In my four years as editor of the King Arthur blog, one of our most popular posts has been our tribute to practical mason jar icing magic.
It's easy to see why! It's a really handy tip — Mason jar whipped cream is a handy way to whip up fresh whipped cream on the go if you're bringing dessert to a holiday party, or to cut down on dishes if you're making it at home .
But as great as this method is, it's not perfect: shaking the jar can take up to two minutes of vigorous movement, and while that doesn't sound like very long, after 30 seconds or so your arm can start to feel the burn. . So our ears perked up when we heard about another weird whipped cream method that might be even better: making your own whipped cream in a French press.
We put it to the test, asking recipe editor Kye Ameden to give it a look. She poured the cream into the French press, then pushed the plunger up and down for about 4 minutes, until the cream thickened. Verdict: “Works surprisingly well!” Kye reported. “While it still takes some manual effort to forcefully pump the press, it's easier than shaking a jar, which honestly sometimes makes me sweat.” (Kye is a marathon runner and endurance athlete, so that's saying a lot.)
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
Another benefit of this method? It is difficult to beat the cream, something that can easily happen if you beat it with a mixer, even by hand or in a Mason jar. But because the press piston must move through the cream with each pump, it's difficult to keep stirring the mixture past the point of soft peaks—the ideal condition.
And just like Mason jar whipped cream, there's something magical about making your own whipped cream in a French press. “It's nice to serve whipped cream straight from the press with a spoon!” says Kye. “You can put it on the table next to a pie or fresh as a fun serving dish.”
If you find yourself bringing a holiday pie to Thanksgiving or another holiday this year, pack the French press and some heavy cream, too. When it's time to serve the pie, slide and start pumping. You'll have fresh whipped cream ready to go with minimal effort and a fun party trick.
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
Tips for making whipped cream from the French press
Keep your ice cream cold: Like whipped cream made in a bowl, you need to keep your heavy cream cold. When the cream is cold, the fat is more solid, stable and able to hold air bubbles, so it will be whipped faster and more effectively.
Don't overdo it: This method works best with a small volume of cream compared to french press size. First, do not fill it more than 1/3 with cream. But that said, make sure you have enough cream in the container for the pump to reach all the way into it.
Use your ears: You can tell the whipped cream is close when you hear a slight suction sound as you pull the pump. After that, take a look at the whipped cream at intervals to check its progress, stopping when it reaches your desired consistency.
Embrace the loss: The only downside to this method is that you will lose a small amount of your whipped cream in the filter press – unfortunately, it comes with the territory.
You've got the whipped cream covered… but what about the pie? Find it 15 of our favorite pie recipes, from pumpkin to apple and more.
Cover photo and food styling by Liz Neily.
