicate sweetness to the cream compared to ordinary sugar.

  However, caster sugar (superfine sugar) can be used in a pinch. The quantity to use is in the recipe.

• Mascarpone cream (for stabilised cream option) – This is a very thick, rich Italian cream that has a consistency like softened cream cheese (see video for consistency). Once whipped with ordinary cream, the whipped cream is as light and fluffy as usual and it doesn’t alter the flavour or mouthfeel at all.

  But because, unlike whipping cream, it is thicker and “sets” in the fridge, it gives the whipped cream more structure. Meaning when you bite into something like an eclair, the cream does not squirt out the other end (as much!). And if you decorate a cake with the whipped cream it won’t weep and deflate overnight, like ordinary whipped cream.

  Australians – do NOT use generic home brands (like Woolworths) as I have experienced problems with them in Tiramisu. They are not “authentic” so they break and become runny when stirred so they won’t firm up again once chilled and therefore won’t stabilise the whipped cream. Use good brands such as:

  • La Casa Formaggio Mascarpone (Woolworths)

  • Montefiore Mascarpone Cheese (Coles)

  • Formaggio Zanetti (Harris Farms)

  • Latteria Sociale Mantova (Harris Farms, pictured below)

  • Any from an Italian deli

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How to make whipped cream (Chantilly cream(

Whether you are making plain or stabilised whipped cream, the method is the same:

1. Beat – Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat on high speed with a handheld electric beater or stand mixer. Move the beater around the bowl and if need be, stop once or twice to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.

2. Fluffy with peaks – Beat for 1 1/2 minutes (for 1 cup of cream) until it becomes fluffy and you have peaks that stand straight upright, as pictured above. The more cream you start with, the longer it will take. As a guide, 2 cups of cream takes about 2 minutes.

   Do not beat for ages else you’ll end up with butter! (Really, I’m not kidding. Butter is made from cream – just beat for ages and butter will form!) But before butter, the cream will become chunky and look a bit lumpy.

And that’s it! Ready to spread onto cakes, pipe onto cupcakes or dollop on bowls of fruit!

How to store whipped cream

Plain, non-stabilised whipped cream is best whipped just before serving. It will start to deflate and “melt” a bit after around 1 hour (sooner, on hot days). Having said that though, it is still fine to eat for however long the shelf life of the tub of cream you used is. It’s just that the cream will be deflated!

How to store and use stabilised whipped cream

Stabilised whipped cream will keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge and will hold its piped form (on, say, cupcakes) or stay fluffy and ready for piping/spreading for 2 days, sometimes 3 days.

• Once whipped, do not stir prior to use as it will break the cream and make it runny.

• Piped and spread – Stabilised whipped cream can be piped or spread onto cupcakes, cakes etc then refrigerated like that and it will hold its piped form.

• Store in whipped form – It can also be stored in whipped form then used on the day of. It depends on what you are making as some desserts are best assembled just prior to serving, like Pavlovas, Strawberries and Cream and fruit topped desserts like Mini Cheesecakes.

• For dolloping (on cakes, pies etc): Store in air tight containers in the fridge. Remember, resist the urge to stir prior to use!

• For piping: Fill piping bags with stabilised whipped cream. Remove excess air and secure the end with a rubber band. Refrigerate overnight.

• Piping tips: If you only have one piping bag, you can put the nozzle in that piping bag then fill with cream. See below for one piping tip for multiple piping bags.

• Double-bagging method for piping tips: This is a method to use one piping tip for multiple piping bags of cream (or frosting, for that matter!). Place a nozzle in a piping bag. Then place a cream filled bag inside the nozzle piping bag and pipe away! Then remove the empty bag and repeat with remaining cream-filled piping bags.

TOP TIP: I always store stabilised whipped cream in piping bags. Whether piping into swirls using a piping tip, spreading on cakes, dolloping on pavlova or bowls of fruit, it’s just so much faster to disperse than using spoons! Plus you do not have to resist the urge to stir.

Hope you find the stabilised whipped cream trick handy! These days, I pretty much always stabilise my cream when I use it to decorate cakes and cupcakes because this way I can make ahead, and know that leftovers will be as great as they were when freshly made. It’s been a game-changing tip! – Nagi x

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Watch how to make it