Category: World Culinary

What is Whipped Cream?

In simple term, whipped cream refers to a form of cream that has been whipped using either a mixer or a whisk until fluffy and light. Vanilla is often added for flavor and the cream is also often sweetened. Whipped cream is also referred to as Chantilly cream. Chemistry-wise, whipped cream is a form of colloid that is a product of mechanical aeration of heavy cream. Cream used in making whipped cream should contain at least 35% fat. The incorporation of air into the cream is done through one of two ways:

1. gas injection under high pressure; the gas would then expand when it’s released from containment.
2. mechanical agitation using a whip or a high-speed blade.

The Mechanism of Making Whipped Cream

When heavy cream is whipped, fat molecules coalesce partially, forming a stable network that in the process traps air bubbles within. The colloid that forms following the process is two times larger than the volume of the original cream. If the whipping still continues past this stage, the fat droplets will combine with each other, break the colloid down, and butter will form. Milk or cream with lower fat content does not whip very well. A type of foam that is more stable can only be produced using cream with higher fat level. A food processor, a mixer (electric or handheld), or a whisk is often used in making whipped cream. Cold equipment and ingredients yield the best results. You can find a perfect example of whipped cream in the product of Nangs Melbourne. Try to get some from the company and see how well they make whipped cream for the best consumption. Typically, whipped cream is flavored with orange, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, sugar, and so forth. Old recipes required gum added to the cream so that the resulting product could be more stable. Other recipes may call for egg whites while commercial whipped creams often incorporate diphosphate (E450) and gelatin for stabilizers.

There has not been a clear line separating whipped cream from Chantilly cream. Therefore, the two terms are often used interchangeably. Some tried to make distinction, claiming that while whipped cream is used to refer to unsweetened product, Chantilly cream exclusively refers to the sweetened variety. Others, however, tend to treat the two terms the same way. The term Chantilly found its connection to whipped cream in the mid-18^th century. Whipped topping or squirty cream are terms used to refer to imitations of whipped cream and are sold commercially. They can be used for several reasons including for when dairy products are to be excluded (due to allergies to milk, vegan diets, or because of religious concerns), when the product is expected to have longer shelf life, when it is deemed convenient, and when the cost of true whipped cream is just too much to handle. Imitations of whipped cream typically are added with hydrogenated oil, emulsifiers, stabilizers, water, and sweeteners. You can get the best version of cream … Read More