When Megan wrote about stabilizing whipped cream with crème fraîche, many readers commented with their own tricks for making whipped cream that lasts using additions like melted butter or marshmallows. Curious, I decided to put a handful of these methods to the test, whipping up batches using the recommended additions and seeing how well they held up in the refrigerator over the course of an afternoon.
A couple hours and several pints of heavy cream later, I have great news: it turns out the most effective way to make long-lasting whipped cream is also the easiest.
In total, I made six different batches of whipped cream. I tested three additions recommended in reader comments: melted butter, melted marshmallows and dry instant vanilla pudding mix. I also tried the addition of crème fraîche. And I made two batches with no additions beyond powdered sugar and a little vanilla extract, one whipped using an immersion blender with the whisk attachment, the other using a mini chopper. (All the other batches were made with the immersion blender and I added a little powdered sugar and vanilla to all except the vanilla pudding mix batch.) I checked on each batch after one hour and then two hours. All of the above photos were taken after two hours in the refrigerator.
Let's talk about my ideal whipped cream, so you know what I was looking for. Fluffy, light and smooth, but firmly holding its shape when dolloped — that is the whipped cream I want on my pies and cakes.
Here are my observations from each method, from least to most successful.
Melted marshmallow: I have no results for this method, as I was never able to melt a marshmallow without it cooling and shriveling up into a desiccated husk that spun around whole in the bowl of heavy cream. It may be that the marshmallows I had on hand were too old and dried out for this method, or perhaps marshmallow fluff is the way to go. Feel free to leave any recommendations in the comments, if you have successfully made whipped cream with this addition.
Dry instant vanilla pudding: Instant vanilla pudding powder was not my friend in this test. I overwhipped the first batch in an attempt to incorporate all the flecks of powder and, after tossing out that round, ultimately gave up on fully incorporating all the powder in the next batch for fear of overwhipping again. The pudding powder-enhanced whipped cream came together much more quickly than any other type, and was mostly smooth, with a not-overpowering vanilla sweetness.
But one hour later, it was a different story. The cream had become unpleasantly firm after refrigeration, and had developed a strange, artificial taste and noticeably yellow color. Although it was soft just after whipping, it now looked overwhipped and chunky. It was indeed long-lasting, staying just as firmly whipped for 24 hours or more, but I was reminded of artificial whipped topping rather than real whipped cream. Perhaps using a smaller amount of powder would produce better results, but the artificial ingredients and coloring of the instant pudding keep me from wanting to explore this option further.
Melted butter: If increasing the fat content of whipped cream is supposed to make it better able to hold its shape over time, adding a little butter seems like a natural solution. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a way to add cooled, melted butter to cold heavy cream that didn't cause the butter to seize up into tiny, solidified chunks. I initially poured all the butter in at once before whipping, which resulted in an overwhipped mess that had to be tossed. For the second batch, I poured in a thin stream of butter as I was whipping, but there were still noticeable flecks of butter throughout.
This whipped cream held its shape well after two hours in the fridge, but the not-quite-smooth texture did not improve.
Crème fraîche: This whipped cream was soft and billowy, with a definite crème fraîche tang. I tasted it before adding the powdered sugar and vanilla and found it a little too sharp, but once it was sweetened, the tanginess was rounded out pleasantly. Because of the pronounced flavor, this would not be an all-purpose whipped cream for me, but I can see using it on rich chocolate cakes or other heavy desserts that pair well with the refreshing zip of crème fraîche.
After an hour, this batch had softened slightly, but still held its peaks. After two hours, it was the softest of all the batches I tested, but not to the point of appearing wet or leaky. Although not as firm as the butter batch, I preferred the smoothness of this whipped cream.
Mini chopper & immersion blender: Since writing about using a food processor or mini chopper to whip cream, it has become my go-to technique for quick, long-lasting whipped cream. But I think the immersion blender may be my new favorite tool, as it seems to whip the cream more uniformly than the mini chopper, without the occasional wet spots where the chopper's blades didn't reach. Both tools produced whipped cream that was soft, smooth and fluffy, with firm peaks.
After an hour and even two hours, the whipped cream batches made with the mini chopper and the immersion blender maintained their shape and texture, looking as good as when they were freshly whipped.
The winner! Making whipped cream with an immersion blender is the most effective way I found to make long-lasting, perfectly textured whipped cream. It's also the most straightforward, with no special ingredients needed, aside from optional sugar or flavorings. I like to add about 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract per half cup of heavy whipping cream for a little extra sweetness and flavor.
Are there any other methods you recommend for long-lasting whipped cream?
More Whipped Cream Tips & Tricks:
• Kitchen Hack: Make Whipped Cream in a French Press
• Longer-Lasting Whipped Cream? Try Manufacturing Cream
• Food Science: How Whipped Cream Whips
• How To Make Whipped Cream from a Can of Coconut Milk
(Images: Anjali Prasertong)
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I make my whipped cream with nothing but whipping cream and some powdered sugar and some vanilla and it stays pretty well. I've kept it for maybe a day and a half at most(in the fridge of course) without any issues.
Perhaps I am over-whipping though, I do like it a little thick.
