Truly the best chocolate whipped cream that’s perfectly sweetened, super chocolatey, delightfully smooth, light! Perfect as a luscious whipped cream frosting, topping, or filling.
And it’s naturally stabilized thanks to one simple trick I use! So, you don’t have to add extra stabilizers either.
- Why this recipe works
- Ingredients to make chocolate whipped cream
- How to make chocolate whipped cream
- How to fix overwhipped chocolate whipped cream
- Uses for this whipped cream
- My best recipe tips
- Recipe FAQs
Simple sweetened vanilla whipped cream (chantilly cream) is one of my favorite fillings for so many French pastries and desserts . And it’s so easy to add flavor to it.
This chocolate whipped cream (i.e. chocolate chantilly cream) is perfectly sweetened, super chocolatey, and fantastic as a frosting, topping, or filling in so many desserts.
It’s such a perfect treat for all the chocolate lovers in your life! Honestly, try this recipe once and you’ll be wanting to pair it with all the desserts you can think of! 😊
Why this recipe works
- Super simple to make.
- This chocolate whipped cream is naturally stabilized thanks to one simple trick! So you don’t have to add extra stabilizers – unless you want to.
- Instead of adding cocoa powder directly to the whipped cream, I draw out a deeper chocolate flavor by blooming the cocoa powder first.
- Blooming the cocoa powder also prevents any cocoa powder grittiness that may not melt smoothly in cold heavy cream.
- The result is a smooth, super chocolatey, light, and not too sweet chocolate whipped cream!
- You can use this as a chocolate whipped cream frosting too because it’s a light, luscious frosting that holds its shape for days in the fridge!
- You can use any kind of cocoa powder to make this chocolate chantilly cream.
Ingredients to make chocolate whipped cream
- Heavy cream – At least 35% fat content.
- Sugar – White sugar or brown sugar.
- Cocoa powder – I use dutch cocoa powder, but natural cocoa powder works too.
- Vanilla – For added flavor. Coffee extract is excellent too.
- Salt – To balance the sweetness and enhance flavor.
OPTIONAL – To stabilize the whipped cream further (bloomed cocoa powder already acts as a stabilizer)
- Instant clearjel OR
- Instant vanilla pudding OR
- Gelatin
Note about cocoa powder
You can use any type for this recipe. But the type you use will change the appearance and color of the chocolate whipped cream, so keep that in mind. You can refer my baking 101 article on dutch cocoa vs natural cocoa for more information.
Natural cocoa powder – Widely available in supermarkets. Usually light brown in color. Natural cocoa powder is not “alkalized”. The flavor is deep and strong, but also more bitter. If you use this, you’ll need to increase the amount of sugar.
Dutch cocoa powder – Alkalized cocoa powder. A darker brown color. Much less bitter than natural cocoa powder. The flavor notes are also less strong and more smooth.
Black cocoa – Further alkalized cocoa powder. Almost black / very dark brown in color. Taste is similar to dutched cocoa powder, but slightly less potent.
Fat content – Some cocoa powders will also mention the fat content on the package. Fat content impacts the richness of the chocolate flavor and mouthfeel. You’ll find 22/24 , 18/20, or no fat cocoa powder. Higher fat content will result in a richer chocolate flavor (22/24), while no fat cocoa powder will be more drying.
From L to R – natural, dutch, and black cocoa powder
Stabilizing chocolate whipped cream
The beauty of chocolate whipped cream is that the addition of bloomed cocoa powder stabilizes it and gives it some structure!
How bloomed cocoa powder provides stability
If you were to simply add cocoa powder directly, it won’t activate the starch of the cocoa powder, thus it won’t absorb moisture as much to create a stabilizing starch matrix.
BUT, by “cooking” the cocoa powder in a hot liquid, the cocoa powder will absorb moisture well due to the heat and create a fairly stable “matrix” that can absorb moisture and trap air in the whipped cream. I.e. stabilized chocolate whipped cream .
This will provide structure and keep the whipped cream fairly stable in a range of applications!
Blooming cocoa powder is mixing cocoa powder with a hot liquid to make a paste.
However, if you want even more longevity or structure in your cocoa whipped cream, you can add other ingredients to stabilize it further.
