Chantilly (chan-tilly or shahn-tilly), noun: Sweetened and flavored whipped cream.
Isn't it nice to know that there's a name for everything, even the simple whipped cream that home cooks have made for eons?
Word of Mouth: Chantilly Cream
Chantilly cream is traditionally whipped cream sweetened with a bit of sugar and then flavored with either vanilla extract or brandy. Of course, there's nothing stopping us from adding any other kind of extract from almond to licorice if we want to! For a fruit flavor, we'll also fold in a few tablespoons of fruit puree or jam.
For the history buffs among us, Francois Vatel is the chef largely credited with developing and popularizing this whipped cream preparation. He was chef at Chateau de Chantilly in northern France during the 1600's.
For every cup of cream, we tend to add at least 2 Tablespoons of granulated or confectioner's sugar along with a teaspoon of flavoring. Whip the cream until it's thickened and forms soft peaks, add the sugar and flavoring, and then continue whipping until stiff peaks have formed.
Since learning this word, we love illuminating our dinner guests: "That's no ordinary whipped cream you're eating. No, that's chantilly whipped cream!"
Related: What's the Difference? Half-and-Half, Light Cream, Heavy Cream, and Whipping Cream
(Image: Flickr member quintanaroo licensed under Creative Commons)
Comments (7)
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I only recently heard it referred to as chantilly cream, but this is the only way my mom EVER made whipped cream. Plain whipped cream tastes like bland butter to me. I put about 1/4 cup or so of sugar in it, maybe a little less, and I always use granulated sugar; the powdered kind doesn't really sweeten it, I find, and I do like the slight grit granulated sugar gives. Also, if you want to make some lovely chocolate whipped cream, add a tbsp or so of cocoa with the sugar - fantastic.
view little_melly's profile
The picture kind of looks like mayo. Don't get me wrong, I'd even eat THAT straight out of the bowl but I does not look like whip cream.
view Comicgeek's profile
In Brazil they serve this with coffee.
view spossberg's profile
I use caster sugar instead of confectioner's or granulated. Caster is just a little finer than granulated and only makes it's way out for Chantilly, baby. I just got done sing "Chantilly Lace had a pretty face...." to my adoring, goofy smiling son. Ooh, I think I am going to make some tonight with homemade angel food cake and fresh strawberries.
view mamaspank's profile
that seems like a lot of sugar. i think i use only about a Tablespoon to about a pint of cream (whatever the TJ's plastic container is) but I don't like sweets that much.
view Joan in SB's profile
It takes a lot more confectioner's sugar to get the same level of sweetness as granulated. But granulated sugar doesn't dissolve well in cold cream. So use "superfine" sugar. Instead of paying through the nose for a box of it at the grocery store, spin some regular granulated sugar in the food processor, and voila!
view cara_mia's profile
This sounds like one of those things that makes every dessert on the menu sound that little bit better. Since I generally make it like this anyway (but brandy, now that's an idea!) I'm going to start offering guests Chantilly cream instead of whipped cream on desserts. At least it'll set it apart from (ew) frozen whipped toppings.
view whytephoenix's profile