Stabilized Whipped Cream
October 8, 2013
Yes, that's whipped cream on those cupcakes - that is not frosting. And that whipped cream will look just as nice the next day and the day after that. How? Because it's stabilized whipped cream and if you've ever wondered how professional bakers get whipped cream desserts to look nice for so long, you will want to read this post.
There are several methods to stabilize whipped cream. The method I'm showing you here uses a little bit of gelatin that has been bloomed by warming it up. It's a very simple way to do it and, unlike some other methods, doesn't alter the taste of the whipped cream.
The whipped cream really firms up and you can actually pipe it and it won't sag or weep. I used my trusty Wilton 1M piping tip to do the roses on top of the cupcakes. Sometimes you want to put whipped cream on desserts ahead of time and still have them look nice by the time you serve them. This technique does the trick.
Stabilized Whipped Cream
for a printed recipe click here
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 4 teaspoons cold water
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
Instructions:
In a small pan, combine gelatin and cold water; let stand until thick.
Place over low heat, stirring constantly, just until the gelatin dissolves.
Remove from heat; cool (do not allow it to set).
Whip the cream with the confectioner's sugar, until slightly thick.
While slowly beating, add the gelatin to whipping cream.
Whip at high speed until stiff.
Makes about 2 cups of whipped cream.
recipe from Wilton
Reader Comments (76)
So badly needed this. You have a gorgeous blog. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for this easy, useful cooking tip. It will come in handy with the holidays coming up.
Can't wait to try this! I love the taste of fresh, real whipped cream, but did not know how to make it last more than a few minutes. Thank you!
Are the chocolate cupcakes made from the same recipe as your Chocolate-Orange cake?
Your blog has done wonders for my own cooking repertoire. My friends are starting to anticipate me bringing the Roasted Pepper Wrapped Fresh Mozz appetizer to local parties. I'm a knitter, too, and that's how I found your website.
I was looking desperatly for this ! thank you SO much !!!
What can I substitute for gelatin?
Simple and nice recipe. Thanks for sharing!!
Great tip. Thanlk you for sharing it with your readers.
Lovely. I make a chocolate whipped cream frosting but do not use a stabelizer. You can bet I will be trying that out. This is my recipe I posted to AR. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Food-Processor-Chocolate-Whipped-Cream-Frosting/Detail.aspx?prop24=etaf
It holds up for about a day nicely. I am going to try the gelatin method next time I make it to see if it will last longer. :) Thank you.
Love this but are you able to add food coloring and if so, will it also last as long as stated. I too love your blog.
Thanks! I prefer whipped cream over frosting any day!
Would it work with leaf gelatine as well?
Amazing, thank you! Will have to put this to the test!
Elaine . . . . I was wondering if there's a vegetarian option for the gelatine?? I see that Margaret was asking about a "leaf" gelatine so perhaps she can respond. Been a vegetarian for decades (before there were so many vegetarian options) but have not been able to use since then . . . so if there is I'd be ecstatic!! thanks ladies . . .
Absolutely wonderful, learned something new and very useful...
Pinned for future reference, although I would probably not be able to make such beautiful rose-shaped icing... even with stabilized whipped cream :-)
I will definitely be trying this. Ina Garten uses a little Mascarpone to stabilize her whipped cream. I wonder if it holds up as well as this. Any experience with mascarpone? Thanks for all the great posts!
Would love to see a video of you piping those flowers??? Just beautiful and I had never thought of trying to stabilize whipped cream but what an excellent tip.
Love your blog, thank you
Thank you Elaine again, for your wonderful tips, they are always useful and inspiring. I am thinking of making cupcakes now, so that i can experiment with the frosting, so beautiful. I always copy your recipes into a book, don't want to lose it for any reason. And I can bring it around to my friends instead of the computer.
To Meerah & Sharita: I think you can use agar agar as a substitute for gelatin, although I have never experiment it with whipping cream. I had made coconut agar agar using coconut milk, and sugar, and then it can be sliced into pieces and serve as is or with canned lychees.
From The Italian Dish:
Roseanne: Thank you so much and here is the recipe I used for the cupcakes: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/moms-chocolate-cake
Tania: Thanks for the recipe on how to make chocolate whipped cream. This would work for that, also.
Meerah, Margaret and Sharita: I have never used a vegetarian option for gelatin, but I know there is a lot of information out there about that if you google it for substitutes. If any of you give them a try, please post a comment back here and let us all know how they work. Thanks!
Lisa: I have never added food coloring to whipped cream, but I would love to try that, too!
Donna: Have never heard of the mascarpone version - that sounds good!
Trish: Here is how to pipe the roses, if you are interested. They are super easy: http://iambaker.net/rose-cake-tutorial/
What a great idea to use gelatin!
These look very pretty and delicious too!
Always, Always, such wonderful and fantastically good and easy tips!!! : )
Thank you Elaine!!!
Hi Elaine ~ Can this be made ahead of time and stored before using?
Thank you for another fabulous recipe!
