# ISO help making whipped cream



## wilson42 (Mar 4, 2008)

I'm in a part of Mexico that doesn't appear to use whipped cream. My wife bought some heavy cream to use for her fresh strawberry pie, added some sugar and vanilla and proceeded to whip the dickens out of it. I swear we would have turned it into butter if we kept after it! No amount of whipping would incorporate enough air to thicken it. What is the trick? The cream is pasteurized, and I never noticed in the states if it was or not. Never had a problem before. Any tips?


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## Andy M. (Mar 4, 2008)

To best whip cream, you should start with cold cream, bowl and beaters.  Also, the cream has to have a high enough fat content to be shipped.  Heavy cream should have done the trick.  Pasteurized or not wouldn't be an issue.  

I would try whipping it until almost done before adding sugar and vanilla.


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## Katie H (Mar 4, 2008)

My first question would be, "What were you using to whip the cream?"  If you were using a spoon, then I could see where you might've had a problem.  If you were using a whisk or beaters, you should've been able to get the cream to whip.  As Andy said, make sure everything is nice and cold.

Other than that, I do exactly as Andy suggests.  And, no, pasteurized cream shouldn't be an issue.  All the cream in my markets is pasteurized and I've never had a problem whipping it.


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## plumies (Mar 4, 2008)

I get much better results whipping cream in a metal bowl than a plastic bowl, quicker to form peaks and it holds better.  Other than the heavy cream, what else was different from your previous successes?


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## JillBurgh (Mar 4, 2008)

Read this thread from last week. Scroll down to third post, entitled "All of your whipped cream questions answered!"


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## wilson42 (Mar 4, 2008)

Katie E said:


> My first question would be, "What were you using to whip the cream?" If you were using a spoon, then I could see where you might've had a problem. If you were using a whisk or beaters, you should've been able to get the cream to whip. As Andy said, make sure everything is nice and cold.
> 
> Other than that, I do exactly as Andy suggests. And, no, pasteurized cream shouldn't be an issue. All the cream in my markets is pasteurized and I've never had a problem whipping it.


 
We used a whisk,beaters and one of those new handblenders. Metal bowl. Can't make sense of it. If I can find it I thought cream of tarter or maybe a hybred whipped cream with a little unflavored gelatin. Don't know if I can find either down here though. We'll try again and keep you posted. Thanks for the help.


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## Jeekinz (Mar 4, 2008)

I use a whisk in a stainless bowl. I take the ice tray from the freezer and place the bowl in that. As long as your whisking method is correct, in 4 minutes you'll have stiff peaks. Sprinkle in some sugar and vanilla and give it one last whisk.

If you don't have an ice tray, just put some ice cubes and cold water in a larger bowl then put the mixing bowl in that.


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## Uncle Bob (Mar 4, 2008)

Throw your metal (SS) bowl and whisk in the freezer for a few minutes...


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## Katie H (Mar 4, 2008)

wilson42 said:


> We used a whisk,beaters and one of those new *handblenders*. Metal bowl. Can't make sense of it. If I can find it I thought cream of tarter or maybe a hybred whipped cream with a little unflavored gelatin. Don't know if I can find either down here though. We'll try again and keep you posted. Thanks for the help.



You say "hand blender."  Are you talking about what I know as an immersion blender?  If that's the case, that might be the problem.  I don't know whether they can whip cream or not, unless it comes with a whisk attachment.  I've never tried it with mine and mine doesn't have a whisk.  Perhaps someone else who has tried it will chime in.


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## archiduc (Mar 4, 2008)

Hi Wilson42,
I agree with the previous posts. I live in the UK and for whipping we use double cream or whipping cream to whip and, by way of illustration gain something that you could use to pipe on top of a gateau.

My method would be to place the bowl to be used and balloon whisk in the freezer for 1 - 2  hours and keep the cream in the fridge. Remove all, place the cream in the bowl and whisk to a soft peak stage, then add icing sugar (very finely powdered sugar), whisk just to incorporate, add vanilla extract (just a touch) and whisk to the desired degree.

I am conscious, having read numerous posts, that altitude sometimes plays a part in how ingredients perform - could this be a factor here? I honestly don`t know but maybe someone else may be able to adivse on the matter.

Hope this helps,
Archiduc


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## AllenOK (Mar 6, 2008)

wilson42 said:


> I'm in a part of Mexico that doesn't appear to use whipped cream. My wife bought some heavy cream to use for her fresh strawberry pie, added some sugar and vanilla and proceeded to whip the dickens out of it. I swear we would have turned it into butter if we kept after it! No amount of whipping would incorporate enough air to thicken it. What is the trick? The cream is pasteurized, and I never noticed in the states if it was or not. Never had a problem before. Any tips?



Were you using _crema_, a.k.a. "Table Cream"?  If so, that's your problem, as that's not the same thing as heavy cream in the US.  _Crema_ is more like sour cream, than heavy cream.


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## wilson42 (Mar 6, 2008)

*help whipping cream*



AllenOK said:


> Were you using _crema_, a.k.a. "Table Cream"? If so, that's your problem, as that's not the same thing as heavy cream in the US. _Crema_ is more like sour cream, than heavy cream.


 

The bottle says cream, not Crema Agria, which I like very much. It also isn't the table cream used here to dip fresh fruit in. Seems like plain old heavy cream to me. As luck would have it, though, I spotted a carton of cream with a picture of strawberries floating on a fine cloud of whipped cream and bought it. Will try it to top a fresh banana and mango cream pie. Hope it will be a perfect desert to accompany the first "gringo" style rib dinner this Sunday. On an unrelated thread, we bought and grilled 2 fine Red snappers today. Turned out wonderful, thanks to tips found on this site. (who the **** calls all the flies when one purchases fresh fish???)


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## MexicoKaren (Mar 6, 2008)

Wilson42, I also live in Mexico, and there are (as you have discovered) many, many types of cream products here. ALL of them are delicious, but the one you want to buy for whipping cream comes in a carton in the dairy section and is labeled "crema para batir" The brand I buy is in a white carton with red lettering and is called "Lyncott." It is 30% butterfat, and I have very good luck using it for whipping cream, even in our humid climate here on the Pacific Coast.


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