Instant clear jel (mixed with sugar) or instant vanilla pudding will work similarly to cocoa powder. The modified starch will form a starch matrix in the whipped cream by absorbing water in the cream, and create a stable network to prevent the whipped cream from weeping or collapsing.
Bloomed and melted gelatin can be mixed with the cream as well. Gelatin will form a matrix as it cools down. The matrix will hold the whipped cream together and make it stable.
But I usually make this without the use of the extra stabilizers as a filling for choux pastry , AND as as a topping for cakes and cupcakes .
And it always holds its shape and texture so beautifully, even the following day!
How to make chocolate whipped cream
There are TWO ways to make chocolate whipped cream. The easiest, lazy way and the more stable (but still easy!) way.
| Easy peasy lazy way | Better, more stable way |
|---|---|
| Adding all the ingredients in the bowl and whisking together. | Blooming the cocoa powder in hot cream, and then mixing it with the cream. Then adding the other ingredients to whisk together. |
| Easy, fairly stable. Cocoa powder has to be sifted and whisked carefully to prevent lumps. Less time consuming, but the cocoa powder might feel gritty (depending on the brand). | NO grittiness at all regardless of the cocoa powder brand. Better chocolate favor. And more stable! Must cook and cool the cocoa powder paste. The cocoa paste has to be whisked with the cream carefully to prevent lumps. |
Since I love a more stable and versatile chocolate whipped cream, we’ll use the more stable and “better” version here, and not the “lazy” version.
Step 1 – Bloom the cocoa powder
Place some of the heavy cream in a pot and heat until the cream starts to simmer. Remove from the heat.
Immediately add the cocoa powder to the hot cream and whisk to combine (images 1 – 2) . Whisk vigorously as the cocoa powder absorbs the cream and becomes a smooth, thick paste (image 3) . Make sure there are no lumps.
Cover the paste with plastic wrap and let it cool down. I like to keep it in the fridge for about 1 hour or so, since it should be cooler than room temperature.
Step 2 – Mix the cocoa paste with the remaining cream
When the cocoa paste is cold, whisk it again to make sure it’s nice and smooth.
Transfer the mixture into a medium-sized bowl (or keep it in the pot if there’s enough room for the following steps). Add the chilled heavy cream, a little at a time (image 4) while whisking to loosen the cocoa paste with the heavy cream. Make sure there are no lumps.
After you have added enough cream to make a chocolatey, liquid mixture with no lumps (image 5) , transfer this to your mixing bowl and add the remaining whipped cream as well (image 6) .
If you add all the cream to the cocoa paste in one go, it’ll be hard to mix it all together to form a homogenous mixture. The paste is thick and will require a lot of agitation to be lump free. Too much agitation can cause the whipped cream to curdle.
So, it’s easier and more foolproof to “loosen” the thick paste first, so that the cocoa will disperse through the whipped cream evenly with less agitation.
Step 3 – Start whisking and add other ingredients
Whisk the whipped cream on medium speed and add the salt and stream in the sugar (image 7) . Caster sugar will dissolve more easily, but you can use granulated sugar as well. Add the vanilla too.
I prefer whisking heavy cream on medium speed. This more controlled lower speed aerates the whipped cream slowly (image 8) . The air bubbles are smaller and more stable. The risk of the whipped cream overwhipping is also low.
If you whisk on high speed, the air bubbles you introduce can be more chaotic and less stable. And if you don’t stop whisking on time, there’s a higher chance of overwhipping and curdling the heavy cream.
Step 4 – Make chocolate whipped cream
Whisk the chocolate heavy cream on medium speed (or medium high speed), until the mixture reaches mid peaks (image 9) . Taste and add more sugar IF you want to.
Make sure to scrape the sides 1 – 2 times to ensure the cocoa is evenly mixed in.
Once you reach mid peaks, turn the speed to low, OR switch to whisking by hand (image 10) . This is to give you better control of the aeration and to prevent overwhipping.
Whisk on low until the cocoa powder reaches stiff peaks (image 11) .
When the whipped cream is ready, remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to fold the chocolate whipped cream to ensure everything is mixed through. If the mixture is a little loose after folding, use the whisk to stir the whipped cream to get back to stiff peaks.
The chocolate whipped cream is now ready to be used (image 12) .
