Forget Chocolate-Covered Strawberries. Fill Them With Whipped Cream Instead

Next to using the bright red fruits to make a batch of roasted strawberry muffins or easy berry pie, fresh strawberries are easily enjoyed with only a few subtle additions. Take a lavish platter of handmade chocolate-covered strawberries, for example. The complex flavor notes of quality chocolate paired with the bright taste of strawberries are a classic match made in dessert heaven. However, if you're looking for a new way to transform your next strawberry haul into an easy-to-prepare dessert, try making individual berries and cream.

It's as easy as cutting holes into fresh strawberries with a paring knife and spraying store-bought whipped cream inside, though you should consider putting in the effort to make homemade vanilla whipped cream if you can. If you do go the home-whipped route, look for the cream to form stiff peaks before filling your berries. While you can try and fill them with a small spoon or butter knife, you're better off using a pastry bag with a small tip.

Although this dessert may seem simple and foolproof, whipped cream doesn't last forever. The trapped air that forms during the mixing process eventually escapes. The juice from strawberries may speed up this process, causing whipped cream to weep and lose its texture over time. Homemade whipped cream lasts two to three days when stored properly in the refrigerator. Yet, for cream-filled strawberries, you may want to stabilize whipped cream with specific ingredients for longer-lasting results.

While homemade whipped cream tastes delicious spooned over berries, you want to make sure this creamy filling holds its shape for individualized portions. Surprisingly, cream cheese is your secret weapon for the best whipped cream frosting. To make cream-filled berries that last in your refrigerator for a solid handful of hours, beat softened cream cheese with some sugar and vanilla. Then, add in cold heavy whipping cream and mix until stiff peaks form. The extra fat in cream cheese keeps the air nicely suspended in your filling, which, in turn, helps maintain the texture of your whipped cream. Next to cream cheese, you can also use equal potions of mascarpone cheese and heavy whipping cream, then whip with sugar and vanilla until nice and stiff.

Other tasty stabilizers include marshmallow fluff and powdered pudding mix. Both contain gelatin which manages the structural integrity of your filling. This strawberry-safe whipped cream effectively lines strawberries without oozing out. While stabilized whipped cream maintains its structure for a guaranteed 20 hours in the refrigerator, the extra moisture in cut berries may affect its consistency. Feel free to make whipped cream ahead of time, but for extra precaution, fill berries right before serving.

After choosing the right stabilizer for your homemade whipped cream, you're ready to fill the berries. To keep the fruit in place, cut out a sliver from one side of each berry so they lay flat. Alternatively, slice off the tops, stand the strawberries pointed-side up, and cut an "x" through each for easy filling. Stabilized whipped cream tends to firm up in the refrigerator, so using a piping bag is essential for extra precision. However, you can also halve strawberries, scoop out a small portion of the interior, and add dollops of whipped cream filling to each half.

Depending on the ingredients you use to keep your whipped cream nice and firm, consider adding some additional flavor and texture with extra toppings. Whipped cream mixed with cream cheese will have some tanginess, so try sprinkling the filled strawberries with crushed graham crackers or chocolate shavings. If using pudding mix, top berries with crushed nuts to counterbalance the added sweetness.

There are also plenty of ways to take whipped cream to the next level with different flavor profiles. Lemon zest will give your filling a bit of citrus flair, and you can add extra strawberry flavor with crushed freeze-dried berries or a spoonful of strawberry jam. And if you just can't fathom the idea of a strawberry dessert without chocolate, you can always sprinkle a bit of cocoa powder into your cream for that familiar bittersweet bite.