Chantilly cream, also known as whipped cream, is a light and airy sweetened cream that is commonly used as a topping or filling for desserts like cakes, pies and cupcakes. While plain chantilly cream has a pale white or off-white color, many people enjoy coloring their whipped cream when decorating to make their desserts more visually appealing. But can you actually add color to chantilly cream? Let’s take a closer look at how chantilly cream gets its airy texture and whether or not it can be colored.
How is Chantilly Cream Made Airy?
Chantilly cream gets its light, soft and billowy texture from the incorporation of air into the cream. To make chantilly cream, heavy whipping cream is whipped with a whisk, hand mixer or stand mixer until soft peaks form. As the cream is whipped, air bubbles are incorporated throughout the fat and liquid in the cream. These tiny air bubbles are what gives chantilly its airy, cloud-like texture.
The process of whipping the cream unravels the fat molecules in the cream, allowing them to capture air. Meanwhile, the movement of the whisk or beaters continuously whips more air into the mixture. The end result is a cream that has increased significantly in volume and taken on a light, ethereal texture.
Can You Add Color to Chantilly Cream?
The light, airy texture of chantilly cream is the result of incorporating tiny air bubbles into the cream through whipping. This means that any additional ingredients added to the chantilly cream need to be able to maintain the fragile structure created by whipping.
Thick ingredients like chocolate syrup or fruit purees will weigh down the whipped cream and cause it to lose volume and become more dense. However, liquid food colorings are an ideal way to add color to chantilly cream without compromising the airy texture.
Liquid Food Coloring
Liquid food coloring is made of concentrated pigments suspended in a liquid base. A little bit of liquid food coloring goes a long way to add vibrant color without thinning out the texture of the whipped cream. Start with just a drop or two of food coloring per cup of cream and then add more as needed to achieve your desired shade.
Make sure to add any liquid food coloring at the end after the cream has been fully whipped. Food coloring will incorporate more evenly into the already whipped cream. Adding it before whipping can result in streaks of color rather than an even hue.
Gel Food Coloring
Gel food coloring is another great option for adding color to chantilly cream without weighing it down. Gel food colorings have an even higher concentration of pigment so you need less to get bright, intense colors. Add a small dab of gel food coloring and then fold it gently into the whipped cream to evenly distribute the color. The thickened gel won’t deflate the air bubbles you worked hard to whip into the cream.
Powdered Food Coloring
Powdered food color can also work to tint whipped cream. However, it does need to fully dissolve into the cream which can be tricky with lighter colors. Using a powdered food coloring designed specifically for icing or meringues may yield better results over a standard powdered food dye. Add just a tiny pinch of powdered color at a time and fold it in gently until the color is evenly dispersed in the cream without any specks.
Tips for Coloring Chantilly Cream
Here are some handy tips to successfully color your chantilly cream without ruining the airy whipped texture:
- Add color after whipping the cream – Only add food coloring once the cream has been fully whipped into soft or stiff peaks.
- Use liquid or gel food coloring – Liquid or gel food color will blend easily without thinning out the cream.
- Start with a little bit of coloring – A little coloring goes a long way. Start with just a drop or dab of coloring and add more as needed.
- Fold in gently – Carefully fold in food coloring rather than mixing vigorously to avoid deflating the whipped cream.
- Check consistency as you mix – Make sure the cream still holds its shape and airy texture as you fold in the color.
- Use a light touch – Overmixing once color has been added can cause the cream to loose volume and deflate.
Ideal Types of Food Coloring for Chantilly Cream
When selecting a food coloring to use, look for options that will blend easily into the whipped cream without compromising the airy texture. Here are some ideal types of food coloring for chantilly cream:
Liquid Food Coloring
Liquid food colorings are ideal for adding vibrant colors to chantilly cream. They blend easily into whipped cream without thinning out the texture. Americolor and Chefmaster are two highly-rated brands of liquid food coloring.
Gel Food Coloring
Gel food colorings are extremely concentrated making them perfect for tinting whipped creams and icings. A little bit goes a long way. Top gel coloring brands include AmeriColor, Wilton and Chefmaster.
Food Coloring Pastes
Food coloring pastes are a thicker version of liquid food coloring. Their thicker consistency makes them easier to blend without having to use a lot of coloring. Make sure to stir the paste well before use.
Powdered Food Coloring for Icing
Look for powdered food colors that are designed specifically for icing and meringues to ensure they mix smoothly into whipped cream. Brands like Wilton, Satin Ice and Chefmaster have good powdered icing colors.
