How to make whipped cream

delicious. team

Written by the expert and completely food-obsessed team behind this website, our social channels and our monthly magazine.

Find more

Knowing how to whip cream to perfection may sound simple, but it can be a matter of seconds between creating softly-whipped peaks and super sturdy whipped cream. Check out our guide on how to make whipped cream, including an easy-to-follow video and tips on how to identify the peak stage.

Ingredients:

600ml double cream

Method:

Pour the cream into a bowl then, using an electric whisk, move the cream gently around the bowl. It will start to bubble and froth a little.
Once the whisk starts to make subtle trails in the cream, you know it’s nearly ready. Keep watching it very closely as it’s very easy to over whip cream, depending on how soft or sturdy you want it.

For soft peaks…

Soft peaks are achieved when the cream is thick enough to form soft shapes/ peaks just firm enough to hold briefly as you lift the whisk, then fall back into the cream. This is the best consistency for folding cream into other mixtures, such as a blancmange.

For medium peaks…

This is the best consistency for sandwiching sponges together – the cream holds its shape well but is still soft and hasn’t started to become grainy. When you lift out the whisk, peaks will form but they will bend over at the end.

For firm peaks…

This is when the peaks stand proud and don’t fall over when the whisk is lifted. You need firm, but not too firm peaks for piping, as firm-peak cream is liable to split when it warms up a little in the icing bag.