Chocolate Whipped Cream

Recipe by Sarah Phillips and Kelly Hong; Food styling and photos by Kelly Hong © 2010 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com

How to Make Chocolate Whipped Cream

INGREDIENTS
Gelatin:
2 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

Whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder; preferably Natural

INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the chocolate whipping cream:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the whipping cream. Add the vanilla and stir.


2. Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Cover and chill for at least one hour so the cocoa powder has time to dissolve.


Prepare gelatin:
1. Place the dry gelatin in a small bowl. Pour cold water over it. Let soak for 5 minutes.

2. Dissolve by placing it in a container over a small pot of simmering water. Set aside to let cool.
NOTE: Alternatively, you may dissolve the gelatin by heating it very briefly in the microwave, under low power. Do not let it overheat.

Whip the chilled cream and add the dissolved gelatin:
1. Fit an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat the cream on high speed until it is barely stiff, then stop the mixer.

2. Add in the dissolved and cooled gelatin:
Kelly SAYS: I find there is less tendency for the cooled gelatin to form blobs in the finished whipped cream using my method:
a. Add two tablespoon of the cream, to the melted and cooled gelatin.


b. Stir it into the cooled gelatin.


c. Return the cream / gelatin mixture back into the main mixing bowl with the rest of the semi-whipped cream.
Continue to whip the cream on high until soft peaks form.


3. Finish beating with whisk to adjust consistency, if necessary.


4. Cover and refrigerate chocolate whipped cream, while you make the Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

STORAGE
Cover and keep refrigerated for a couple of days. If necessary, rewhip with a wire balloon whisk until fluffy; do not rebeat with an electric mixer.

VARIATION
Chocolate Whipped Cream, Not Stabilized by Sarah Phillips © 2007 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com
Makes 2 cups

Chocolate whipped cream is used with this recipe, we posted in 2007, but we would have used the stabilized version above, now.
Bûche de Noël, Chocolate Cake, Step-by-Step, not gluten free by Sarah Phillips

INGREDIENTS
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled; preferably Ultra-pastuerized because it stays stable longer
2 1/2 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder; preferably Natural
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the whipping cream, powdered sugar, cocoa and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Cover and chill for at least one hour so the cocoa powder has time to dissolve.


2. When chilled, beat the mixture with a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, until stiff peaks form. Cover and keep refrigerated.


STORAGE
Cover and keep refrigerated for a couple of days. If necessary, rewhip with a wire balloon whisk until fluffy.