What to do if the cream curdles while whipping?

A holiday meal is said to be a success if it ends with a dessert with whipped cream. Used in cooking, the product is part of recipes for airy creams, caramel, mousse, decor for baking. Technology of whipping cream is not difficult to master, but novice confectioners often complain about the lack of puffiness and stratification of the product for no apparent reason. To avoid mistakes, you need to know the nuances of preparation.

Why whipping cream curdles

Causes of curdling of natural cow cream are inappropriate quality of the product, improper actions, namely:

Inappropriate temperature, fat content of cream

A stiff, non-shrinking froth can only be obtained when whipping cream with a fat content of 33% or more which is suitable for such purposes. The consistency of the cream depends on the temperature of the starting material. It should be chilled to 4-5°C on the refrigerator shelf for at least 12 hours or kept for 15 minutes in the freezer before preparation.

Pastry chefs recommend cooling the whipping bowl and mixer whisk at the same time.

Improper storage

It is unacceptable to preserve the consumer properties of fat whipping cream in the freezer. This mistake leads to curdling of the product, separation into whey and butter. Optimal storage conditions - refrigerator with a temperature of 2-6 degrees.

Maximum rotational speed of the mixer when whipping.

Cream is a capricious product and does not like to hurry. Start the beating with the mixer on minimum speed. It is important that the bowl and beaters are clean, dry and cool. Increase the speed slowly, so that instead of a stiff mass you do not get butter and buttermilk.

Excessive whipping time.

Beginning confectioners, inexperienced hostesses believe that the longer to whip the cream, the more stable and lush the creamy mass will turn out. This rule does not work here. The delicate product does not tolerate too long. The average whipping time is 5-7 minutes.

Readiness is checked by lifting the whisk upwards. The work of the mixer is interrupted if the cream is not dripping, holding its shape. This mass whipped to stiff peaks is used to make ganache, dense creams. For mousses and custards, it is sufficient to whip the cream to soft peaks with the consistency of melted ice cream.

If the dessert comes out thicker than planned, it is not difficult to correct. Gradually add cooled liquid cream to 25 to 50 percent of the original amount until you get the right consistency. While doing this, don't stop working with the mixer on low speed.

What to do if the cream curdles

The formation of flakes when whipping indicates that the cream is past its expiration date or it has been overcooked. Such a mass can't be restored.

If the fluffy dessert suddenly became heavy and lumpy, more like fresh cottage cheese, it means it has been whipped at high speed or for too long. During this time, the foam has collapsed and the mass has deflated due to air escaping. Further exposure to the mixer will cause the product to separate into liquid and solid fractions - butter and buttermilk.

The stratified cream should not be thrown away or fed to pets. You can try to restore the product to soft peaks:

1. Place a bowl of the spoiled mixture in a water bath. Heat, stirring continuously. The butter will begin to gradually melt under the heat.
2. When most of the lumps have dissolved, remove the bowl from the bath, continue to knead until a homogeneous consistency is obtained.
3. Put the bowl into the refrigerator.
4. Once cooled, whip the cream with a whisk by hand.

It is not possible to whip the reconstituted product to hard peaks, the consistency will be soft. Use the reconstituted cream to make cold cheesecake, tiramisu, mousse.

What to do with cream that can't be saved

The unpleasant situation cannot always be salvaged, but don't rush to dispose of the product. The fact that it cannot be used for fluffy desserts does not mean that the cream is inedible. If the stratification process has gone too far, the whipped cream can be made into butter:

1. Keep whipping. At first, solid lumps and whey will form, later the structure will become homogeneous.
2. Drain the separated liquid into a separate container.
3. Mix the butter until smooth.
4. Gently knead the butter mass in a bowl with iced water to remove the rest of the whey.

Use the product for sandwiches, baking, cooking hot dishes. Whey is introduced into recipes for pancake batter, pancakes. On its basis make cold soups, healthy cocktails with berries and fruits, cook mousse.

If there is no desire or time to prepare butter, replace the clotted cream with sour cream in sauces, biscuits, yeast dough, muffins.

Natural cream with a fat content of 33-35% is a delicate product that requires delicate handling. Before whipping it must be cooled, learn all the intricacies of the work. If by inexperience made a mistake and the lush mass for a few seconds turned into a flat, heavy, put the spoiled dessert in a water bath or add instead of sour cream in baking dough.