# What is Cool Whip?



## StephB (Oct 8, 2005)

Hi, I'm new here, and hope you can help me out.  I live in Australia, and often go online to search for recipes.  Most recipes come from the States and I often see ingredients that aren't available here (half and half, bisquick), but the one I'd like help with is Cool Whip.  It's an ingredient in ambrosia, which I've never had, and would love to make.  I did a search and as far as I can tell, sweetened whipped cream sounds like the best substitute.  Can anyone tell me whether that's right, or have other suggestions?  Thanks!


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## Andy M. (Oct 8, 2005)

Welcome to Discuss Cooking, you'll like it here.  We have several members from your area.

Cool Whip is a brand name for synthetic whipped cream.  

Real whipped cream will work well in ambrosia but you should use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream rather than half & half ( a mixture of milk and cream as the name implies).  H&H doesn't have a high enough fat content to whip up well (18% vs 36%-40%).

If you like, check the baking aisle of your supermarket for products that can be added to whipped cream to keep it stable longer so it won't separate.  I can't recall a brand name right now.


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## SierraCook (Oct 9, 2005)

Sweetened whipped cream should work just fine for your recipe. Welcome to DC, Steph!!    If you can purchase Dream Whip that will work also.


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## Michael in FtW (Oct 9, 2005)

Like Andy M. said - _Cool Whip_ is a synthetic substitute for whipped cream which has added stabilizers (in this case gums) to help it hold it's "whipped cream like" texture. It is made from:

*Ingredients:* WATER, CORN SYRUP, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (COCONUT AND PALM KERNEL OILS), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, LESS THAN 2% OF SODIUM CASEINATE (FROM MILK), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, XANTHAN AND GUAR GUMS, POLYSORBATE 60, SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE, BETA CAROTENE (COLOR).

Actually, when you look at the ingredients, it's like corn syrup sweetened shortening!

You can also make your own "stabilized" whipped cream by adding 1 Teaspoon gelitin dissolved in 4 Tablespoons hot water (and allowed to cool) to 1 Cup of Whipping Cream, and use up to 1/4 cup powdered/confectioner's/10X sugar to sweeten it if you wish.

Natural whipped cream in ambroasia - about 24 hours. Stabilized whipped cream - maybe about 48 hours. Cool Whip ambrosia ... no more than 48 hours.


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## Constance (Oct 9, 2005)

I guess I'm a little strange, but I actually prefer the flavor Cool Whip to whipped cream. I guess it's because of all that sugar!


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## Anita (Oct 9, 2005)

*I'm fond of using cool whip in desserts.*



> I guess I'm a little strange, but I actually prefer the flavor Cool Whip to whipped cream. I guess it's because of all that sugar!


 
Which one has all the sugar?  I'm not OPPOSED to sugar, preferring it over artificial sweeteners, but I never thought of Cool Whip as having much.  Whipping cream is more costly, requires the work of beating it and doesn't sit in the refrigerator freezer compartment in a plastic container just begging to be used a spoonful at a time.


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## Constance (Oct 10, 2005)

"One spoonfull at a time"...that's my problem! I love the stuff.


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## mamabear (Oct 10, 2005)

Constance said:
			
		

> "One spoonfull at a time"...that's my problem! I love the stuff.


 
oooo...ever eat it frozen???


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## GB (Oct 10, 2005)

mamabear said:
			
		

> oooo...ever eat it frozen???


Ohhh I LOVE it frozen!!!


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## Ardge (Oct 10, 2005)

My Mother makes Banana Cream Cream Puffs as one of her signature desserts.  You're having a party?  My Mom will send a platter of these.  She takes the time to make the choux batter and make the banana custard, but she ALWAYS uses Cool Whip to fold into the custard before she fills the Puffs.  "Oh RJ, whipping all that cream takes too long."  

Don't get me wrong, those Cream Puffs are hard to beat, but I think they would be OFF THE CHARTS with Creme Chantilly instead of Cool Whip.

