Variations:  Cornstarch Stabilized Whipped Cream; Jell-O Stabilized Whipped Cream 

Princess Cream Cake


Black Forest Cherry Cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte) 

If your whipping cream is high in butterfat (40 %) or ultra pasteurized, then you may not need to stabilize it, but we prefer to add in that extra insurance when making specialty desserts and stacked and rolled cakes. Gelatin gives it a firm, mouse-like texture, which I like, and it does not weep (bleed water) after awhile. You can frost your cake a day ahead, but it must be refrigerated. You can use cornstarch to stabilize whipped cream, but we found it is not as reliable as gelatin. We developed a new method on how to prevent little gelatin clumps from forming when adding it to the whipping cream during mixing, a common problem. Whipped cream tends to color to pastels only. 
FROSTING, ICING, ETC RECIPE HELP

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

2 cups (1 pint) chilled whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon flavored oil
2 tablespoons sugar

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare the gelatin:
A. Place the dry gelatin in a small bowl. Pour cold water over it. Let soak for 5 minutes.

B. Dissolve by placing it in a container over a small pot of simmering water. Set aside to let cool.
NOTE: Alternatively, you may dissolve the gelatin by heating it for 20 seconds in the microwave, under low power. Do not let it overheat. Let cool.

2. Prepare the whipped cream:
A. Place the empty bowl in the freezer to quickly chill.
Using an electric mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed in its pre-chilled mixer bowl.

B. Just before it becomes soft and billowy, slowly add the sugar and vanilla extract to the whipped cream at the sides of the bowl.
Continue to whip on high as you do.

C. Whip the cream until it barely starts to stiffen. Stop the mixer.

D. Add melted and cooled gelatin to the cream mixture.
Kelly SAYS: I find there is less tendency for the cooled gelatin to form blobs in the finished whipped cream using this method:
1. First, take about 2 tablespoons of the cream from the mixer bowl.

2. Stir it into the cooled gelatin.

3. Return the cream/ gelatin mixture back into the main mixing bowl with the rest of the semi-whipped cream.

E. Continue to whip the cream on high until soft peaks form.
Finish beating with wire balloon whisk to adjust consistency, if necessary.

Use the Stabilized Whipped Cream Recipe with the:
“I Heart Strawberries” Cupcakes

Fresh Strawberries and Cream Cake

3. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.

STORAGE
If storing, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 to 36 hours. If the cream separates in the refrigerator, whisk the cream together again with a large wire balloon whisk until it has come back together (do not rebeat with an electric mixer).
For longer storage, whipped cream can be frozen by teaspoonful on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. When frozen, remove to a resealable plastic bag and place back in the freezer. However,
whipped crwam does not freeze well.

VARIATIONS
1. For 1 cup of cream use 1/2 teaspoon gelatin soaked in 1 tablespoon cold water.
2. For 2 cups of cream use 1 teaspoon gelatin soaked in 2 tablespoons cold water.
3. For 6 cups of cream use 1 tablespoon gelatin soaked in 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon cold water.

Cornstarch Stabilized Whipped Cream: Cornstarch also stabilizes whipping cream. It will not hold up as well as will gelatin.

For every 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, use 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch (if your cream is very low in butterfat use 1 1/2 teaspoons), and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Refrigerate the mixing bowl and (preferably whisk) beater for at least 15 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch and gradually stir in 1/4 cup of the cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and simmer for just a few seconds (until the liquid is thickened). Scrape into a small bowl and cool completely to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the remaining 3/4 cup cream just until traces of beater marks begin to show distinctly.

Add the cooled cornstarch mixture in a steady stream, beating constantly. Beat until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised.

Jell-O Stabilized Whipped Cream
Add in 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup powdered jell-O, instead of gelatin, to the whipping cream and it will stabilize and flavor it! You need to dissolve the powder thoroughly in a small amount of the cold cream, first. Let it sit for a minute. Then, cook and stir on low heat about 3 minutes or until gelatin is completely dissolved – otherwise the recipe will be grainy! Then, chill the mixture again before whipping!