What is the average shelf life of whip cream? How long does whip cream last in the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer? What is the best way to store whip cream to increase its shelf life? Find out the answers to these questions and more below.
Whip cream in a can make the perfect topping for a hot coffee beverage or to top off a nice piece of the pie. If you have whip cream in a can, just a small squirt or a mouthful can leave you content. Whip cream is generally used with desserts, and its light, foamy texture melts in your mouth.
Whip cream can be made at home with some elbow grease and time. Simply pour cream into a large mixing bowl and with the help of a mixer or a whisk start beating the cream. As the cream is beaten, air mixes in with the cream to make it fluffy. How do you know if the cream is ready? It’s ready when you turn the bowl upside down, and the cream stays in its place. Sugar and/or vanilla can be added to enhance the flavor.
Shelf Life of Whip Cream
| Refrigerator | |
|---|---|
| Unopened | 2-3 Weeks |
| Opened | 7-9 Days |
As with most packaged food items, whip cream contains preservatives. While buying whipped cream, take into account how frequently you will use it. This not only helps you prevent accidental waste but makes sure you buy according to requirement and not impulse. The label will probably include an expiration date and not a ‘best before’ date; this means that beyond that date, the cream should not be consumed.
Purchasing Whip Cream
Look at that flavorful can of whip cream you have in the cabinet. Turn it over to see the nutrition label. Creams are composed of fats, carbs, sugars, and protein. Unlike sour cream, whip cream has a very low protein content in comparison to its carb content. Most – if not all – of these carbs are mainly sugar.
Storing Whip Cream
Canned whip cream can be stored on a shelf, since the contents inside the can are never directly exposed to air and won’t go bad. Whip cream made at home doesn’t share a similar feature. Homemade whip cream should be stored in the fridge or freezer. In the fridge, the cream can be stored up to a week or week and a half. In the freezer, it can last between two to three months, but the consistency will have changed noticeably.
How to handle Whip Cream
Whip cream can be directly spread over food, and the utensils can be wiped clean. Before washing the utensils, you can lick off any excess cream – why waste any? Once you take it out of the fridge, the best thing you can do is place it on ice. The ice prevents the cream from losing its consistency and from deflating. If you are using a can of whip cream, shake it until the can feels heavier – shaking mixes the propellant and the cream so that when you press the nozzle, a constant stream of cream comes out.
Cooking with Whip Cream
Whip cream is used mainly to decorate, flavor, or just add a little something extra to desserts. Whip cream completely loses its texture when it’s exposed to heat. For use as icing on a cake, the cake first has to be chilled before adding the cream. Adding it to hot beverages will melt the cream to create a layer of foam. Mixing the foam into the drink will give it a creamier texture and make it feel more filling.