Make Your Whipped Cream Topping Last Longer With Martha Stewart's Simple Tip

Although the litany of celebrity chefs, food world stars, and culinary influencers stretches all the way from the halcyon days of public television to today's nonstop social media landscape, there are few true tastemakers who we trust implicitly. With more books, broadcast hours, branded goods, and Instagram thirst traps than you can shake an artisan stick at, Martha Stewart is premier among them. And her tip for longer lasting whipped cream — while achievable — is also predictably just a bit precious.

For the task, Stewart reaches not for a pantry staple or even a typical confectionery aisle item, but rather a more rarefied ingredient. To keep her whipped cream perky, Stewart incorporates sweetened quince syrup, as she once told Food & Wine. Of course, it's quince syrup derived from the fruit she grows on her very own farm. Although her technique is vexingly short on further details, it's convenient for the rest of us that an alternative addition like powdered sugar makes whipped cream last longer, too. Plus, you don't even have to grow it at home.

Even with so few ingredients (cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract) and such simple tools (a chilled metal bowl and a hand mixer), even the most foolproof whipped cream recipe can be a little finicky. Like a lot of recipes, you do not want to overmix. Rather than create the Candy Land peaks of Queen Frostine's dreams, you'll actually just turn it all into unintended butter. Stop mixing when you've reached the expected texture. Under-mixing will actually give you whipped cream worthy of a bakery display case, as long as your liquid is kept very cold.

An immersion blender makes homemade whipped cream easier to achieve, especially for those moments when you only want to make enough for a couple cups of cocoa, or that last piece of pie. Instead of a bowl, which might allow your ingredients to splatter all over the place, you'll just need to use a mixing container high and wide enough to accommodate the device. Whip your topping in a canning jar, using a bar spoon to craft the perfect dollop.