Heavy Whipping Cream

[luckieazn87]

Hey, I'm a new member to this forum. I've just recently developped an interest in cooking, so I have very little knowledge and experience in cooking. I have a question regarding heavy whipping cream. I can't just seem to get it to whip into that whip cream texture that it should be. I don't have any of those fancy machines, so I had to do it by hand, but it didn't work. Is there an easier and faster way to do it, besides using those machines?

[ironchef]

it's all about the elbow grease....same thing with a meringue. you not only have to whip it, but whip it fast. if you don't have a kitchen aid or hand mixer, your hand and a whisk is the only way to do it.

make sure you use a stainless steel or copper bowl too.

[ramydam]

I think it goes faster with a pretty stiff whisk rather than a really floppy one. You can get little hand-held mixers for pretty cheap if you're going to be whipping stuff often. I just do it by hand sometimes because I can pretend that was my cardio for the day! Just like kneading is an upper-body work-out.

[luckieazn87]

oo, i c, thanx!

[jasonr]

Whipping cream by hand is possible, but very difficult; definitely not for the faint of heart. Don't bother with the little hand mixers you get at the dollar store; I have found them to be almost completely useless. Just get a run-of-the-mill wire whisk, put the cream, right out of the fridge, (it is easier if it is cold) in a relatively small bowl, and just keep whipping until either it whips or your heart explodes, whichever comes first. As for meringue, I don't recommend it; it is nearly impossible to whip meringue properly by hand, and you're likely to give yourself a coronary in the process. Do your heart a favor and buy a hand mixer; they can be had for a mere $40.00 Canadian.

[ironchef]

I think that if you would get a heart attack from just whipping cream or a meringue by hand, then you have much larger problems

[kyles]

It helps if you cook for a family, rope in help, children are particularly handy for whisking, you can line em up and as one tires put the next one on, that's what my mum used to do. I don't have kids, so I have got an electric hand held egg beater thingie, it was really cheap and much easier!

I do prefer mayonnaise made by wisk though, and usually do that for parties so I have help! Never walk into my kitchen asking "is their anything you would like me to do?" expecting to be handed a glass of wine and being told to relax, doesn't happen!

[jasonr]

"I think that if you would get a heart attack from just whipping cream or a meringue by hand, then you have much larger problems"

I am 23 and in excellent shape, so no, I won't get a heart attack. However, given the amount of exertion involved (my head turned bright red) I don't think older people should be doing it; it's like shovelling snow, NOT good for your health :)

[ramydam]

wow. you really are doing a cardio workout. keep it all in the wrist - still tiring, but not strenuous. It's kind of fun to prove things can still be done the oooold-fashioned way, don't you think? Although it wouldn't be quite so much work if we could get the really heavy cream
I tried to whip regular "heavy" whipping cream to piping consistency once because I'd seen European confectioners do it - I made butter! :oops:

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

You made BUTTER?! I needed a laugh! LOL!!!!!!!

(Im laughing with you... not at ya.)