Tip for using chocolate chantilly cream
Use the whipped chocolate frosting immediately after whipping, as it will have the best, smooth texture.
The chantilly cream will “set” overnight, and you will need to stir or lightly whisk the mixture to get a smooth consistency again. This can result in losing some volume.
How to fix overwhipped chocolate whipped cream
If the whipped cream looks curdled or grainy , that means it was over whisked. You could fix it by adding just a little bit of chilled heavy cream into the mixture and stir it in using a whisk.
This method will work if the chocolate whipped cream is only JUST over-whipped.
If it’s severely curdled, and there’s visible lumping and “whey”, then unfortunately (or fortunately??), you’re well on your way to making chocolate butter! You may need to start again to make chocolate whipped cream.
Uses for this whipped cream
Chocolate whipped frosting
This is one of my absolute favorite ways to use chocolate whipped cream! I often make my one bowl chocolate sheet cake and spread this super light and chocolatey whipped frosting on top for the perfect chocolate treat that comes together so easily and quickly.
It’s also perfect to pair with my classic chocolate cake and chocolate cupcakes too.
Filling for pastries
Just like regular vanilla whipped cream, you can use this chocolate whipped cream as a filling for different pastries.
I filled my chocolate choux pastry with this to make chocolate cream puffs, but you can also use this to fill regular choux pastry to make cream puffs or profiteroles too. OR fill chocolate eclairs with this to make double chocolate eclairs!
This is also delicious inside soft sweet bread, or even to make Japanese fruit sandwiches or brioche tarts .
Other ways to use chocolate whipped cream
- As a topping for dessert pies and other desserts. Like my brownie pie or even pavlova .
- Add this to iced coffee drinks or mocha drinks, instead of regular whipped cream. This would SO GOOD with this brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso or coffee slushie or this easy Nutella frappuccino .
- To serve with waffles and pancakes , French toast , and other sweet breakfasts.
- Serve with fruits. For example, strawberry and chocolate whipped cream! Works really well for easy Valentine’s day treats .
- Feel free to substitute regular whipped cream in trifles with this chocolate whipped cream. Like this strawberry brownie trifle .
Chocolate cake with chocolate whipped cream frosting
My best recipe tips
- The heavy cream must be chilled and very cold. Cream that is at room temperature or warm will not whip properly.
- If it’s very warm in your kitchen, chill the bowl that you’re using as well to help keep the heavy cream cold.
- While you can add the cocoa powder directly to the cream, I HIGHLY recommend blooming the cocoa powder in hot cream to bring out a more intense chocolate flavor AND to keep the whipped cream more stable!
- Make sure to completely cool down the cocoa paste before adding it to the remaining chilled cream.
- Whipping at a lower speed will allow the heavy cream to aerate slowly with more stability. But this also requires some patience!
- Even if you decide to speed up the whipping process, make sure to slow down after the whipped cream reaches mid peaks. Whipping slowly after mid peaks will ensure that you don’t miss the stiff peaks stage.
- Slow whipping lowers the risk of overwhipping the cream as well.
- Adjust the sweetness to your taste. I prefer to use caster sugar or finely granulated sugar. But you can also use confectioner’s sugar (same amount by weight, not volume).
- Use the whipped cream immediately after making it to retain the smooth texture and consistency.
How long can I store this chocolate whipped cream?
If you use this as a topping, frosting or filling – the texture of this whipped cream won’t change and will last for about 5 days in the fridge . But keep in mind that when you stir it to make it smooth again after refrigeration, it may lose some volume (but still be fairly thick).
My chocolate whipped cream isn’t thickening / not reaching stiff peaks?
Whipped cream won’t thicken if the heavy cream doesn’t have at least 35% fat. In the US, you can use heavy cream or whipping cream (not whipped cream). We use 35% cream in Canada. In the UK you can use heavy cream (35%) or double cream (48%). In Australia and New Zealand, you can use thickened cream, which is between 35 – 40% fat, but also contains thickeners for stability. Make sure you’re not using a lower fat cream or a cream alternative . Some cream alternatives may not whip the same way.
My chocolate chantilly cream is lumpy and grainy?
