How to Make Enough Whipped Cream for Dessert
If fresh whipped cream has one drawback – an otherwise ideal and surprisingly versatile product – it must be whipped just before serving. It’s okay on any day other than Thanksgiving, but trying to track down the mixer while people crowd around and ask about the pie adds an extra layer of chaos to an already chaotic situation.
This is where stabilized whipped cream comes in handy. With the addition of a gelling agent or thickener, you can whip cream that remains airy and creamy for several days without smudging or melting. In professional bakeries, whipped cream is usually stabilized with gelatin, but there is a cheaper, simpler and more affordable option: milk powder. Its high protein content helps these firm peaks stay that way, and unlike gelatin, it is vegetarian.
The recipe is extremely simple. For every pint of very cold heavy cream – be sure to buy “heavy” cream or “heavy whipping cream” with the maximum percentage of milk fat – you will need about a tablespoon of skimmed milk powder. Any brand will do; just add it with sugar and / or vanilla and beat as usual. Whether it’s cooked the night before or in the morning, you’ll have a thick whipping cream that can be eaten in a tube that will hold its shape in dessert, as well as in every subsequent late pie snack.