(I am currently looking at my shipment of Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste right now.  Mmmmmm....  Creme Chantilly might be on my menu tonight.  Nothing else.  Just a big bowl of sweetened vanilla whip cream.  I've got a few spoons.  Who's coming over?)

RJ


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## gwkr36a (Oct 10, 2005)

I am just guessing here, but I think creme fresh, yogurt or sour cream will still give you
a good result with ambrosia.


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## licia (Oct 10, 2005)

Constance, did you ever get any of the chocolate cool whip? I don't think they make it anymore so others didn't like it as much as my grandson.  His favorite dessert was chocolate pudding with chocolate cool whip with chocolate syrup on top. He has to settle for chocolate reddi whip. I suppose they will stop making that now.


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## Claire (Oct 10, 2005)

When I was a kid ALL we ever had was either Cool Whip or Dream Whip (for budgetary reasons).  Now you can buy Cool Whip in enough different formulas to make your head spin -- low sugar, low fat, extra creamy ---  I tend to use Cool Whip a lot, especially in my trifles, because it goes over well here where many of my friends simply don't have the digestions to tolerate rich, real, whipped cream.  And the stability is a plus.


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## Haggis (Oct 10, 2005)

Personally I think anyone that uses the instant whipped cream should be shot, but thats another debate for another time :P.

StephB, being a fellow Aussie I face the same problem but alot of things can be substituted with a little imagination.

For example half-and-half is exactly what the same implies, half milk and half cream. You can make it using either single (light - 18% fat) or double (heavy - 36%) cream, you will just end up with a different fat content of the half-and-half, between 10%-18%.


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## mamabear (Oct 11, 2005)

licia said:
			
		

> Constance, did you ever get any of the chocolate cool whip? I don't think they make it anymore so others didn't like it as much as my grandson. His favorite dessert was chocolate pudding with chocolate cool whip with chocolate syrup on top. He has to settle for chocolate reddi whip. I suppose they will stop making that now.


 
Licia, I believe it is seasonal, and only comes out during the Christmas season, like the French Vanilla flavor. I work in a grocery store, ansd I usually only see it then.


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## Constance (Oct 11, 2005)

Licia, I never did try that. My husband would have loved it...he sneaks into my pantry in the middle of the night looking for canned chocolate frosting. I don't mind, until I get ready to use it, and all that's left is the empty can sitting on my shelf.


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## licia (Oct 11, 2005)

I'm going to try to find my recipe for cow patties. It has chocolate and nuts and I can't remember what else. It looks rather strange but tastes great. If I find it soon will post it - hopefully in the proper forum.


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## foodaholic (Oct 11, 2005)

Cool Whip is 1 molocule away from plastic. I've eaten my share though.Drum roll............and the ingredients are:


Water, hydrogenated coconut and palm kernel oils, corn syrup, sugar, sodium caseinate, dextrose, polysorbate 60, natural and artificial flavors, sorbitan monostearate, xanthan gum and guar gum. Artificial color.

Yum.


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## Haggis (Oct 11, 2005)

I prefer my cream just to say one thing for ingredients:

Milk (Fat 18%-48%).



> hydrogenated coconut and palm kernel oils


 
Avoid like the plague!

And can somebody even point out the dairy ingredient?! I don't see 'milk solids' or anything on there...I thought it had to have some dairy at least.


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## licia (Oct 11, 2005)

Many people are lactose intolerant. I would hate for them to have to do without a topping for their dessert. Glad there is something to suit each of us.


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## jennyema (Oct 11, 2005)

Sodium caseinate is a milk protein used as an emulsifier.  It has a trace amount of lactose.


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## mish (Oct 12, 2005)

foodaholic said:
			
		

> Cool Whip is 1 molocule away from plastic. I've eaten my share though.Drum roll............and the ingredients are:
> 
> 
> Water, hydrogenated coconut and palm kernel oils, corn syrup, sugar, sodium caseinate, dextrose, polysorbate 60, natural and artificial flavors, sorbitan monostearate, xanthan gum and guar gum. Artificial color.
> ...


