WHIPPING CREAM

Consists of at least 35% milk fat content and is commercially produced by centrifugal separation. It is sometimes pasteurized but rarely homogenized. When whipped, it will double in volume and is not very likely to curdle. It is usually used to top desserts and piped over cakes. Here are some tips from the US dairy Association for perfect whipped cream: 1. Chill the bowl and beaters, preferably in the freezer if there' s space. The colder the bowl and beaters, the quicker the cream will whip. 2. Use a small, deep bowl for beating cream. 3. Beat rapidly, scraping the bowl occasionally. Do not overbeat. Beat only until soft or stiff peaks form, as called for in your recipe. 4. Whipped cream to be piped through a pastry tube for decoration should be stiffer than cream whipped to be folded into other ingredients. 5. Ultra-pasteurized whipping cream will take slightly longer to beat than regular whipping cream and will not overbeat as readily. 6. To make sweetened whipped cream, fold 2 to 3 tablespoons sifted confectioners' sugar or granulated sugar into 2 cups whipped cream, after beating. 7. One cup whipping cream yields 2 cups whipped cream.