Book 9, Question 19
Why Does Whipping Cream Become Fluffy?
Whipping cream becomes fluffy because whisking traps air in a network of fat! The fat clumps together a little and holds the bubbles in place. It makes a foam you can frost cakes with.
More fun facts
- Tiny globs of fat in cream trap the air you whisk in, making the foam.
- Cream needs more than 35 percent fat to stay firm once it is whipped.
- Whipping cream is a bit lighter than double cream, so it makes a lighter topping.
- If you keep shaking cream, the fat bits get knocked loose and clump together into butter.
- Fat in room temperature cream moves faster than in cold cream, so it clumps into butter faster.
Sources: BBC, Scientific American
Questions kids ask
Can low fat milk be whipped like cream?
Not the same way. Cream needs more than 35 percent fat to hold its whipped shape.