Whipping cream, no doubt, is the easiest and most versatile type of frosting yet it is a little finicky to work with. While there are a variety of whipping cream available in the market, it is important that we know when and how to use and create different types of whipped cream frosting.
Whipping Cream, Heavy Cream or Double cream are names of similar products, made from dairy with fat percentage between 35-37%.
Whipping cream is know for its light, mild sweet taste and compliments most type of dessert and cakes. It is also served with pancakes and waffles, major ingredient in mousse and cream patessire and goes really well with flourless chocolate cake.
Type 1: Unsweetened Dairy Whipping Cream
The first is a dairy whipping cream with 34-35% fat. In some countries, they use 40% fat, which is totally fine. This type of whipping cream starts off as a liquid with white color but we will use a beater to stifle it and equip it with air.
Unsweetened Dairy Whipping Cream
1. Pour 1 cup of unsweetened dairy whipping cream into a mixing bowl.
2. Toss in 1/4 cup of confectioner’s sugar.
3. Start beating at a low speed to slowly incorporate the two ingredients. (TIP: it is best to put an ice bowl under the mixing bowl as this will make the frosting more stable and stiff. Alternatively you can chill the bowl, cream and whisk before you start whipping).
4. Once the mixture becomes thicker, you can speed up the beating.
5. To see if the whipped cream already has stiff peaks, turn the bowl over and lift the hand mixer. If the cream is stable and firm instead of being runny, it is ready to be refrigerated or used immediately.
Type 2: Sweetened Vegetarian Whipping Cream
If you plan to play safe, this type of whipping cream is perfect for you. The sweetened vegetarian whipping cream has a similar texture and procedure to a dairy whipping cream. However, their main difference lies in their nutritional and fat content because this type of whipping cream is already sweetened and has no dairy component to it as compared to the dairy one.
Sweetened Vegetarian whipping Cream
1. Put 1 cup of vegetarian whipping cream into a mixing bowl. (For this recipe, you do not need to add sugar because the whipping cream is already sweetened.)
3. Just like the first recipe above, start beating the cream at a low speed .
4. Once the mixture becomes thicker, you can speed up the beating.
5. Beat until stiff peaks are formed.
Type 3: Sachet Whipping Cream
This type of whipping cream is the most popular among the other types. It is easier and more convenient to make, not to mention that it is very accessible in the market. However, the challenge in this type of instant whipping cream is that it takes more time to stabilize and reach its stiff peak. Therefore, it has a tendency to be softer which is perfect for desserts like mousse rather than cakes and cupcakes.
Sachet Whipping Cream
1. Pour in 1/2 cup of cold milk in a mixing bowl.
2. Toss in 1 sachet of powdered whipping cream mix.
3. Just like the two recipes above, start beating at a low speed. This will make sure that your milk and powdered whipping cream will be well-incorporated.
4. Once the mixture becomes thicker, you can speed up the beating.
5. Continue beating until soft peaks are formed.
While whipping cream is the most versatile and beginner-friendly type of frosting, it cannot be used for an extensive type of pastry decoration. It is not as stable as other meringue based buttercream or American buttercream, whipping cream is sensitive to temperature and so it can melt down easily when exposed to warm temperature. Therefore, whipping cream frosting is great for short consumption only at a stable room temperature.
What can I use to stabilize whipped cream?
The best stabilizer for the Dairy whipping cream is subjective and depends on various factor, like temperature, whipping cream brand availability and quality and the use of it.
I have tried using corn flour or corn starch but I feel it is unnecessary and does not make much of a difference because mostly commercial icing sugar already contains corn starch.
Gelatin is another common stabilizer used in whipping cream but in my opinion it gives the texture of the mousse once set and also it needs to be used pretty quickly before it starts setting.
Last method which I prefer is stabilizing whipping cream by adding 50 grams of cream cheese or mascarpone cheese in 250 ml of whipping cream. This will be perfect to be used in swiss rolls, cakes and other decorative baked goodies.
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