Whipping or Heavy Cream
If you have a choice between buying cream that has guar gums or other additives and the pure, unadulterated kind, do not hesitate to choose the latter. Good whipping cream (sometimes it’s labelled as heavy cream) can have a fat content of anywhere between 30 percent and 40 percent and should be kept refrigerated. Do not buy pre-whipped cream as it will have stabilisers added. When the cream is whipped, it must be thoroughly chilled, as should the bowl and beater you use, since a low temperature helps the cream to gain volume. On a very hot day, you may whip cream over ice.
If you are unable to find decent whipping cream or wish to make your own, try the following recipe, which I owe to Mrs Jitka Mencik. She used it in her native Czechoslovakia when she was unable to obtain cream. All it requires is sweet butter, milk, and a blender. For 1¼ cups whipping (or heavy) cream, making 2½ cups whipped:
¾ cup whole milk
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1. Place milk and butter into a saucepan. Over low heat, let the butter melt into milk.
2. Pour this mixture into a blender jar and blend at the highest speed for 2 minutes.
3. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Whip cream as you would any commercial whipping cream.
If you plan to use the whipped cream to make decorations with a pastry bag, you may wish it a bit stiffer. See then the recipe Whipped Cream with Gelatin.
Sour Cream
Once you have good whipping cream on hand, you will be surprised how utterly delicious home-made sour cream can be. Unlike the commercial type, this sour cream will whip up like whipping cream. (Chill before whipping.) For about 1⅓ cups sour cream, making 2 ¼ cups when whipped:
1¼ cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons buttermilk (make sure there are no additives or it will not thicken)
1. Add the buttermilk to the whipping cream and stir to blend. (Cream does not need refrigeration after the mixing of the butter and milk.)
2. Let stand at room temperature for at least 24 hours. It will be thick and smell slightly sour.
It may be used right away or be refrigerated for several weeks. The sour cream will become better with age.