Stabilizing whipping cream

[CanadianBakin']

The "heavy" cream at our grocery stores is only 33% fat so that may be a big part of the equation.

[chefpeon]

Then there's the organic cream that I'd like to use (we're big on organic items at home) but they all have carageenan and sodum citrate (or somesuch)...that whips really stiffly, but I don't like that it's got additives. Should I just get over it?

Here's my take on it.

I used to be able to get a nice heavy cream from a dairy in Vancouver, WA (Andersen's) that was at 40 percent butterfat. Whipped up nice. Tasted good. No weird-ass additives. I'd buy that in a heartbeat if I could. But, I'm at the whim of my suppliers, and I can't get that up here. I can't get any "natural" cream from my suppliers that has that high percentage of butterfat. So I hopped on the Carageenan Carousel because I can't get anything else. In my heart, I know it's got "stuff" in it, and that kinda bugs me in a small way, but you know, it works, I can depend on it, it really DOESN'T taste bad (on the contrary!), it holds well, doesn't break easily......those are all pluses in my book. So yeah, I just kinda sucked it in and got over it.......

[digigirl]

I'd like to add my vote to the request for a demo on this.

Based on the conversation here, I'd say I probably haven't been whipping mine enough - as suggested, I'm always afraid I'm going to end up with butter! Next time, I will try whipping longer.

Another question though - could climate have anything to do with it? I live in Houston - very humid here. Would humidity, or lack thereof, affect how long the cream will remain stable before weeping?

[RuthWells]

Seems to be that the variable butterfat content in "heavy cream" is a likely culprit for the difficulties that people have had. Has anyone tried Rose Levy Berenbaum's technique for raising the butterfat content in cream? It involves melting butter and incorporating it into the heavy cream.

[mckayinutah]

The type of cream does make a difference if you're whipping. We have two brands of cream in the cooler - one is a regular pasturized heavy cream brand found in all the local supermarkets, and the other is Challenge brand ultra-pasturized. Both have the same fat content. Contrary to what you might think we use the Challenge when we want a stiff, stable whipped cream. The regular stuff will not whip as stiff no matter how long you beat it. The ultra-pasturized does contain some thickeners and stablizers to compensate for the extra heating process, so that might have something to do with it.

We also don't use added gelatine or stabilizers. We add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip to very, very stiff. Rosettes on cakes and toppings on key lime tarts are stable for a least two days, though we rarely keep anything around that long.

I used to think that you had to add gelatine to keep whipped cream from watering out, but I'm in Wendy's camp now. Though if the cream had to be firm enough to be sliceable like a mousse, then I would use some gelatine.

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A couple of quick notes to pass on. I agree with Neil about the ultra pasteurized cream. In Michigan I only used ultra pasteurized and was only able to whip 1 gallon of cream to stiff peaks in a 20 quart bowl. I now only have access to pasteurized and can easily whip 2 gallons to stiff peak in that same size bowl, so it doesn't get as stiff or hold up as well.

I did assemble my strawberry cream cake this week for a banquet without using gelatin as I normally do, and it held up very well, and cut nice as well, although not as cleanly as when I use gelatin. But since it meets my requirements and will make my life a lot easier, I have decided not to add gelatin to my whipped cream, unless it has to be used in a cake that sits in my pastry case for several hours.

To add, the cream that I use for my filling for my strawberry cream cake is heavy whipping cream, sugar, and Torani strawberry syrup to taste ( found by the coffee stuff in most super markets ), so I do have added liquid added to the cream, but it still held up well.

As for whipped cream without sugar and vanilla in it, I'll pass None sweetened whipped cream, to me at least, tastes like milk that is about 10 minutes away from going bad

Jason

[K8memphis]

Well, I can get ultra pasteurized at the grocery store. It whips fine, I stopped using the additional stabilizer, no problem-o. But I do add sugar & vanilla.

[Kris]

How can you tell how much of a percentage of butterfat is in a container of heavy cream?

[CanadianBakin']

How can you tell how much of a percentage of butterfat is in a container of heavy cream?

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It's usually listed right on the side of the carton.

[kthull]

Not all brands list the butterfat. In fact, I use Dean's and it lists the percentage on the quart container, but not the half pint.

