(pictured here)
makes two cups
I grew up eating dollops of “whipped topping” on all our desserts, so the first time I made real whipped cream for a homemade pie, I was absolutely certain I had crossed over into Julia Child territory. But here’s the secret—making your own whipped cream is hardly any more work than pulling those tubs of fake stuff out of the freezer. Plus, it tastes heaps better and contains plenty of good, healthy fat.
1 cup chilled heavy cream (either raw or pasteurized)
1 to 2 teaspoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, if using a handheld mixer, or in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine all the ingredients. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. Serve immediately.
kitchen notes • If you don’t have maple syrup, substitute 2 teaspoons organic powdered sugar or 2 teaspoons honey instead.
Homemade whipped cream is especially decadent when served atop homemade Butterscotch Pudding, Honey Pumpkin Pie, or an ice-cold Pumpkin Pie Milkshake.
Whipped cream is one of my very favorite cake frostings. It’s lighter than buttercream frosting, yet still adds a wonderful decadence to homemade cakes. If you plan to serve a cake immediately, use the above recipe as is. If the cake will be sitting for a day or two before serving, stabilize it with a bit of gelatin so the cream doesn’t get all flat and sad: In a small, oven-safe bowl, sprinkle ½ teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin over 1 tablespoon water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Place the bowl containing the gelatin mixture into a saucepan filled with several inches of water and bring to a boil until the gelatin is completely melted. Cool completely, about 10 minutes, add to the unbeaten cream when you add the maple syrup and vanilla, and proceed as in the recipe above. Frost your cake immediately. Stabilized whipped cream will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.