The perfect topping for the perfect pie doesn’t come out of a can. And really, it takes less than 5 minutes to whip some cream yourself. Unless you only have a hand mixer, in which case you’re either about to get some exercise, or you’ve already decided to skip this post & head to the store for the pre-made kind. Can’t say as I’d blame ya. 

Here’s another great tip I learned from my mom: paper towel. Go ahead & make the big batch of whipped cream, even if you know you won’t finish it all today. It actually keeps really well in the fridge for a couple of days, with the help of a humble piece of paper towel. It will be a little denser the next day, but still fluffy & delicious. Read on…

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream

¼ tsp sugar (super-fine is best, but regular will do)

Several drops of vanilla extract

Preparation:

1.) At least an hour before serving dessert, place your bowl and mixer blades in the refrigerator. (Another of Mom’s tricks, this helps speed up the whipping process.)

2.) Pour the cream into the mixer bowl, and turn the mixer on low. Gradually increase the speed until it’s the fastest the machine can go without spraying cream all over the kitchen. As it thickens, you’ll be able to go faster. Sure, you can do this on medium speed, but I’m assuming you want it done quickly so you can put it on some Fresh Pumpkin Pie!

3.) When it starts to form soft peaks (first pic), add the sugar & vanilla. If you like your whipped cream with a little more body, keep whipping until it looks more like the 2nd pic. Some people like their whipped cream soft & smooth, so that it kind of drapes over the pie. I like mine thicker, so I keep going.

4.) Continue beating until well combined, & you reach desired consistency.

5.) To store any leftovers, transfer to a bowl. Glass or plastic, doesn’t matter. It’s easiest to use a bowl that has a lid, but you could use plastic wrap in a pinch. Place a piece of paper towel on top, & gently pat down so that the towel is in contact with the entire surface of the whipped cream.

Fold any stray edges back into the bowl; cover & refrigerate. If you still have leftovers after 24 hours (Really? How did you do that?), just discard the paper towel & replace it with a fresh one.