Shake Up How You Make Whipped Cream With An Unexpected Tool

So many foods can be improved with a dollop of whipped cream, from a simple bowl of fresh-sliced strawberries to a slice of homemade apple pie. Whipped cream is also perfect atop a mug of homemade hot cocoa or a Nutty Irishman cocktail made with a little bit of homemade Irish cream. Given the chance, most people would probably eat more fresh whipped cream if it was available. 

The trouble is, making whipped cream usually involves a bowl and a mixer — and, typically, a lot needs to be used up right away before it loses volume. If you love whipped cream but don't love making a mess of your kitchen, you don't need to break out the whisk or the stand mixer every time you want a little pick-me-up. For that matter, you don't need any special equipment at all if you own decent bar tools. Steal a move from bartenders everywhere and use a cocktail shaker and strainer to make enough of the sweet stuff for a couple of cocktails or dessert for two.

Bartenders have known the secret to speedy, small quantities of whipped cream for a long time. After all, who else would need to know how to make enough whipped cream for a round of hot buttered rums in less than five minutes? All you need to accomplish homemade whipped cream is a standard cocktail shaker and a Hawthorne strainer, which is the kind with a flat paddle top attached to a spring.

Chill your shaker in the fridge or freezer before you want to make any whipped cream because the fat content of cream emulsifies better when it's cold. If you're making cream for cocktails, fill your shaker with ice for a few minutes and then dump it out when it feels cold to the touch.

Next, pour a few ounces of cream into the shaker, but make sure not to fill it more than halfway because the cream needs space to expand. Heavy cream doubles in volume when whipped, which is good to know for any size batch. After pouring the cream into the cocktail shaker, take the spring part off of the strainer and put it into the cream. This piece acts like a whisk to whip air into the cream. Cover the shaker and shake it up for 30-40 seconds. Pop the top off, and you should have perfectly whipped cream. If it's still a little soupy, give it a few more shakes.

Now that you know how to make fresh whipped cream anytime you want, you don't need to buy a can of store-bought spray cream again. You may also want to experiment with flavors to customize your homemade whipped cream. Add a dash of simple syrup or 1 tablespoon of table sugar to make sweetened cream. Add a dash of vanilla extract and powdered sugar to make chantilly cream.

But don't stop there. Whipped cream gets a spectacular upgrade with flavors such as chocolate (add a scoop of powdered hot cocoa mix), pumpkin spice (add 1 tablespoon of pumpkin purée with cinnamon and nutmeg), or even your favorite cocktail components. For example, bourbon, elderflower-flavored liqueurs like St‑Germain, or citrus-based spirits like Grand Marnier and limoncello. However, it's vital to only add a small amount of each flavor — around 1 tablespoon or less — so the cream sets up properly. Otherwise, the possibilities are endless.

Another nice feature of this quick whipping technique is that you don't have to worry about wasting any. Because you're only making about 1 cup of cream, you're likely to eat all of it on your cocktail, dessert, or with a spoon after the party is over.