Homemade whipped cream

Want to make homemade whipped cream? Fresh whipped cream is the perfect finishing touch to a key lime pie, strawberry tart or sundae, or you can use it to fill a cake. It's also the base for some ice creams, parfaits, mousses and tortes.

The mechanics of whipping cream are relatively simple – you're simply encouraging the fat molecules in the cream to join together and trap air – but there are a few rules to apply to make it as easy as possible, and to ensure you don’t end up with butter.

Lulu's tips for whipping cream:

• The cream should contain enough fat – at least 30 per cent. Single cream won’t whip up, but whipping cream (36 per cent) and double cream (48 per cent) will. Thick cream and clotted cream don’t need whipping; they have a heavier, smoother texture. Whipping cream will result in lighter, fluffier whipped cream than double cream.
• You can whip cream along with another creamy ingredient, such as crème fraîche or mascarpone – just make sure it has enough fat content, or it won’t whip up properly.
• For best results, the cream should be very cold, as should the bowl and whisk – chill the bowl in the fridge first (use a glass or metal bowl, if you have one), if you have time.
• You can use an electric whisk, stand mixer, food processor or balloon whisk to whip cream, but adjust the timing accordingly. If you're using a balloon whisk, the bigger the head of the whisk, the less effort you'll have to put in – and one with a wire ball inside will work even more efficiently. You can use a flat whisk or, at a pinch, a fork – but it will take much longer. Cream whipped in a food processor won’t be as light and fluffy as whisked cream – it will be thicker, so it's a good method if you want to cover a cake in whipped cream.
• Whip the cream slowly and in a controlled way to prevent over-whipping it – once it just reaches stiff peaks, stop. Over-whipped cream will first become grainy, then turn to butter. When whipped properly, cream will roughly double in volume.