This is usually due to the heavy cream being overwhipped. If it’s only lightly separated (just starting to), then you can add some heavy cream and re-whip the mixture slowly, by hand with a whisk, to re-emulsify the mixture. If it’s heavily curdled (there’s liquid at the bottom of the bowl), then you’re already on your way to making flavored butter! Lean in to it and make some butter instead of throwing out the whipped cream! Otherwise, you’ll need to make it all over again.
Is it possible to make chocolate mousse with leftover whipped cream?
You can! It won’t be a classic chocolate mousse though. Melt some good quality chocolate with extra cream to make a ganache (2 parts chocolate : 1 part ganache, by weight). Then when it’s smooth, fold in leftover whipped cream to make an easy chocolate mousse.
How to keep chocolate chantilly cream from melting?
If you’re living in a very hot, high humidity area, then there’s always going to be limitations to the stability of this light chantilly cream. Keep it in the fridge and only take it out just before serving the whipped cream filled / covered dessert. Adding a stabilizer such as gelatin can provide more stability too, but gelatin also softens at high room temperatures.
Recipe
Chocolate Whipped Cream (Chocolate Chantilly Cream)
Ingredients
- 120 mL heavy whipping cream ½ cup (to bloom the cocoa powder)
- 50 g cocoa powder 5 tbsp, packed (you can use dutched or natural cocoa powder)
- 480 mL heavy whipping cream 2 cups (chilled)
- 100 g caster sugar scant ½ cup (add more for a sweeter whipped cream)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or coffee extract
- ⅛ tsp sea salt increase to ¼ tsp if you want to add a salty-sweet flavor
Instructions
Blooming cocoa powder
- Sift the cocoa powder to make sure there are no lumps and set it aside. 50 g cocoa powder
- In a pot, place the 120 mL heavy cream and heat over medium heat while stirring until it starts to simmer. 120 mL heavy whipping cream
- Remove the cream from the heat and add the cocoa powder and whisk it in until you have a thick, smooth cocoa paste.
- Cover with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge (for about 1 hour or so) to cool down to at least room temperature (ideally a little cooler than room temperature).
Mixing the cocoa paste with the cream
- To make sure the thick cocoa paste mixes with the heavy cream smoothly, add about ½ cup / roughly 120 mL of the remaining heavy cream into the cocoa paste and stir gently to mix smoothly. Make sure it’s lump free. 480 mL heavy whipping cream
- Add more cream if needed, until the paste loosens up and isn’t too thick anymore.
- Place the loosened cocoa paste in the bowl of your mixer, along with the remaining heavy cream. Lightly whisk to mix the cocoa paste and the cream. 480 mL heavy whipping cream
Making chantilly cream
- Add the salt and vanilla and start whisking at medium speed. Stream in the sugar. 2 tsp vanilla extract, ⅛ tsp sea salt, 100 g caster sugar
- Whisk at medium high speed (or high speed if you prefer) until the whipped cream reaches mid peaks.
- At this stage, taste the whipped cream and add more sugar IF you want a sweeter whipped cream.
- When the chocolate whipped cream reaches mid peaks, either whisk the cream at low speed, OR whisk by hand. I like to use the whisk attachment and manually stir the whipped cream by hand.
- Whisk on low / stir until the whipped cream reaches stiff peaks. The slow speed will prevent the whipped cream from over-whipping.
- When the chocolate whipped cream reaches stiff peaks, stop whisking immediately. Gently fold the cream to ensure everything is whisked evenly.
- Use immediately.
Notes
- You can use either dutched cocoa powder or natural cocoa powder. Make sure to substitute by weight, as volume measurements can differ.
- Instead of caster sugar, you can use granulated sugar, but whip the cream on medium speed so that the sugar has time to dissolve during the whipping process.
- To substitute the caster sugar with confectioner’s sugar, use an equal amount by weight, as volume measurements are very different. For example, 1 cup granulated sugar = 200 g 1 cup confectioner’s sugar (spooned and leveled) = 115 g
- Make sure the heavy cream is chilled really well. Heavy cream that isn’t chilled properly will not whip properly.
How to fix overwhipped chocolate whipped cream
Uses for this chocolate whipped cream
Nutrition
Recipe from The Flavor Bender by Dini Kodippili
Chocolate Whipped Cream (Chocolate Chantilly Cream) https://www.theflavorbender.com/chocolate-whipped-cream-chantilly/
