homemade whipped cream

If you’ve never made your own homemade whipping cream, consider that there is no time like the present!  Honestly, this is one of those things where the extra time and effort will be more than worth it. The “real deal” is far tastier and impressive than that stuff you get in a can. Homemade whipped cream is a lovely accompaniment to almost any dessert (cakes, brownies, tarts, pies), not to mention cup of hot chocolate. You can also slice up some berries or other favorite fruit and throw some of this goodness on top (store-bought pound or angel food cake also go nicely in this mix).

You’ll need a pint of heavy whipping cream, a stand mixer(or really buff arms), powdered sugar, and optional flavoring, like vanilla. You can use other extracts, of course (I like almond), or go fancy and use liquor—rum, Kahlua, Grand Marnier, Amaretto, Bailey’s–the options are endless!

Before you whip, make sure your cream is nice and cold—warm cream takes longer to whip up. I also like to refrigerate the mixer bowl & whisk attachment (throw them in the freezer if you’ve got room). Wait until the cream forms soft peaks before adding the sugar (about ¼ cup per pint) and any flavoring (1-2 tsp is enough). Whip to desired firmness; store in an airtight container in the fridge for just a few days.