Ingredients

　　

Difficult to whip, won’t whip

Step 1

Thoroughly chill the cream, the bowl, and the beaters. Make sure that the cream is heavy cream, also called whipping cream (not half-and-half).

　　

Need some, have none

Step 2

For most uses, you can substitute one mashed banana beaten with one egg white (beat the egg white stiff first) and sugar to taste. Or use an emergency whipped cream topping (see Cream, Need Some, Have None).

　　

Old:

Step 3

If you suspect your cream may be getting old and therefore more likely to turn to butter when whipped, add 1/8 teaspoon baking soda per cup of cream before whipping it.

　　

Overwhipped, separated

Step 4

If it isn’t too far gone and you have some extra fresh cream, trying adding a bit. Whisk only by hand at this point though. If that doesn’t work, you’ll never have whipped cream, but if you keep on going a bit longer, you’ll have delicious homemade butter. Keep beating until it turns solid, then drain off the liquid and refrigerate until it is hard. Knead it by hand to press out the liquid (which is whey, so now you know what L.M. Muffet was eating with her curds). Now you have sweet butter. If you want salted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt per pint of cream that you started with and knead some more.

　　

Won’t stay whipped:

Step 5

If you want whipped cream to look lovely for a long time, as on a cake or other dessert that must sit for a while, dissolve 1 teaspoon gelatin in 2 tablespoons hot milk and beat it into a cup of already-whipped cream.

　　Cooks' Note

　　See also cream

　　How to Repair Food, Third Edition