The first time I ever whipped cream on my own was an adventure in how to make butter.  And it was good butter.  Only that was not what I needed to top the double-ring anniversary cake I had spent the whole as in ENTIRE day making as a surprise for my parents.  That, my friends, called for a dollop of WHIPPED cream, not whipped butter however delicious it might have been.

So I rode my trusty blue bicycle, once again, to the local market where we shopped to purchase yet one more half-pint of heavy cream.  By the time I had ridden the 2 miles back  to my Nonnie’s where I could use the “big” mixer, the cream was not quite  chilled as was called in the already-ancient Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook I was faithfully, or so I thought, following.  But. I was not to be deterred.  So thus began my adventure into the world of how to whip cream.

Or how NOT to whip cream. It just depends on how you view it, I suppose.

It’s not really as simple as they say, but yet it is.  The problem is the overly enthusiastic whipper.  Like me.

Don’t laugh. Or maybe you’re just remembering doing the very same thing.

Before you even think about whipping cream, chill the beaters and  glass mixing bowl s in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, preferably several hours. Typically, I keep the beaters to my portable mixer in the freezer along with a small mixing bowl at all times. It just makes my life a tad bit easier since I can’t seem to remember to do that whenever I really need to whip some cream.

Start whipping the cream on slow speed unless you want to take a whipping cream bath that is. Once the cream has thickened slightly, begin adding in confectioner’s sugar — or not — some think you don’t need to sweeten it. Me? I like a little added sweetness if I’m using the whipped cream as a garnish. By the way, a little cream goes a long way when it comes to whipping. So unless you want to be eating whipped cream for days upon end (which really isn’t a bad thing, ya‘ know), start with just a cup of really cold heavy (preferably not ultra pasteurized) cream.

I’m optional on added vanilla though. If you prefer to add vanilla, start with 1 teaspoon per cup of heavy cream added when you begin adding the confectioner’s sugar.

After the sugar has been added, turn your mixer to its highest speed and whip the cream until stiff peaks are formed. Once those peaks are standing like little soldiers, stop. Otherwise, if you keep beating, you’ll end up with some gem-dandy butter. 

Trust me. I speak from experience.

Click on the photo to get the recipe for this Peppermint Dark Hot Chocolate topped with perfectly prepared Whipped Cream.