Do you have to use a 1/4 cup of sugar. Will the cream turn out just as well with less sugar.
Thanks for the info on piping roses Elaine. Practice, practice, practice for me I think!
Great! This is what I am looking for. Thanks so much for sharing! :)
Great tip, thank you. I assume the 1stp of gelatine refers to the powdered variety. I generally buy leaf gelatine, do you know how much of that I should use instead?
That looks amazing! I love your blog i hope i will get to this point some day too. You have really nice and original kinds of pictures of food!!
I love whipped cream and don't like the taste of shortening to stabilize it. What a great option! Thanks for sharing.
What a great idea! I'd rather use whipped cream than most other frostings. Thanks for sharing (and pinning!). ;)
I just got back from Tuscany, and was so inspired by the art, architecture, landscape, photography and, of course, the food and wine. Was looking for some pasta recipes for dinner tonight and came across your website. It's a delight browsing your website. Beautiful photography and great recipes. Then discovered you're a painter too. You are very talented. I will be visiting here more often.
Will this work making roses on the side of a cake? I'm wondering if they will slide off or it they will stick.
Thanks!
I have been looking for a non-coolwhip, real whipped cream recipe I could use in trifle. Do you think this would hold up in that type of recipe?
From The Italian Dish:
Paula: I have never used leaf gelatine but here is an article with conversions if you can't find the powered kind: http://www.nigella.com/kitchen-queries/view/Gelatine-Leaves-to-Powder-Conversion/2376
Eileen: I honestly don't know if the whipped cream would hold up on the side of a cake! I would think it would. If you try it, let us all know if it worked!
Daryl: Yes, the whipped cream should be perfect for a trifle.
Hi! I have recently discovered your website, I am enjoying reading it very much, it has great info! I hope we can begin to exchange some ideas! Thank you.
Your site is so wonderful. Your attention to detail, beautiful presentation and fabulous recipes!!! Thank you for such a fabulous resource! Can't wait to try out recipes!!! : )
Modernist Cuisine (modernistcuisine.com) suggest substituting 0.8 g agar and 0.65 g xanthan gum for 4.3 g gelatin for panna cotta. I tried it, and the result had a very similar texture to using gelatin. According to wolframalpha.com, 1 t of gelatin is about 2 g, so you could try half the amounts above.
How long will this recipe last if I have leftovers?
This is the first I have seen of your website and I am enjoying it very much. Could you please tell me what is that in the second from the right. It is the picture of some kind of pastery with a picture of what looks like a butterfly pressed into it. Thank you very much, Mickey
From The Italian Dish:
Mickey: The photo is of an Italian homemade pasta called Corzetti. Here is the post about how to make them:
http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2010/1/29/corzetti-italian-pasta-discs.html
Thank you so much for sharing this! There are many times I'd love to have the dessert finished, including the whipped cream, but haven't known how. Your cupcakes are beautiful!
Just found your blog and so happy I did! I'm a new follower and anxious to look around. I saw the Limoncello on the side bar ~ hmmmm, delish! :) Will try that for sure ~
Pat
Have you ever tried stabilizing powder called "Whip it"? I've used it in the past and it seems to work. This sounds interesting though! I love this site and am so glad I found it.
Just found this site and I love it....Thank you very much.
Use cream of tartar is one hundred percent suitable for vegeterians even for vegans .
My Mom has been doing this since before I was born (1963). Every year she would frost an angel food cake with whipped cream with confectioners sugar and cocoa powder, "chocolate whipped creme frosting." Yes, the whipped creme would hold up for days if the delicious cake would last!
For banana whipped cream cake, I have occasionally added a bit of dry instant Jello pudding to the whipped cream frosting. It gives it extra body, longer life, and a little flavor. I am definitely going to try your gelatin method on the next one. On another note, I wonder how the gelatin would work with a whipped cream dispenser.
You still need to refrigerate this though, right just like you would whip cream. Sounds wonderful. Thanks
How do you get it to not have gelatin strands in it? So as not to waste the double batch I put it through a sieve and that got out the strands and chunks. I know I must have done something wrong because I have tried this version of stabilized cream before at an event and it was silky smooth. Thanks for your help!
would this stand on hot and humid climate? thanks!
Just used this recipe and substituted half the water with some reduced strawberry juices...omg !! It piped beautifully on my fresh strawberry cupcakes and tastes yummy umptious !! Thanks x
Hi. I have always used 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla Instant pudding mix per cup of whipping cream. I sprinkle it on as I beat the cream with the sugar. It is fantastic. It holds the cream shapes very well and does not sog the cake. I make an angle food cake in a bundt shape which is cut in half and filled with lemon curd. The filling is topped with the cream then reassembled and iced with the cream on the outside. I can pipe anything I want and it remains very stable for days. I have also added some extract flavour at times and also a touch of paste colour. Sometimes I fold in some lemon curd to the cream coating on the outside. It tastes great and everyone asks how it stays so stable. Make sure you use the INSTANT version and not a cooked type of pudding mix.