How to perfect whipped cream: Tips to avoid a baking disaster

Poorly whipped cream can ruin all the hard work put into preparing a cake or another dessert. It's worth paying attention to this task, as one wrong move can turn your cream into butter. Here's how to make whipped cream stiff and not runny.

On the one hand, it’s simple, but on the other, it’s very easy to make a mistake. Whipping cream can go smoothly or cause frustration. It all depends on whether you know the basic rules and useful tricks. See how to properly whip cream below.

The cream will be stiff if you add a few drops of lemon juice while whipping. This will help the cream thicken faster, ensuring you finish whipping before the cream is overwhipped. Using cream with a high fat content will also help stabilize the whipped cream. The best choice for whipping is heavy cream, with a fat content of 36 percent. You can also use cream with 30 percent fat, but any cream with a lower fat percentage may not achieve the proper stiffness after whipping.

Another key aspect is properly chilling the cream. It should spend at least 12 hours in the refrigerator as cold cream whips faster and stiffer. It's also recommended to use a metal or glass bowl (which should also be chilled) for whipping. It’s better to avoid plastic containers.

"Overwhipping" cream is the same as curdling it, which is the first step in making butter. The product then loses its smooth and uniform consistency, becoming separated and lumpy. This typically happens from whipping the cream at too high a speed or for too long.

To whip cream without turning it into butter, start with low mixer speeds and gradually increase them. This technique allows air to be evenly incorporated into the cream, preventing it from curdling. The process of whipping cream usually takes from 3 to 5 minutes. It's essential not to overdo the whipping. Stop when you see stiff "peaks" on the surface of the cream. You can also tilt the bowl; if the cream doesn’t run, it means it's ready.