Make Cream from Milk

If you need whipped cream but have run out of heavy cream at the last minute, you can always make whipped cream with whole milk instead. Although making your own whipped cream from scratch may seem like a daunting prospect, it is quite easy. You just need a few key ingredients, some vigorous mixing, and a little patience. Try this recipe to create a fluffy whipped cream from the milk you already have in your refrigerator.

Steps

Making Simple Whipped Cream

  1. Gather your ingredients. Making whipped cream from milk is easy, but you do need to have some special ingredients and tools before you begin. You will need:[1]
    • 1/4 cup of cold water
    • 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) of powdered gelatin
    • 1 cup of milk
    • 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup of powdered sugar
    • a saucepan
    • a large mixing bowl
    • a whisk
    • a hand mixer
  2. Mix water and gelatin in your saucepan. Measure and pour ¼ cup of water into your saucepan. Then, measure and add 10 grams of gelatin to the pan. Don’t turn on the heat. Just let the gelatin and water sit in the pan for about 10 minutes, so that the gelatin can absorb some of the water.[1]
  3. Turn on the heat and stir. After 10 minutes, turn the heat to medium, and then start stirring the gelatin and water. Stir the gelatin and water over the heat until the gelatin dissolves and the mixture looks uniform.[1]
    • After you have finished stirring the gelatin and water, switch off the heat and allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature again.
  4. Combine milk and gelatin in a large mixing bowl. While you are waiting for the gelatin and water mixture to cool, measure out one cup of milk and pour it into your large mixing bowl. When the gelatin and water have cooled, add them to the milk. Then, whisk the ingredients together until they are well combined.[1]
  5. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Next, measure out ½ tablespoon of vanilla and add it to the milk mixture. Then measure out ¼ cup of powdered sugar and add that to the milk mixture. Whisk the vanilla and powdered sugar in with the milk mixture until there are no lumps.[1]
    • Keep in mind that you can always use a different kind of extract if you want a different flavor For example, you can try lemon, maple, almond, or coconut.
  6. Chill the cream mixture. After you have mixed the vanilla and powdered sugar in with the milk mixture, place it in the refrigerator and leave it to chill for about 1 to 1 ½ hours. Stir the mixture about once every 15 minutes to prevent the ingredients from separating.[1]
    • Try chilling your beaters for the mixer as well. Chilling your beaters may help to speed up the mixing process and prevent separation.[2]
  7. Use a hand mixer to whip the milk. When the ingredients are cool, begin mixing them with your hand mixer. Make sure that you go all around the edges of the bowl as you mix. Keep mixing the ingredients until they resemble whipped cream.[1]
    • Your whipped cream should begin to form soft peaks when it is ready.[2]

Trying Different Whipped Cream Variations

  1. Use a different kind of sweetener. Powdered sugar is ideal because it is easy to mix in with the cream. However, if you do not have powdered sugar or if you don’t want to use powdered sugar, then there are some alternatives. Keep in mind that you may have to adjust the amount that you use if the substitute you are using is sweeter than powdered sugar, such as stevia or another sugar substitute.[2]
    • Brown sugar or granulated sugar. Use ¼ cup.
    • Stevia and other sugar substitutes. Use 1/4 teaspoon of stevia or other sugar substitute to replace the sugar.[3]
    • Honey. Use ¼ cup of honey, minus one teaspoon. Also, use two tablespoons less milk than you normally would to make the whipped cream.[4]
  2. Add in additional flavors. If you want to add a flavor to your whipped cream, there are many options. You can add a teaspoon of almost and kind of flavoring extract to replace the vanilla or try one of these variations:
    • Chocolate. Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder or some melted chocolate to the whipped cream mixture before you mix it with the hand mixer.
    • Lemon. Fold 1/2 of a tablespoon of freshly grated lemon zest into the whipped cream for a burst of citrus.
    • Cinnamon. Sprinkle a teaspoon of cinnamon into the whipped cream before you start mixing it for added flavor and warmth.
    • Maple bacon. Add 1/4 cup of chopped bacon and a tablespoon of maple syrup to the whipped cream for a savory-sweet treat.
  3. Fold in some nuts. Nuts make a nice easy addition as well. Try folding in ¼ cup of chopped nuts when you are almost ready to serve your whipped cream. Chopped pecans, walnuts, chopped macadamias, and almond slivers all make great additions.[5]
  4. Give your whipped cream a jolt. Try adding a couple of tablespoons of espresso powder to your whipped cream before you whip it. Measure out and add the espresso powder to your whipped cream right before you start mixing it with your hand mixer.[5]
    • Or, try adding one tablespoon of cocoa powder and one tablespoon of espresso powder for some chocolate coffee flavored whipped cream.
  5. Mix in two tablespoons of fresh herbs. Mint is a great choice if you want to keep your whipped cream tasting sweet, but you can also try other chopped herbs. For example, you could add in some fresh basil, lavender, or thyme for a somewhat savory whipped cream.[5]
    • Make sure that the herbs are finely chopped before you add them to your whipped cream.
    • Add the herbs before you start mixing with your hand mixer.



Tips

  • Make sure to use whole milk not non-fat or 2%. These kinds of milk do not contain enough fat to be whipped.
  • One cup of skim milk plus 2 tablespoons of melted butter works in place of whole milk.

Warnings

  • Once your cream reaches the desired consistency, stop mixing immediately! If you over mix your cream, it may start to curdle or loose its light, fluffy texture.

Things You'll Need

  • Saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Electric or hand-held mixer
  • Measurement cups
  • Measurement spoons
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Water
  • Gelatin
  • Whole milk
  • Powdered sugar
  • Vanilla extract

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Sources and Citations

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