Who doesn’t enjoy whipped cream? It’s the perfect topping for fresh fruit, mixed with agave nectar for a cream pie, and so much more.
Today’s article will share how to whip cream using a hand mixer. You could do so by using only a few ingredients and a couple of steps.
How to Make Whipped Cream from Scratch: Step-By-Step Guide
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Whipping cream
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar or granulated sugar
Step 1: Measure Your Ingredients
You might not need to measure out each ingredient exactly, but as a general rule, 120 grams of cream will typically serve around eight portions of whipped cream. Specific recipes may call for more or less, but it’s so easy to make whipping cream that you can quickly whip up some more if you run out.
When it comes to adding sugar, we love to taste it throughout the process to make sure it’s sweet enough. Don’t add your sugar too fast; you can always add more, but you can’t take it out again!
Step 2: Use a Whisk Beater on Your Hand Mixer
The next step is to use the correct whisk attachment for your hand mixer, and we recommend using a whisk beater for the best results. They look like two small whisks and will slot into the end of your mixer.
Step 3: Power on the Hand Mixer
Then, place the whisks into the mixture and turn the hand beater onto a medium setting. Please make sure you only turn on the hand mixer when it is in the cream.
Otherwise, you will make a big mess. Begin whipping, and move the hand mixer around in small circles around the bowl, ensuring that you whisk all the ingredients, including on all sides.
Step 4: Continuing Whisking
You may need to whisk for up to four minutes, depending on the consistency you’re looking for. You’ll need at least two minutes of whisking for thick homemade whipped cream. Any less, and the whipped cream will be light and running rather than thick and creamy.
You’ll know that you’ve whisked the homemade whipped cream enough when it can remain in shape in a spoon. If the whipped cream begins to fall off the spoon, you need to continue whisking.
Step 5: Serve Immediately
For the best results, serve your homemade whipped cream immediately, as this is when it’s at its freshest.
You can place any leftovers in the refrigerator, but it won’t have the same consistency when you remove them later.
Play Around With New Flavours
Get adventurous with your whipped cream by adding lemon zest, almond extract, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, switching your sugar to brown sugar, etc.
Feel free to create chocolate whipped cream or plain whipped cream, ensuring that you consider what you’ll be serving with your whipped cream.
You can start whipping with all of these ingredients or stop and taste the flavour to add more to reach your preferred level of sweetness.
Make Whipped Cream by Hand
If you don’t have an electric hand mixer, you can still use a normal whisk for heavy-whipping double cream that’s just as delightful and creamy. We recommend placing a bowl and then whisking it in the freezer for one hour. Doing this will speed up the process, making your life easier.
Furthermore, it’ll take up to 10 minutes to perfectly whipped cream using a hand mixer. You might need to take regular intervals or ask someone to help you, but remember that more arm and wrist power increases the thickness, leading to delicious whipped cream from scratch.
Can You Make Whipped Cream in a Blender?
The short answer is yes. Making cream doesn’t have to be as long and tiring as using a whisk, so you might want to consider a more user-friendly alternative: a blender. The best blenders offer a variety of speed settings, giving you plenty of versatility to make heavy whipping cream.
Firstly, switch your blender to a low-speed setting to gently whisk all ingredients together and gradually begin to thicken the cream. ;
After several seconds, increase the speed setting to a medium-low speed, increase it to medium speed and gradually use the highest speed. These speed changes will add air to the whipped cream (this should only take up to 20 seconds). Pause every five seconds to monitor the cream’s thickness and guide yourself on whether you need to continue blending.
The Difference Between Heavy Cream and Heavy Whipped Cream
You’ve heard of both ingredients, but what’s the difference? Whipped cream contains around 30 to 35% milkfat, making it a lighter ingredient than heavy cream and heavy whipping cream.
Whipped cream’s lower fat content might not seem much different, but this impacts the overall richness and consistency.
Whipping cream’s lower fat content means it will never get perfectly stiff. So this is why you need to use a mixer for a thick consistency.
Tips for Making Homemade Whipped Cream
Aside from the above steps, below are some guidelines to help you achieve the best mouth-watering results.
Choose the Right Cream
To begin, you’ll need to choose the right whipped cream that contains at least 30% fat.
Lighter cream (which has a lower fat content) won’t create that heavy cream you’re looking for, so ditch these lower-fat options.
The thicker the cream to begin with, the less time it’ll require for whipping.
Mix in Other Ingredients
Get creative with your whipped cream by adding other ingredients into the mix. You might consider adding mascarpone, for example.
Just ensure that the ingredients you add have a high enough fat content. Otherwise, they won’t whip and create a thick texture.
Cool Your Ingredients and Utensils
The temperature of your cream and mixing bowl matters. Around 30 minutes before you plan on making whipped cream, place the cream and chilled bowl into the refrigerator.
This chilling action will work in your favour and require less work. Plus, the colder the cream, the more efficiently it can work at capturing air bubbles created during the whipping process.
This action helps to create a fluffy foam. For the best results, choose a metal bowl, which gets colder quicker.
Whip Slow and Controlled
We get it; you’re impatient and want perfect whipped cream now. But the process requires patience. You will want to make whipped cream into soft peaks; instead of hammering the whisk into the mixture, whip slowly, using controlled motions.
You should avoid over whipping, which is when the cream becomes too stiff and hard to stir. You’ll also notice that it’ll embody a grainy texture, which is your first indication to stop.
Don’t Make Too Much Whipped Cream
You’re excited and prefer to make too much-whipped cream than too little. But whipped cream doesn’t maintain its perfect consistency when left in the fridge or on the side. They may lose their peaks and fluffiness, so try to stick to the exact amount you need. Moreover, consider that the cream will double in quantity, so you might need less than you thought.
Consider Your Peaks
A common mistake in making whipped cream is not considering your peaks by over whipping the cream. Once your cream has reached a velvety consistency, it only takes a couple of seconds more to become too stiff and grainy.
At this point, you’ll need to remain careful of firm peaks, which isn’t the desired result you’ll want.
Instead, the best-whipped cream is between soft peaks and stiff peaks. It happens when it wilts and can’t hold its shape. This is great for topping desserts or serving cakes.
However, it’s easier said than done not to over whip your cream. To prevent this, you use a medium whipped cream with high-fat content and add your chosen sugar to the mixture before you begin whipping.
This allows the whipped cream to form its peaks better. If you notice that the cream is becoming grainy as it thickens and you think you might have over whipped, add more cream (a little at a time) and whisk until it creates a smoother texture.
Presentation
We previously mentioned that it’s best not to whip your cream in advance and store it in the fridge. But you can make whipped cream by whipping it for a couple of minutes and allowing it to sit in the refrigerator and form soft peaks. Then, when it’s time to serve to guests, you can whip several more times to make whipped cream that’s to everyone’s liking.
Enjoy Making Whipped Cream by Hand
You now know how to whip cream using a hand mixer with these tips.
Overall, for the perfect whipped cream, ensure that you buy cream with high-fat content, whip slowly and eat immediately.
Do you have a whipped cream recipe that you’d love to share? If so, leave your recommendations in the comments.
