It takes a little practice to learn how to whip cream effectively by hand. You have to work quickly enough that the cream doesn’t have time to warm up too much. Switch to the other hand if the hand you are using becomes too tired. Use an electric mixer to make the job easier. Set the bowl of cream under a stand mixer and let the machine do all the work, or use a hand mixer to make gentle swirls in the cream while the beaters whip it up.
Some people prefer soft whipped cream, which slumps deliciously down the side of cakes and pies. Others prefer stiffer whipped cream that retains a certain shape when it’s used to top a dessert. Keep whipping until the cream reaches the texture you desire. Add more sugar and continue whipping to stabilize or make the whipped cream thicker. Stop whipping before it turns to butter. If you keep whipping for too long (which is easier to do with an electric mixer than by hand) the cream will turn to solid butter. If this happens to you, save the butter to make cinnamon sugar toast or another delicious treat and start over with a new batch of cream.
Make chocolate whipped cream by adding a tablespoon of cocoa. This would make a great topping for chocolate silk pie. Make vanilla bourbon whipped cream as a topping for pecan pie. Add a teaspoon of vanilla and a teaspoon of bourbon to the mix. Create a bright-tasting cream by adding a tablespoon of lemon zest, and use it to top strawberry shortcake. Almond or anise extract add a subtle depth to whipped cream. These make an excellent topping for berry pies.
