¼vanilla bean, seeds scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a medium chilled bowl, and beat vigorously for about 4 minutes – it should start to thicken and form soft peaks. When you lift up your whisk, the tip of the cream should fall over a little, forming a soft peak.
Whipped cream is best enjoyed at this stage. It is also perfect to fold into mousses because it has the right texture. At firm-peak stage, it is stable enough to be pipped into different shapes. If you beat it any further, the fat will start to separate from the moisture and you will eventually get butter and a watery milk.
Notes
Whipped cream has a short shelf life and will deflate rather quickly. A great way to stabilize whipped cream is to add skimmed milk powder. Simply add 2 teaspoons (3 grams) of milk powder to the above recipe before you whip it.(Reprinted with permission from French Pastry 101 by Betty Hung, Page Street Publishing Co. 2018.)