 
 YUM! What about the chocolate and strawberry flavors? j/k


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## HappyAvocado (Oct 12, 2005)

i hate cool whip... it tastes like pure chemicals to me, and people always try to feed it to me because i am allergic to dairy.... but cool whip is not dairy free (casein), plus the hydrogenated oils and corn syrup, no thanks!


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## jennyema (Oct 12, 2005)

HappyAvocado said:
			
		

> i hate cool whip... it tastes like pure chemicals to me, and people always try to feed it to me because i am allergic to dairy.... but cool whip is not dairy free (casein), plus the hydrogenated oils and corn syrup, no thanks!


 
I agree.  Cool Whip and canned frosting taste like a science experiment to me.

I did feed Cool Whip to a very dairy allergic friend (stupid me) without consequence.  But they hated it anyway.


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## Rom (Jul 16, 2007)

I'm from Australia as well, I was very curious about "Cool Whip" as well  glad I saw the topic LOL

I found out what half and half was yesterday reading another post LOL


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## Green Lady (Jul 16, 2007)

I refer to Cool Whip as "designer food".  It's not a food.  There is nothing to feed the cells. The body doesn't know how to process it because it is artificial.  Stick to whip cream.  Yes, it may be more fattening, but it is natural and the body knows how to metabolize it.  For the lactose intolerant, I would suggest a digestive enzyme.


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## DramaQueen (Jul 17, 2007)

*I too prefer the taste of real whipped cream although I buy Cool Whip.  It has fewer calories by far than the real stuff but healthwise it is certainly no better for you.   The lack of cholesterol and fat is offset by the fact that it contains palm oil and corn syrup.  Six of one, half dozen of the other.  Stick to real whipped cream but don't eat tons of it and you'll be okay.  Everything in moderation.  Who's the jerk that came up with THAT one???     *


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## jpmcgrew (Jul 17, 2007)

I only use once a year on Easter when I make a Ham etc.I then will make a Lime Jello whip its good with ham.


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## jennyema (Jul 17, 2007)

DramaQueen said:
			
		

> *The lack of cholesterol and fat is offset by the fact that it contains palm oil and corn syrup.    *


 
Palm oil is fat, though.

Plus, it's hydrogenated.


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## Caine (Jul 17, 2007)

I tried Cool Whip when it first came out, you remember, way back before televisions had remote controls? It gave me this funny, tingly feeling in the back of my throat. I haven't used it since, not only becuase of that tingly feeling, but also because I am just as careful of what I put on the inside as I am the outside. Lactose intolerant? Take a Lact-Aid! It's better than slowly poisoning yourself. In too much of a hurry to make whipped cream? Real whipped cream also comes in a squirt can, with a choice of either light or heavy cream. To me, there is no acceptable excuse for using artificial whipped cream.

The same thing applies to cream in my coffee. I buy a box of UHT-processed half & half in 188 individual serving containers, which needs no refrigeration. While setting up for a meeting once, I opened a can of artificial creamer in a sparingly used conference room at work. It was full of ants, and they were all dead! I surmised that they starved to death inside the container from eating the artificial creamer, because not only is it full of chemicals, but it has no nutritional value.


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## jpmcgrew (Jul 17, 2007)

You could invest in a whipped cream making bottle it has a CO2 charger that whips it up you add cream,sugar etc.


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## buckytom (Apr 26, 2013)

more lurker surfing.

i learned something today. about cool h-whip... 

Family Guy - Cool Whip on Vimeo


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## ahoymatey2013 (Apr 26, 2013)

I never buy cool whip, I just whip up my own in a cold stainless steel bowl using whipping cream, sugar & vanilla.


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## Addie (Apr 26, 2013)

I can't imagaine making chocolate mousse with a bunch of chemicals. Real cream for me.


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