Homemade Whipped Cream

 Just a little post to follow up yesterday's pumpkin pie recipe, here's the recipe for making homemade whipped cream.  Making your own whipped cream is so easy, quick, and tastes a thousand times better than anything store bought! 

 Begin by pouring heavy whipping cream in the bowl of your stand mixer, or in a mixing bowl if you are using a hand mixer.  You can find heavy whipping cream in the dairy section at the grocery store, right next to the milk and half and half.

Turn your mixer on high speed and whip the cream.  You'll notice little frothy bubbles right away.  It's tempting to walk away from the mixer, but stay nearby, because you want to turn the mixer off at the right time.  If you keep whipping, you'll end up with something resembling butter before you know it! 

 Turn the mixer off immediately when you notice soft peaks forming.  It's time to add the sweetener and again, you don't want to overmix. 

 I typically add a little vanilla extract...

...and some granulated sugar.  I use just a little sugar because I like the whipped cream to complement the dessert, not overpower it.  However, that's just my own opinion... you can always add more sweetener if that's your preference. 

 Turn your mixer back on just briefly on low speed to mix in the sugar and vanilla.  You may want to use a spatula beforehand to immerse the sugar and vanilla in the cream.  Whip it just long enough to form peaks again. If you place your finger on the cream, the indentation will remain.  

Use a spatula to transfer the cream from the mixing bowl to a serving bowl.  Melt in your mouth! 

Another option for a sweetener is using maple syrup instead of granulated sugar.  This is how I sweetened the cream for the pumpkin pie and the maple flavor was delicious. 

Homemade whipped cream complements so many desserts... pies, cobblers, crisps, even just fresh berries.  Give it a try - you will never be able to buy store bought whipped cream again!

This recipe can easily be doubled, halved, etc.  The whipped cream also refrigerates well, so you can definitely make this a few hours beforehand.

 

Homemade Whipped Cream Ingredients

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

(Yields almost 1 cup)

Maple Flavored Whipped cream Ingredients

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

(Yields almost 1 cup)