French Dessert Cream: Chantilly Cream (Crème Chantilly)

Today, we’re featuring a favorite French cream used to accompany many French desserts — the crème Chantilly (Chantilly cream).  It can also simply be added to fresh fruits for a fresh summer dessert.  Cream Chantilly is named after the Chantilly castle (château de Chantilly) located in the small town of Chantilly, only 40 km (about 64 miles) from Paris. Now, although the Chantilly castle was indeed renowned for its fine cooking, there is no evidence that crème Chantilly was first served there.  Check our easy one step only Art of the Home recipe, a short video of the Château de Chantilly, and Art of the Home suggestions below.  Enjoy, bon voyage, and of course bon appétit!

Chantilly Cream (Crème Chantilly)

by Art of the Home

Ingredients (yields 2 cups)

• 2 cups of chilled heavy cream (or crème fraiche) — but no light cream otherwise the cream will not thicken as well.
• 4-6 TBSP of sugar (depends on how sweet you like it)
• 1 TBSP of Vanilla sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Whisk the heavy cream until the cream thickens (you will see soft peaks form and the cream should stick to the whisk when you lift it).  About halfway thru the whisking process, add in the sugar until dissolved.  Don’t over whisk however because then you will make butter instead of Chantilly cream!  I use my KitchenAid whisk attachment but any electric whisk would work or if you want to exercise your arm muscles – you can also do it the old fashion way, using a hand whisk!
2. Refrigerate covered until ready to use.

Art of the Home Suggestions:

1. Treat your fresh fruits to a scoop of Chantilly cream: all berries love a scoop of Chantilly cream and it adds a nice color to your dessert as well.  Consider slicing a few strawberries inside a beautiful glass and drop a Chantilly cream scoop on top.  Another option is to layer your dessert — alternate Chantilly cream and fruits, very pretty and fresh summer dessert also!
2. Winter chill: treat  your warm coco (chocolat au lait) to a scoop of Chantilly cream.

Even though, we may not be able to visit the Chantilly castle yet, we thought we could still take a 2 minute tour of this magnificent castle — bon voyage!