My friend Ali texted me this AM. She said she’ll make the gingerbread pudding cake for Thanksgiving, especially since the ready made box somehow failed her. (She said she followed directions but may have substituted milk for oil or butter for oil – not sure.) She then asked…do I have to whip fresh cream? I said YES! I told her sooo easy and for some reason people seem really scared of this. She said Betty Crocker probably thought her box was easy too. Funny. But this really is. I can’t tell you how many people are impressed by home made whipped cream, it is nutty to me, only because it is not tricky at all. And it is so good. You put the cold cream in a bowl, add a little sugar and whip. Voila. There you go. OK, some dirty dishes…but come on!
I like my cream on the not too sweet side – especially if I’m serving it with something sweet. But fiddle as you like and to your taste.
freshly whipped cream (double this if making for a crowd, or want left over for fresh fruit – usually do):
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 teaspoons – 1 tablespoon sugar (more or less depending on your taste and the sweet you are pairing it with – I usually go with about 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
In bowl of stand mixer (with whisk attachment) or with hand held beaters – or with a hand held whisk (this is how we did it at the bakery and boy did my arms look good after whipping 3 quarts of cream, three times in a row for a triple chocolate moose cake – but those days are long gone). Moving on…
Place the cold cream and sugar into the bowl (make sure the bowl is not warm from the dishwasher or sitting out in the hot sun :)) – and whisk on medium high speed until it starts to thicken – add the vanilla if desired and whip it in.
I actually like to whip the rest end by hand, so I have more control and so as not to over whip the cream (which is awful – looks curdled). But continue in the machine if you like – just watch it. The cream should have flow – whip just to a soft peak. Enjoy immensely-
