Chantilly cream, also known as whipped cream, originated from a banquet for Louis XIV overseen by chef Francois Vatel. Vatel committed suicide that night, but the cream remains popular in Europe and the US, used in various desserts and pastries. To make it, cream should not be over-beaten and some use superfine sugar. Stabilizers can speed up the process but may have an aftertaste. Canned whipped cream is also available but not as fresh-tasting.
Chantilly cream is quite familiar to most Americans, who tend to think of it simply as whipped cream. Most American versions of whipped cream add both sugar and vanilla to the cream, which is essentially the same thing. This cream is attributed to chef Francois Vatel.
At the Chateau de Chantilly, Vatel oversaw a huge banquet for Louis XIV and some 2,000 guests, where he created the now famous cream for use in patisserie. Sadly, Vatel might not have enjoyed the cream’s subsequent popularity; his desperation over slow-cooking fish led him to commit suicide later that night.
The creation of the Chantilly cream is therefore tainted by Vatel’s suicide. Yet few remember its origins, or if they do, prepare the cream for its popularity and as a way to honor Vatel’s terribly misguided genius. Today, it is used throughout Europe in various desserts such as cream puffs, cream puffs and can also garnish ice cream.
In the United States, Chantilly cream is relatively standard. American cooks can also use the cream in French or Italian-inspired pastries, or to fill or frost numerous types of cakes. Fruit Basket cake, a golden cake, is layered with fruit and cream and generally also frosted with whipped cream. Many angel cakes are also topped with whipped cream, and the traditional sundae or banana is usually topped with sweetened whipped cream.
For many chefs, the key to making Chantilly cream is not to over-beat the cream, which can lead to it turning into butter. Often sweetened cream is made with powdered sugar, but many purists insist on using superfine white sugar. If not finely beaten, this can cause Chantilly cream to have a grainy texture.
It’s hard to educate people on how long to beat cream to get the right consistency, as cream can vary, as can mixing speed. Some whipped cream is made with stabilizers, which make whipping faster, but may have a bit of an aftertaste. Whipping cream without stabilizers should only be whipped to the point where soft peaks form.
Many simply substitute Chantilly cream for dessert dressing in recipes. Alternatively, you can buy this cream in cans, as canned whipped cream. Both will not taste like freshly made cream, although they certainly take less time.
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