Strawberries and Vanilla Whipped Cream

Fresh sweet ruby red strawberries are a wonderful treat on their own but add homemade vanilla whipped cream and a seemingly simple pairing becomes the ideal dessert. This recipe is so simple and heavenly it can be enjoyed weekly through spring and summer when fresh strawberries are at their peak of flavor.  It is also healthier than most desserts so you won’t feel guilty about indulging regularly.

There are many reasons why I love living in California. One of them is that so much of the fruits and vegetables that are grown in the United States come from my home state.  Besides avocados,  local strawberries are my second favorite thing about the “grown in California” lifestyle I love so much.  We grow them organically in our own yard.  There is nothing like picking a strawberry and eating it while it is still warm from the California sun.  Getting to them before my kids or the squirrels do is the challenge.

Only Need 4 Ingredients

• Fresh Strawberries
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Powdered Sugar
• Vanilla

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Whipped Cream

Making homemade whipped cream takes little effort and tastes far superior to any store-bought stuff from a can.  My kids love the spray whipped cream for the fun of it of course.  However, lately, I have been making it homemade and the kids cannot get enough of it.  Whipped cream lasts in the refrigerator for about 3 days if covered and chilled properly.  I have only seen it last 2 days max at my house before it is completely gone.

The hardest part of making homemade whipped cream is preparing for it ahead of time.  The bowl and beaters need to be put in the freezer at least 30 minutes prior to making it.  A metal bowl is needed and pick one a lot bigger than what you think you need. Remember, the cream will expand exponentially as you whip air into it.

I like to put a metal bowl and the beaters in the freezer an hour ahead of time and put the carton of the heavy whipping cream in there for the last 5 minutes of that process.   When I do this, the cream whips in 2 minutes perfectly every time.  The sweet pillowy feel of homemade whipped cream is what we are aiming for in this recipe and this method is foolproof.

Once the bowl, beaters, and cream are chilled properly, it is time to get whipping.  In the chilled metal bowl, pour 1 C of the cream. Then add 2 TB of powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp of vanilla.   Then set the electric hand mixer on medium for a few seconds and then move it to high.  Continue to beat on high for 2 minutes. It is done when you have medium-stiff peaks.

Make Sure you Time it for 2 Minutes!

Do not forget to time this.  This is a tried and tested method if you do 2 minutes only.  If you lose track of time or use a stand mixer and step away, you will end up with hardened grainy clumps if overbeaten.

** To save overbeaten whipped cream, add an extra TB of cream and beat on low to smooth out. If it continues to harden like pebbles of butter, just continue to beat and go with it, make butter. Fresh homemade butter is never a bad thing!  **

Prepare the Fresh Strawberries & Layer

In spring and summer when the strawberries are at their peak, they are sweet and juicy.  All that is needed is to dice them up small.  I also keep a few whole ones on hand and remove the stems for the kids. They like to dip the big juicy ones into a pile of fluffy cream to eat.

I have small clear serving glasses that are perfect for layering desserts.  To fancy this up, layering the strawberries and cream in them elevates this dessert.  Three layers of each look gorgeous in the size I have.  Use whatever serving bowl or glass containers you have.

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Strawberries and Vanilla Whipped Cream

Angela

Sweet strawberries and vanilla whipped cream are a perfect pairing for a no effort but elegant dessert.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Equipment

• hand mixer

Ingredients

  

• 3 C fresh strawberries diced
• 1 C heavy whipping cream
• 2 TB powdered (confectioners) sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Place metal bowl & beaters in the freezer for one hour. Be sure to select a large enough bowl to allow the cream to expand as it is whipped.
• When 5 minutes remain, add the carton of whipping cream to the freezer as well. Once all items are chilled and ready, get the electric hand mixer fitted with the chilled beaters.
• Pour 1 C of heavy whipping cream into the chilled metal bowl. Add the sugar and vanilla also.
• Using the mixer set on medium, beat for a few seconds and turn up to medium-high to high immediately. Beat on high for 2 minutes until stiff peaks form.
• Once the whipped cream is ready keep chilled in the refrigerator while prepping the strawberries.
• Dice strawberries into small pieces.
• If using clear tall glass, layer strawberries with the vanilla whipped cream. Depending on how tall your glass is it may be 2-4 layers. If using a shallow bowl, spoon in the strawberries and top with whipped cream.
• Whipped cream can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	103
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7.6g	10%
Saturated Fat 4.6g	23%
Cholesterol 27mg	9%
Sodium 8mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 8.8g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1.4g	5%
Total Sugars 6.2g
Protein 0.9g
Vitamin D 10mcg	52%
Calcium 25mg	2%
Iron 0mg	2%
Potassium 126mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Keyword easy, fruit, gluten-free, grain-free, no bake, sandwich, lunch, dinner, easy, simple, sweet