Extraordinary Homemade Whipped Cream: Recipes, Tips & Tricks

Why buy canned whipped cream when it is so easy to whip your own cream at home? There are many delicious ways that you can make your dessert exceptional with some simple special touches to the whipped cream. Here are some tips and tricks to bring your whipped cream over the top. You certainly can't find fresh mint leaf whipped cream or whipped cream infused with Godiva Original Chocolate Liqueur and cocoa powder in a can!

We will start with a basic recipe for whipped cream, so that you have a base to work from. Read through the variations below to decide what to add to the basic recipe to perfectly complement your chosen dessert.

Basic Whipped Cream Recipe:

enough for at least 8 dessert servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preparation:

1. Mix the liquid ingredients in a bowl. Mix any additional dry ingredients with the powdered sugar then mix the dry ingredient mixture with the liquid ingredients.

2. Whip the mixture with an electric hand mixer until raised peaks form in it and hold their shape. It should take about four minutes (or much longer if using a manual hand mixer or whisk).

3. Serve over your dessert and enjoy!

Special Whipped Cream Variations

There are endless ways to bring the basic recipe above to exciting new levels. Many sorts of ingredients work well as additives. Some of the more common ones are flavored liqueurs, extracts, spices, and powders. A liqueur is a sweet alcoholic beverage that is flavored in various ways. An extract is an alcoholic solution containing a percentage of true essence from a fruit, nut, herb, spice, etc. You can also use straight spices or even fruits or herbs ground into a paste. Citrus zest works well, or cocoa powder, and other even more unusual ingredients. You can be very creative.

Think of what sort of flavors would complement the dessert that you have prepared. Mint or raspberry with dark chocolate? Rum with strawberries, cherries, or peaches? Chai spice with pumpkin or apple pie? Orange or almond with chocolate?

Also, think about presentation. Three drops of food coloring can give your whipped cream a pastel color. If using chocolate, sprinkle with cocoa powder or dark chocolate shavings. Drizzle with raspberry syrup or caramel if appropriate. Use fresh mint leaves, orange zest, or berries as a garnish for an appropriate dish.

Below you will find several suggestions and tips for different ingredients that will beautifully enhance the above recipe. Be creative!

Rum or Bourbon Whipped Cream:

Rum or bourbon whipped cream goes very well with fruit-based desserts like strawberry shortcake, fruit pies, peaches, and cherries. Use the above recipe and add 1 1/2 tablespoon rum or bourbon whiskey to it. You can garnish with whatever fruits are used in the desert, if desired.

Chai Whipped Cream:

Chai whipped cream goes well with pumpkin pie, apple pie, or other spiced desserts. Add 1/2 teaspoon chai extract to the basic recipe above. Garnish it with a dusting of cinnamon.

Fresh Mint Whipped Cream:

Mint has long been a friend to chocolate-based desserts like brownies, chocolate ice cream, mousse, or chocolate torte. Use the basic whipped cream recipe and add to it 1/2 teaspoon mint extract and 1 tablespoon mint paste made from fresh mint leaves (crush the leaves with a mortar and pestle). Use mint leaves to garnish.

Whipped Cream Flavored with Jam:

Use the above recipe but reduce the sugar to 2 to 3 tablespoons and add 2 tablespoons fruit jam of your choice to complement your dessert.

Whipped Cream with Flavored Liqueur:

Here is a list of ways to use several different delicious flavored liqueurs in whipped cream. Just pick one that will complement your dessert and add the suggested portions to the basic recipe above:

• Godiva Original Chocolate Liqueur (dark chocolate), use 1 tablespoon with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder. Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder.
• Grande Marnier orange liqueur (1 1/2 tablespoons) with 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, garnish with orange zest or candied orange.
• Chambord Liqueur Royale de France (raspberry flavored). If used by itself, use 1 1/2 tablespoon. If you have fresh raspberries, make 1/2 tablespoon fresh raspberry paste and use only 1 tablespoon of Chambord. Serve with fresh raspberries if desired, or garnish with raspberry syrup.
• Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, use 1 1/2 tablespoons. Garnish with crushed hazelnuts.
• Kahlua coffee liqueur, use 1 1/2 tablespoons.
• Baileys Irish Cream liqueur, use 1 1/2 tablespoons.
• Amaretto liqueur tastes like almonds and is made from an infusion of the pits of drupe fruits such as almonds, peaches, and apricots. Use 1 1/2 tablespoons. Garnish with crushed almonds.

Savory Whipped Creams

This article deals with sweet whipped creams used for desserts, but I wanted to briefly touch on another sort of whipped cream. For a very different variation, consider savory whipped creams. They are not sweet. Instead of over dessert, they are served with dishes such as cold soups like gazpacho, thicker hot soups in general (especially bisques, fresh oysters, pates, and tartars. For instance, a salted truffled whipped cream, or a pistachio whipped cream. There are many variations, and if these sound appealing to you, a quick Google LINK search for "savory whipped cream" will give you a lot of information.

How to Store Whipped Cream

Whipped cream will keep for a couple of days if you cover it and store it in the refrigerator.