Hi everyone, the other week I tried making the recipe for Real Old Fashioned Whipped Cream, but it inexplicably wouldn’t whip. It was thick and foamy, but just wouldn’t whip all the way. I tried chilling it, but that didn’t seem to help.

Anyone else ever experience this?

I’ve made the cornstarch stabilized whipped cream on a few occasions and that has always worked well for me.

Thanks,
-Holly

I haven’t exactly had this problem, but I have noticed that ultra-pasteurized cream doesn’t whip as nicely as standard pasteurized cream.

Yeah, its a shame non UP cream is so hard to get. There was one store that carried an amazing organic low temp pasteurized cream from grass fed Jersey cows, but they stopped carrying it. Every single other place in the Cambridge/Somerville area carries only ultra pasteurized! I wish you could freeze cream; if so I would order a 50 gallon drum of that Jersey cream.

-Holly

Betsy D had a somewhat similar problem.
http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/index_ee.php/forums/viewthread/448/
I am afraid we never arrived at a definitive answer.
I wonder if sometimes the butterfat content of certain containers isn’t what it ought to be.

That is an interesting somewhat related post. Although the whole point of the ROFWC recipe is to fix cream that doesn’t have enough fat in it already…

NASA is working on this conundrum…

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/25apr_cvx2.htm?list832167

I once had a problem with cream that wouldn’t whip…and then never again…I think that the fat content is off at times…can’t think of what else it would be.  In NYC there is a gourmet brand of dairy products I think it’s called Ronnybrook Farms.  The cream is not ultra pasturized, if I’m not mistaken…quite expensive… but it’s there.  Perhaps you could do a search in your area…maybe some gourmet shop carries it.
Good luck

Holly,

If you are ever out in the Berkshires, look for “High Lawn Farm” heavy cream, it is from Jersey cows and is only pasteurized, not ultra-pasteurized.  It makes the most divine whipped cream!  It isn’t organic, unfortunately, but they at least don’t use hormones.  They had a delivery program going locally, perhaps they have experience with shipping?  They are located in Lee, Mass, and the phone number on their label is (413) 243-0672. 

A word of warning:  if you are combining whole milk with hot, caramelized sugar (caramel sauce or caramel silk meringue buttercream), don’t use pasteurized jersey milk, it curdles completely.  Go for the ultra-pasteurized, non-Jersey stuff. 

Good Luck,
Julie

what if you added a 1/2 tbsp of unsalted butter? wonder if that will up the fat content without destroying the entire thing?

jen

Holly,

I just read something in the Cake Bible last night that says that heavy cream that has been frozen will not whip!  It made me think of this post- maybe your cream had been frozen by a too-cold refrigerator, either at your house or at the store/distributor?

Best,
Julie