On the rare occasion – literally, once a year – that I decide that I want whipped cream… I do not reach for the cool whip. I do not reach for the reddi-whip.
I reach for the heavy cream… and the sugar. And I thank Almighty Weight Lifting Jesus for my arm strength… because I just pour both into a mixing bowl and beat the hell out of ’em.
But why?
Firstly, whipped cream is what I call an extreme luxury. I don’t ever need whipped cream, and there are usually more flavorful and exciting options nearby. Not only that, but it usually has an outlandish amount of sugar – usually in the form of high fructose corn syrup – and almost always has trans-fat (specifically cool whip.) I can’t be bothered with all that when all I need to do is grab a mixer, a bowl, some cream and a bit of sugar. Really, it’s that simple.
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (if you want to be fancy, drop a pinch of vanilla beans in there!)
Pour your heavy cream in your bowl, and stir in your extract. Start whipping. Use either a mixer, a blender or your hand and an egg beater… I’ve used all three. Once it starts to thicken, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and keep mixing. In a couple more minutes, add the rest of the sugar and continue to beat the mixture until it takes the form you prefer. Very simple, very delicious.