Here’s how to make dairy-free whipped cream with a can of coconut milk! Great for topping vegan or paleo desserts.
If you’re dairy-free, you might have thought that whipped cream was a thing of the past. Surprise!
Turns out you can make an amazing topping for a cake, hot chocolate, or any dessert out of a can of coconut cream.
To make coconut whipped cream, all you need is a can of coconut and a little planning. The can of coconut milk must be chilled for at least 8 hours before preparing the whipped cream. This helps the dense coconut cream separate and solidify from the thin coconut water.
You only need the coconut cream to make whipped cream. The coconut water left in the can is great for smoothies or even as a liquid in bread recipes. You can also poach vegetables in it!
When whipping the cream, start slowly and gradually increase the speed. The cream will be very crumbly and grainy at first, but will gradually become smoother and then whipped like regular whipped cream. Don’t try to rush it. Total whipping time can range from 10 to 25 minutes depending on your brand of coconut milk and how well it whips.
I find that the best coconut milk for making whipped cream is full-fat coconut milk that doesn’t contain guar gum or xanthan gum. Two brands to look out for that don’t contain gum are Natural Value and Native Forest Simple Organic.
If you can’t find canned coconut milk without guar gum, it still works, but it’s best to refrigerate the cans a little longer to ensure the coconut cream separates. Avoid coconut milk sold in tetra packs or cartons as these usually contain stabilizers that prevent the coconut cream from separating from the coconut water.
Also, avoid cans labeled “coconut cream.” You’d think this would be the perfect shortcut to getting your hands on coconut cream, but this product is generally sweetened and full of stabilizers to keep the cream from whipping.
coconut whipped cream
Once opened, the coconut cream will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer, but it will likely take longer to whip up the coconut.
ingredients
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1 to 2 (15-ounce) cans Full fat coconut milk
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Optional)
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maple syrup or powdered sugarto taste (optional)
special equipment
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blender
method
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Chill coconut milk overnight:
Cooling will help the coconut milk separate into layers of cream and water. The coconut cream floats to the top and hardens.
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Open the cans of chilled coconut milk and scoop out the coconut cream:
Do not scoop liquid coconut water. (The coconut water can be saved for another purpose.)
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Start whipping the coconut cream:
Place the coconut cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low for 5 to 10 minutes or until the large chunks of coconut cream start to break up into small pieces.
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Increase the speed to medium and keep hitting:
Periodically scrape the sides of the bowl. When liquid begins to separate from coconut cream, drain. The coconut cream may look curdled and ugly at first, but just keep beating – it will eventually become smooth and creamy.
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Once the coconut cream looks smooth and even, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form:
Add vanilla extract and sweetener, if using, and beat until just combined.
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Store the coconut whipped cream in the fridge for up to 2 days:
Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 70 | calories |
| 8g | Fat |
| 1g | carbohydrates |
| 1g | protein |