[chiantiglace]

just look it up. Theres a few scientific methods but im sure nobody is going to do all that for cream when they can just look it up. If you cant look it up i'd be real skeptic upon using that product.

[Fernwood]

Seems to be that the variable butterfat content in "heavy cream" is a likely culprit for the difficulties that people have had.  Has anyone tried Rose Levy Berenbaum's technique for raising the butterfat content in cream?  It involves melting butter and incorporating it into the heavy cream.

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I've done it and it worked very well. To tell the whole truth, the cream also had cocoa in it; I don't know if that has any effect of its own. I frosted a tall layer cake with it and it held beautifully for several days, if I recall correctly.

I do think the butterfat content is key. In my market the store brand offers "whipping cream" and "heavy whipping cream." Because it costs more, I assume the latter has more fat, but the % is not labelled. I'm not sure that any of the cream in my dairy case has the % butterfat listed, but I will look again. And you won't be surprised to learn that every carton of cream is ultrapasteurized; no choice there. Anyway, I buy the "heavy whipping cream", but you know that many folks are choosing the more economical carton; we just hope they are not trying to frost a cake with it. While I'm sure Wendy's technique is important, I suspect it is not enough to make true heavy cream out of supermarket swill--"silk purse from a sow's ear" and all that.

BUT, you can add butterfat, a la Rose. It worked for me.

Fern

[Shalmanese]

Can't you just look at the nutritional info? I highly doubt you could buy cream without nutritional info on it.

[jgarner53]

Based on the conversation here, I'd say I probably haven't been whipping mine enough - as suggested, I'm always afraid I'm going to end up with butter! Next time, I will try whipping longer.

One technique you can try is to stop whipping just before you think you should (or when you normally do now), and finish it up by hand. You'll be surprised at how little work that takes by that point, and then you don't have to worry about overwhipping.

[Fernwood]

Can't you just look at the nutritional info? I highly doubt you could buy cream without nutritional info on it.

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Yes, but the info is given as grams of fat (5) per serving (15 ml), and is clearly rounded off, obscuring any finer distinctions. I believe an actual percent butterfat would be more precise. Actually, I'm not at all sure the information is even very accurate for the specific product. I'm sure there are other eGulleteers with more knowledge about both the regulations and the realities of nutritional labels, but I have the impression that the labels I'm seeing on the cream represent some sort of "standard heavy cream" and I have no confidence that they are particularly accurate. Am I getting too cynical?

Fern

[chiantiglace]

how do you think they get the percentage. divide the grams of fat by the volume.

and there are regulations because theres a lot of diets and some are vital to life so most facts arent off mroe than 5% of the estimate value, so you should feel safe. Where facts get skewed is what they are forced to tell you whats in the product and what they leave out. But the facts listed shouldn't be a close geuss, its very consistent.

FDA is a good thing

Edited June 18, 2005 by chiantiglace (log)

[Pam R]

As far as I'm concerned any need to stablize whip cream is sort of a myth, a totally unnecessary step done out of fear.

I agree. I've never used stabilizer in my whipping cream and it lasts at least 2 days in the showcase (it's also good frozen and later thawed). I use 33-35% whipping cream - that's all I can get (partially due to kashrut). It's got enough fat in it to whip up stiff and not weep. It doesn't squish when you cut it - though I always use a knife dipped in warm water and dried off then I cut cakes/tortes.

I've often catered events and had to decorate tortes on Friday mornings that weren't served until Saturday or even Sunday nights. The only times I've had whipped cream issues is when it's been extremly hot and muggy - which is probably a factor to consider.

I've done it and it worked very well.  To tell the whole truth, the cream also had cocoa in it; I don't know if that has any effect of its own. 

I've found that whipping the cream with cocoa does make it set up more - almost as if the cocoa makes the cream seize up

[Shalmanese]

Can't you just look at the nutritional info? I highly doubt you could buy cream without nutritional info on it.

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Yes, but the info is given as grams of fat (5) per serving (15 ml), and is clearly rounded off, obscuring any finer distinctions. I believe an actual percent butterfat would be more precise. Actually, I'm not at all sure the information is even very accurate for the specific product. I'm sure there are other eGulleteers with more knowledge about both the regulations and the realities of nutritional labels, but I have the impression that the labels I'm seeing on the cream represent some sort of "standard heavy cream" and I have no confidence that they are particularly accurate. Am I getting too cynical?