Natural Food Coloring
If you prefer to avoid synthetic dyes, using natural food coloring is a good option. Just be aware that natural colors like those made from fruits and vegetables will tint the cream but won’t produce the bright, vibrant hues of artificial coloring.
What About Regular Food Coloring?
Regular liquid food coloring that you find in the baking aisle at the grocery store can work but may not produce the boldest, most vivid shades in whipped cream. Since these basic food colorings aren’t as concentrated as professional brands, it takes more to achieve rich color which in turn increases the risk of thinning the texture of the cream.
If using regular food coloring, stick to just a drop or two per batch of whipped cream and fold it in very carefully just until combined. You want to avoid over-mixing once the coloring has been added.
Troubleshooting Colored Whipped Cream
Sometimes even when you carefully color chantilly cream, you can still end up with issues. Here’s how to troubleshoot some common problems:
Cream Loses Volume and Deflates
If your cream starts to lose its airy texture and deflate after adding color, you likely used too much food coloring or overmixed the cream leading to lost air bubbles. Unfortunately, there’s no way to re-whip deflated cream to get the volume back. You’ll have to start over with fresh cream. Use less coloring next time and mix gently.
Specks of Color Remain
If you notice little specks of food coloring that didn’t fully blend into the cream, try remixing with a whisk just until combined. Avoid overmixing. Next time, make sure to fully dissolve powdered colors and emulsify liquid/gel coloring before adding to the whipped cream.
Cream Weeps Liquid
Whipped cream that starts weeping liquid even when chilled likely had too much food coloring or other liquid added, causing it to break down. It’s best to discard the weeping cream and start fresh being careful not to add excess liquid.
Cream Has Streaks of Color
Streaky whipped cream means the food coloring didn’t fully get incorporated. Gently fold the cream to distribute the color more evenly without overmixing and deflating the volume. Make sure liquid or gel coloring is emulsified before adding next time.
Color Isn’t Evenly Mixed
Uneven color can happen if coloring is added before the cream is fully whipped. The color won’t distribute across the fat molecules evenly. Always add coloring after whipping. Stir just until the color is uniform throughout the cream.
Storing Colored Whipped Cream
Colored chantilly cream should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make sure your container has a tight seal to prevent the whipped cream from absorbing fridge odors. Stored properly, colored whipped cream will typically last around 2-3 days before beginning to deflate and weep liquid.
To maximize its shelf life, press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream before sealing the container. This helps prevent a skin or crust from forming. Colored cream is best when served chilled right after whipping. Letting it sit out at room temperature will cause it to soften and lose stability faster.
Using Colored Whipped Cream
Once you’ve mastered coloring your chantilly cream, the possibilities are endless for how to use it! Here are some fun ways to use colored whipped cream:
Frosting cakes or cupcakes
Pipe vibrant colored rosettes or flowers on cakes and cupcakes for a festive decoration.
Topping pies
Add a burst of color to a pie by topping it with a dollop of colored whipped cream. Coordinate the color to the pie filling.
Filling pastries
Inject some color into cream puffs, eclairs or cream-filled donuts by filling them with colored whipped cream.
Icing or filling layer cakes
Use colored whipped cream between cake layers or to coat the outside of the cake for a colorful confetti cake.
Milkshakes or ice cream sundaes
Spike milkshakes, ice cream sundaes or banana splits with a huge puff of brightly hued whipped cream.
Parfaits
Layer colored cream with yogurt, granola, fruit or pudding to make colorful parfaits.
Fruit salads or desserts
Top fresh fruit salads, berries, waffles or crepes with a dollop of coordinating colored cream.
Hot chocolate or coffee
Add a swirl of festive colored whipped cream to warm drinks for a cozy treat.
So go ahead and color that chantilly cream! With the proper coloring and gentle mixing, you can tint whipped cream any vibrant hue. Bring your dessert presentations to life with pretty pops of color. Just be sure to whip, color and serve the cream fresh for the lightest, fluffiest texture.
Conclusion
In summary, chantilly or whipped cream gets its signature light and airy texture from tiny air bubbles incorporated into the fat and liquid through the whipping process. As long as you use the proper type of food coloring and mix it in gently, you can successfully add vibrant color to whipped cream without compromising the volume and billowy texture. Liquid, gel and paste food colors are ideal for tinting whipped cream since only a small amount is needed to achieve bold hues. Always add color after whipping the cream and fold it in gently just until combined. With pretty pops of colored whipped cream, you can take dessert presentations to the next level. So go ahead and color that chantilly cream for beautiful, festive treats!