This whipped cream recipe originally accompanied a Sachertorte from Rick Rodgers’ book Kaffeehaus—a study of the legendary desserts and café culture of Vienna, Prague, and Budapest. In Vienna, fresh whipped cream—schlagobers (translation: “very well whipped")—is an essential ingredient in daily life; a dollop tops coffee or tea, a spoonful gets dabbed on an afternoon snacking cake, and an unsweetened version garnishes soups. While store-bought Cool Whip has its charms, if you’re going to the effort of making pumpkin pie or rich hot chocolate, you’ll want to try this homemade whipped cream recipe.
Rodgers has a few tricks for achieving a stellar whipped topping for any and all desserts—whether it’s strawberry shortcake season or just the right day for an epic ice cream sundae. First, use high-quality heavy whipping cream—he recommends pasteurized over ultra-pasteurized—with a high milk fat content (36 to 40%) for the thickest, fluffiest results. Temperature is key: It’s best to whip well-chilled cream straight from the refrigerator in a chilled mixing bowl. A hand mixer will give you more control than a stand mixer will. For sweetened whipped cream, use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar—the smidge of added starch in powdered sugar helps the cream stand longer. A hint of vanilla extract is also imperative. It’s important to distinguish between the stages of whipped cream: Whisking until stiff peaks form isn’t always required—whipping the cream just until soft peaks form will give you a nice dessert topping. And take care not to overbeat, or you’ll get butter.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Pour the cream into a well-chilled bowl and add the sugar and vanilla. Using an electric hand mixer or balloon whisk, beat the cream to the desired consistency. For soft peaks, the cream will be just thick enough to hold its shape in soft billows. For stiffly beaten cream, the beaters or whisk wires will leave distinct traces on the cream and stand in firm peaks when the beaters are lifted.
Do Ahead: The cream can be whipped up to 1 day ahead, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerated. If liquid separates from the cream, whip it again, lightly, to incorporate the liquid.
Editor’s note: This recipe is reprinted from ‘Kaffeehaus’ and originally appeared on Epicurious in May 2006. Head this way for more of our favorite ways to use heavy cream →
Recipe notes
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