Why You Should Never Buy Pre-Made Whipped Cream
In this life, we sometimes need to take shortcuts, but there are definitely shortcut ingredients that you should and shouldn't use. Pre-made whipped cream, whether it comes in a pressurized can or a frozen tub, should definitely not top your next dessert.
Roberto Santibañez, chef and owner of Mi Vida Restaurante, was quoted by MSN as saying, "I can't tolerate it! And it is so easy to whip up at home, it is unforgivable not to."
A delicious homemade whipped cream recipe only needs two ingredients, cream and sugar, but the addition of vanilla extract is delightful. It takes minutes to make, and the resulting flavor and texture beat the processed stuff hands down.
Reddi Wip, the first and most famous of the canned whipped creams, does contain cream and sugar but also contains water, milk, corn syrup, and stabilizers. The first ingredient in Cool Whip is actually water followed by corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oil. It does contain a very small amount of milk and cream, and also contains several stabilizers and additives (via My Food and Family).
Homemade whipped cream is easy and worth it
Both heavy or whipping cream will make a great final product depending on what result you're looking for, shares Southern Living. The solid milk fat in cream is what allows it to be whipped. Heavy cream has a higher percentage of that fat which yields a firmer and sturdier texture compared to whipping cream.
As for the whipping, there are several ways to incorporate air. If you want a mechanized option, you can use a stand mixer, hand mixer, immersion blender, food processor, or even a whipped cream dispenser that uses nitrous oxide cartridges. A simple whisk will also work great. You can even add the cream to a cocktail shaker or glass jar and shake away to whip it up. Chill your bowl and any tools to make the process easier!
The one advantage frozen whipped topping boasts is its stability, notes The Dairy Dish. It is often used for no-bake desserts and won't melt when left out of the fridge. However, you can simply add a little bit of cornstarch like in this stabilized whipped cream recipe so you don't sacrifice taste and quality. Give real whipped cream a try, and you'll never go back to the store-bought stuff.