Learn how to make perfect whipped cream with this easy recipe. This vanilla whipped cream is sweetened with icing sugar and flavoured with vanilla bean paste for a lovely topping that can also be used as a filling or frosting for cakes.
In a bowl, using either an electric hand mixer or a balloon whisk, whip the cream to soft peaks.
Add the icing sugar and vanilla, and continue whipping until the whipping cream is thick, but supple. Use immediately. Do not overwhip.
Notes
Temperature is key when you whip cream. Make sure your cream is fridge-cold because cold cream will do a better job of trapping air in a foam than warm cream.
You can add a few ingredients to stabilize whipped cream. Your best bet is to add gelatin, either powdered gelatin or gelatin sheets, which will trap the water, preventing it from separating out upon storage. To do this, for ever cup of whipping cream, use ⅛ + ¼ teaspoon powdered gelatin or ½ sheet of leaf gelatin (~1.7 grams). For powdered gelatin, bloom it in cold milk, then heat it gently to melt the gelatin. For leaf gelatin, soften it in cold water, then squeeze the excess water and melt it in a small amount of cold milk (or cream) on low heat. Remember the melting temperature of gelatin is around 32 °C (90 °C). If you overheat the gelatin, you will damage the proteins, and it won't stabilize the cream properly. Let it cool slightly before incorporating with your whipped cream.
Althernative stabilizers are cream cheese or mascarpone. These will alter the flavour of the whipped cream slightly but they stabilize quite well! Start with 56 grams (2 ounces) of cream cheese or mascarpone, whipping until smooth before adding the cream.
To flavour whipped cream:
Vanilla - use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste interchangeably
Coffee - add a shot of cold espresso or use espresso powder
Chocolate - fold in cooled melted chocolate (watch how thick it will become as it sets! This is chocolate mousse!)
Lemon - fold in lemon curd
Tea - add finely chopped Earl Grey tea leaves (the taste will be subtle but the look is very pretty like on this Earl Grey chocolate tart!)
Alcohol - add a liqueur like Kahluà or Amaretto, or even brandy or cognac