3 Minute Airy Chantilly Cream

This lavish Chantilly Cream is made with three ingredients in 3 minutes! This simple recipe magically transforms heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract into an indulgent homemade vanilla-sweetened whipped cream. It’s the perfect creamy topping for cakes, pies, breakfast pastries, hot coffee drinks, and more!

“Chantilly cream” may sound like something fancy, but it’s literally exactly like fresh whipped cream, but with added flavors from vanilla extract, almond extract, or some of each. It’s made with only 3 ingredients and only takes about 3 minutes to make. It’s one of the best homemade frosting you can make!

When we were tested on creams during my year at Le Cordon Bleu, this was the only one I could ever remember off of the top of my head for some reason! Probably because it’s so easy!

This elevated whipped cream would be a perfect filling or frosting for this Berry Chantilly Cake, on top of this chocolate loaf cake , or topped on these homemade vanilla cupcakes.

WHAT IS CHANTILLY CREAM?

Seeing as it’s also known as crème chantilly, you probably could have guessed that its origins trace back to France (among quite a few other famous “crèmes”) in a place called Chantilly. This French cream takes minutes to make with cream, vanilla extract, sugar, and a mixer.

After taking a quick spin in the mixer, this upgraded whipped cream is ready for just about anything! It’s commonly spread over traditional French pastries, layered between cakes, added to tarts, and many other French goodies. Needless to say, if you make too much, it won’t go to waste!

WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS RECIPE

• It comes together in 3 minutes with three ingredients.
• It’s easy! You don’t need to be a trained pastry chef to make classic French whipped cream.
• I like to think of it as an all-purpose dessert topping. It’s delicious on SO many sweet treats.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

• Heavy whipping cream – Please don’t attempt making chantilly cream with anything but COLD, full-fat heavy whipping cream. It’s the only ingredient that yields the distinguishable chantilly creamy texture and taste.
• Granulated sugar – It doesn’t take much sugar to make sweetened whipped cream, but you can use more or less depending on how sweet you like it. You can also use confectioners’ sugar here.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla sets chantilly cream apart from basic whipped cream, adding rich, delectable flavor. You can also use almond extract or equal parts of vanilla and almond extract.

HOW TO MAKE Chantilly Cream

Making chantilly cream from scratch is almost as easy as grabbing sweetened whipped cream from the store. There’s essentially only one step, and here it is:

Whip ingredients: In a chilled stand mixer bowl fitted with the whip attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract, on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (2-3 minutes) -and that’s it. I told ya it was easy!

TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS

• Use COLD cream – For the best results, keep the heavy whipping cream in the coldest place in your fridge until you’re ready to use it.
• Use a chilled bowl – Set your mixer bowl and whip attachment in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before making whipped cream.
• Your mixer makes a difference – Every mixer is different, with speeds that are faster or slower so keep an eye on the cream so it doesn’t curdle. Most recipes say it takes 5 minutes, but my cream was curdled in just under 3 minutes. Depending on your mixer, it may take less or more time. 

Fixing curdled whipped cream

If the cream is curdled, it’s not ruined!

To save it, whisk in EXTRA, COLD heavy whipping cream, two tablespoons at a time, by hand with a whisk to gently bring it back to life. Use caution, and don’t pour too much in at once. You can add but you can’t take away.

Start with two tablespoons and go from there.

This is what curdled cream looks like:

STORAGE AND FREEZING

Storing – If you made too much, grab a spoon! 😉 Or wrap the whipped cream securely in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freezing – Spread the whipped cream on a parchment-lined baking sheet and set the whole thing in the freezer overnight. Then transfer the frozen pieces of whipped cream to a freezer-safe bag with as much air removed as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw for 10-15 minutes before using.

QUICK TIP! If you keep your chantilly cream in the freezer, you can break off a piece and drop it directly in a hot cup of coffee or hot cocoa. Just try it and thank me later. DROOL.

Recipe FAQ

What makes Chantilly cream different?

Chantilly cream is just another fancy word for sweetened whipped cream, but not just any sweetened whipped cream. Chantilly cream is generally sweeter with a more full-bodied flavor because of the added flavoring extracts.

Can I double this homemade whipped cream recipe?

You sure can! It doubles and triples flawlessly.

Can I keep a dessert frosted with this out at room temperature?

Keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve and then you can leave it out at room temperature for a couple hours if you are inside. I do not recommend keeping this out if you are outside where it’s hot and sunny as it will start to melt

WAYS TO ENJOY

This Crème Chantilly is one of the easiest ways to upgrade all of your desserts with a sweet and creamy whipped topping. Here are a few of the many ways to use your homemade chantilly cream:

• Fresh Berry Chantilly Cake
• Pies – like Cranberry Pie or Caramel Apple Pie
• Strawberry Cheesecake
• Plum Tart
• Pumpkin Mousse
• Crepes, Pancakes, & Waffles
• French Toast
• Hot Lattes & Hot Chocolate

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