Fern

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I don't know about you but here in Australia, it's required by law for all nutritional infos to contain both per serving info and per 100gm info. That makes it really easy to figure out the percentage fat/carbs etc. in anything.

[*Deborah*]

If I'm going to cover a whole cake in cream and it's not being served instantly, I normally use the Dr. Oetker powdered stabilizer, just so I don't have to worry.

I have found that well-whipped cream in a plastic bowl lasts very well, too (e.g., overnight and fine the next day), although it's just plain dumb luck in my case, and not the result of any scientific experimentation!

[heavenlybakes]

can you decorate with this stabilized whipped cream?

[Badiane]

I throw a couple of tablespoons of instant vanilla pudding into the cream if I need it to keep well for longer than usual. Works like a charm, and it's barely detectable.

[pamjsa]

One technique you can try is to stop whipping just before you think you should (or when you normally do now), and finish it up by hand. You'll be surprised at how little work that takes by that point, and then you don't have to worry about overwhipping.

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Just wanted to say thanks for this idea. I made an ice cream cake for my husband for Father's Day and wanted to frost it in whipped cream--but I'm one of those people with a fear of making butter, having done this at a few crucial points in the past. Yesterday, I stopped whipping when I thought I was done, took the bowl out of the mixer--and the minute I did so, the cream collapsed. So I whisked for a bit longer, and suddenly I had these beautiful stiff peaks.

I should add that I was using what my store sells as "Baker's Whipping Cream," which comes sweetened and with stabilizers added. I hadn't tried it before, but it worked so well that I certainly will use it again.

[Wendy DeBord]

I used to use powdered instant vanilla pudding in whipped cream myself..........years ago, I learn that from my Mom. She did that out of fear. Fear that the whipped cream would suddenly deflate or it couldn't hold on a cake that was out of the refridgerator for more then a couple minutes. And I admit that combo really does make a tight cream. But you can indeed taste the instant pudding and the color change is pretty obvious too.

It's just that I'm hoping to pursuede you all and get you to trust us when we tell you, you don't need stablizers in whipped cream. If you can whip egg whites and judge when the whites are firm and not dried out, you can judge when your cream is set. I understand that fear is a powerful drive but everyone has to make mistakes along the way as they learn. Now you know if your cream doesn't whip thick enough to be held for two days in the refridgerator something is wrong. Theres only a couple of things that could be going wrong and it should be easy for you to master this skill with a little more experience.

[chiantiglace]

next time you should purposely make butter just so you know how far you can go. You'll notice it long before trust me. Theres a point where you've whipped it too much but its not to the point of no return, just starting to gather the fat. In that instance you can always deflate it with a spatula a little.

[simdelish]

After having waaaay too many assistants put cream in the mixer and walk away, only to come back to hear me say "I told you so... never walk away from whipping cream!" ---

I'd like to add this tip: that when you have overwhipped your cream and it's all yucky-chunky looking, just add in some more heavy cream, beat a tad longer, and voila, your whipped cream is perfect. No more wasted cream ever. And, it holds longer.

[sanrensho]

Has anyone tried Rose Levy Berenbaum's technique for raising the butterfat content in cream?  It involves melting butter and incorporating it into the heavy cream.

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I've done it and it worked very well. To tell the whole truth, the cream also had cocoa in it; I don't know if that has any effect of its own. I frosted a tall layer cake with it and it held beautifully for several days, if I recall correctly.

This weekend, I tried RLB's method using 33% cream enriched to approx. 50% BF content. Two layers of genoise soaked with syrup, then frosted and filled with whipped cream, including a middle layer of strawberries.

Indeed, the whipped cream held up well after 24 hours of refrigeration (zero "squishing" when cut). However, at that point, I found the butterfat enriched whipped cream had a grainy texture/taste that wasn't there when I served the cake right after frosting. Not to my liking, but it wasn't an issue the day before.

Also, I should have let the cake sit in the refrigerator to set after frosting, rather than cutting it immediately. I've read that whipped cream frosted cakes are best cut and eaten right after frosting, but didn't find this to be true.

Edited June 21, 2005 by sanrensho (log)