If your melting marshmallows in whipping cream the cream has to be cooked and melted with the marshmallow. I would assume the same goes for the butter.
@davvik: And then is the cream chilled before whipping? Or is it able to be whipped at room temperature? I can see the melted marshmallow not solidifying after being chilled, but not the butter.
YES!
If you heat the cream it will separate, no? I assume the marshmallow and the vanilla pudding are for the gelatin... if you used less would that be better?
I find the best way is to use a high-butterfat cream. I use a 40% manufacturing cream without stabilizers (Berkeley Farms, I can buy it at Smart and Final) and it lasts for days with no problem.
In restaurants, we would whip the cream with vanilla and powdered sugar and then place the whipped cream in a paper-towel lined colander set over a bowl. The excess water is wicked away.
Another option for the marshmallow trick (which I use at home) is to add a tablespoon of marshmallow creme along with the powdered sugar per cup of cream.
...forgot to mention that the colander of whipped cream is placed in the icebox until needed. We would keep it like that for hours.
@SarahJ: Why is the whipping cream without stabilizers more stable? That just seems odd to me.
Personally, I just put icing sugar, whipping cream and a bit of vanilla in a mason jar and shake it for a minute until it stops sloshing about :)
@Ken, I don't think she said they were less stable, but that they weren't very pleasant. The idea of sprinkling jello powder into whipped cream is, to me, very off-putting. The chunks and bits problem is the biggie--who wants little flecks of stabilizer in what's supposed to be a pillowy sweet cloud?
I whip my cream with ONLY flavorings (powdered sugar, vanilla, etc.) added.
If I want to hold it more than an hour or two, I put it in a colander over a bowl, cover the whole enchilada, and keep it in the fridge.
There's no need for a paper towel or anything else to line the colander. The cream is thick enough that it won't go through the holes. Only the whey will drip out and that's what you want.
The biggest reason I would make my own whipped cream, aside from the superior taste, would be to use organic heavy cream and not have a bunch of artificial stuff in it...like marshmallows or pudding mix.
I get the best results if I chill my glass bowl and the beaters (or whisk) in the freezer during dinner- makes the cream beat up faster, and gives it a nice firm set without worrying about overbeating.
Also, a friend told me that I should investigate getting a copper bowl just for this purpose- I guess something about the metal helps to aerate the cream better...
I like using the Wilton method. It doesn't result in any "off" flavors. (Add pudding or marshmallows and you might as well use Kool Whip.)
The stabilized whipped cream will last for days. I only use the method when I am making a rich cake that will sit in the fridge for awhile, not for cream that will be eaten the same day.
http://www.food.com/recipe/wilton-stabilized-whipped-cream-79506
And I'll also mention that I rarely add that much sugar to whipped cream. (The recipe calls for 1/4 cup.) I prefer being able to taste the cream, so I usually add 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar to 1 cup of whipped cream. No one's complained yet that the cream isn't sweet enough.
I suspect you were going the wrong way around with the butter. I'd probably try whipping the butter first, as if you were making buttercream frosting.
Once the butter is light and fluffy, it should be a lot easier to add the liquid into it, especially if you start with a small drizzle and incorporate it slowly.
Uh, what? I've never heard of any of these additions, and they don't sound like they'd make a truly stable whipped cream.
The way the pastry pros do it is to add a tiny bit of gelatin (rehydrated in water first)...just enough to firm the cream up a little and help hold its shape without being too firm. This is probably where the marshmallow thing comes from. Seriously, just use the plain gelatin, it's easy.
The Wilton recipe listed above gives the directions and quantities for using gelatin. Make sure it doesn't set up before you add it to the cream, though!
First, I always use white sugar, rather than powdered sugar. No reason other than I much prefer the taste of white sugar. Also, sometimes I add 1 tbsp of cocoa and make chocolate whipped cream. When you do that, the whipped cream is VERY stable - the texture is noticeably different from plain whipped cream, but in a good way.
Also, my mom and I found out by accident that if you use a glass bowl, the whipped cream will last much longer than if you use a metal or plastic bowl. On the odd occasions that whipped cream manages to live longer than an hour without getting eaten, it lasts for a good day in the glass bowl.
Seconding (or thirding?) using a little plain gelatin. Good for days, doesn't mess with the flavor. However, it's not kosher/halal anymore, which can be a pain, depending on who I'm cooking for.
I only use powdered sugar and sometimes vanilla. The only thing I make with whipped cream that lasts longer than eating it right then and there is pavlova. The pav with its whipped cream topping is kept in the fridge in a covered cake holder for up to 2 to 3 days and the cream stays firm.
I use powdered sugar: works every time.
Kealoha you are right. My late mother always stored her stainless steel bowl and beaters in the freezer. Great whiped cream very quickly.
Right, I meant that I don't like stabilizers and with at high-fat cream you don't need them.
You never mention how much instant pudding you're using. My general rule is a packet of pudding to 2 cups of cream will yield you (when set) a thick (thicker than a sturdy buttercream) more mousselike filling which is fantastic for filling cakes. If you want to stabilize whipped cream, you whip cream like normal and for 2 cups, I'd sprinkle a tsp or so on the cream as its whipping in soft peak stage. Sounds like you added way too much.