Whip

To whip means to beat a liquid quickly to pull air into it, so it swells into a light foam. You whip cream, egg whites and sometimes whole eggs. It is done with a balloon whisk, a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whipping is faster and more airy than plain beating.

How to do it

For whipped cream:

1. Chill the bowl and whisk for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Pour in cold whipping cream or heavy cream, with at least 30 percent fat.
3. Whip on medium speed. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar per 250 ml (1 cup) once it starts to thicken, if you want it sweet.
4. Stop at soft peaks for spooning or at stiff peaks for piping.

For egg whites:

1. Use a clean, grease-free bowl and whites with no trace of yolk.
2. Start on medium speed until foamy, then raise to medium-high.
3. Add sugar gradually after soft peaks if you are making meringue.

How to tell it is done

The foam has grown in volume and holds peaks when you lift the whisk. Cream roughly doubles. Egg whites grow up to six to eight times. Look at the peak to judge the stage the recipe wants.

Why it works

The whisk drives air in as bubbles. In cream, chilled fat droplets stick together around the bubbles and hold them. That is why warm cream will not whip. In egg whites, the proteins unfold and form a film around each bubble.

Common mistakes

• Warm cream or a warm bowl. It stays runny.
• Overwhipping cream. It turns grainy, then becomes butter. Gently stir in a splash of cold liquid cream to rescue it if it has only just turned.
• A trace of fat or yolk in egg whites. They never foam well.
• Whipping on the highest speed from the start. You get large, unstable bubbles.

In recipes

"Whip" is used for cream and egg whites. "Beat" is used for most other mixing, though older recipes swap the words. "Whipped cream" with sugar and vanilla is called crème Chantilly in French recipes.