For No-Fail Whipped Cream, Add This One Ingredient (It Tastes Better, Too)

My favorite frosting has always been a simple one, made from whipped cream. It’s that beautiful, fluffy white cream that Chinese and Asian bakeries use to decorate their iconic cakes. But for the longest time, I was afraid to make and use it.

I always thought the cream would melt or fall flat, or that it wouldn’t be stable enough to pipe. Then, a few years ago, when I was developing an Asian bakery birthday cake for my first cookbook, I discovered that you must stabilize whipped cream with an ingredient. Some people use cornstarch, while others use liquid gelatin or Greek yogurt.

I’ve tried all of those, and they all work, but each also comes with its own little quirks. For example, Greek yogurt adds tang and tartness, and liquid gelatin can leave jelly strings in the whipped cream. Lately, I like using melted white chocolate—it adds a pop of sweetness to the whipped cream and stabilizes it like a dream.

How to Add White Chocolate to Whipped Cream

Using a high-quality white chocolate is key to adding this ingredient to whipped cream (I like Valrhona and Ghirardelli). Per cup of heavy cream, you want 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped white chocolate.

Place the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 20-second bursts, and repeat until it can be mixed smoothly with a rubber spatula. (Over-microwaving the white chocolate can brown and caramelize it, and you don't want this to happen.) Then, mix in a few drops of neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or corn oil) to keep the chocolate from re-solidifying while the cream is whisked.

Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, then add in the melted white chocolate—just make sure it’s not too hot. Continue whipping the cream until stiff peaks form. Cream whips up much faster than egg whites, so be sure to keep this in mind to prevent over-whipping.

Tada! And there you have it: a stable whipped cream with a hint of sweetness. If you find it too sweet for your liking, next time, you can add a little salt or some red miso to the heavy cream before adding the melted white chocolate.

These days, I have zero fear when I’m making whipped cream. It doesn’t deflate or melt away; instead, it stays fluffy and stable. Whipped cream, enhanced with white chocolate, is perfect for frosting cakes, piping atop cupcakes, or adding a mountain of indulgence on hot chocolate.