The first thing you must do when you want to make Perfect Whipped Cream is to find the proper cream, but that is not as easy as it sounds! At the grocery store you might find these words on the bottles or packages of cream in your dairy section:
Whipping Cream
Heavy Cream
Heavy Whipping Cream
Oh my! Which one should you pick if you want Perfect Whipped Cream for a dessert? The answer is easy; you only need to know ONE THING: Buy cream that is…
60 calories per tablespoon (Sixty!)
When you are shopping for cream to make the Perfect Whipped Cream, even if the bottle or package says, “Heavy Cream” check the calorie count. And look for those four magical words, 60 calories per tablespoon! Those four words are your secret for success. Also, look for organic cream! If you can get organic heavy cream… Bravo! Well done! Mission accomplished! Buy it!
If you have found your cream, read no further and simply make this recipe for Perfect Whipped Cream.
But alas! If you are still reading, you need more information. Now you may be asking, “Why would I want the higher calorie Heavy Cream to make Whipped Cream??” First of all, I don’t want to rain on your parade, but at many grocery stores, you may only be able to find “heavy” cream that contains 50 calories per tablespoon, or it’s evil twin: “whipping” cream that contains only 45 calories per tablespoon. Stop! Before you give yourself over to “the dark side” – keep searching! I have to tell you, it is worth the search to find a 60 calorie per tablespoon heavy cream.
Here are the “Heavy Cream” Pros and Cons and beneath that are the “Whipping Cream” Pros and Cons.
- HEAVY CREAM PROS (50 – 60 calories per tablespoon – but remember to choose 60!):
1. Heavy Cream beats quickly into light fluffy gorgeous clouds of cream.
2. It is lower in lactose and casein than Whipping Cream (Read more in Resource Nirvana.)
3. Heavy Cream holds it shape much longer than Whipping Cream.
4. Heavy Cream is rich, satisfying and gives you that heavenly, “Oooohh… this is soooo delicious” feeling. - HEAVY CREAM CONS:
The only con to Heavy Cream is that it is 10 – 15 calories more per tablespoon than regular Whipping Cream. 10 measly calories… hmmm…
But what about the whipping creams that contains only 45 calories per tablespoon? Can I use whipping cream successfully? Here’s the scoop:
- WHIPPING CREAM CONS (45 calorie per tablespoon):
- 1. You will be beating and beating and beating (particularly if your Whipping Cream is ultra-pasteurized) forever and ever (not really, but it does seem like it takes forever when everyone is waiting for you to get dessert to them). The lower the fat, the longer it will take you to beat it.
- 2. Because Whipping Cream contains at least 6% less fat, the Whipped Cream is light and airy, but… the Whipped Cream starts to collapse almost immediately and gets “watery” because there isn’t enough fat to hold together.
- 3. You cannot make Whipped Cream with whipping cream ahead of time. Serve immediately for best results.
- 4. And lastly… if you are like most folks, you just might end up eating more dessert than you intended, to make up for having less satiety which means you will eat waaaaay more calories than you would ever save. My recommendation: If you are going to enjoy some whipped cream, ENJOY IT! And buy only heavy cream.
WHIPPING CREAM PROS (45 calorie per tablespoon):
There are no Pros except that if you are counting calories, it is 10 – 15 calories less per tablespoon than heavy cream.
Suggestions on Where to Buy Heavy Cream:
Trader Joe’s carries a 60 calorie per tablespoon Organic Heavy Cream
Costco carries a 40% cream, that is 60 calories per tablespoon.
Natural Food Grocery Stores. They will carry lovely, organic heavy cream also!
More…
Did you know that here in the United States the highest fat cream we can find in our grocery stores is the “Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream” which is 40% fat (60 calories per tablespoon). But, did you know that in Europe and other countries, their cream is completely different than what we have available here. Think about this question:
Why are European desserts so memorable?
Three words: HIGH FAT CREAM.
In the wonderful book, “The Royal Touch” by Carolyn Robb (the former personal chef to the Prince and Princess of Wales and Prince William and Prince Harry), Carolyn made their desserts with “double cream” which is a minimum 48% fat. Seriously! 48% fat! Can you even imagine how luscious those desserts are? Perhaps the royal life is wonderful simply because they enjoy high fat cream. Perhaps, high fat cream is the secret to being a royal prince or princess… perhaps…
Hope you enjoy a lovely royal dessert with a little puff of Perfect Whipped Cream today! Remember that YOU ARE LOVED! Have a super day!
Much love, Ruby Lynn
