Question for Expert Dessert Makers Re: Whipped Cream

[Christine]

Looking for some advice here. We have a "forced fun" work event on Tuesday, PI Day. On Monday, I'm incredibly busy with physical therapy, a work project, and having to put in a 10-hour day (at home thank goodness) so not a lot of time to really go all out. I've got a couple of options for my contribution to PI Day, but I'm leaning heavily toward making small chocolate pies using pudding as the filling. I'd like to garnish them with a whipped topping and some sprinkles. I'll have to do that when I get to the office, right before the event I suppose. If I bring in a can of Reddi Whip, I don't think it will hold for the hour that they will probably sit out. Cool Whip is an answer but I'll have to transfer it to a bag so I can pipe it on. I don't use Cool Whip much at all so maybe I can do it the day before and it will hold okay?

Any ideas for the best way to top these things? I have very little time to prep them before they are put out, so I don't know why I'm considering that.

 

[holden]

What about getting some kind of whipped cream topping from a local supermarket and using that? The Giant where I live has some cakes that have a whipped cream icing. You could buy some from the bakery department and use that. I've bought buttercream icing from them before.

 

[Christine]

What about getting some kind of whipped cream topping from a local supermarket and using that? The Giant where I live has some cakes that have a whipped cream icing. You could buy some from the bakery department and use that. I've bought buttercream icing from them before.

Hmm...that's a thought but I think I just want something a bit lighter. I will ask about that tomorrow when I'm doing my shopping.

 

[Skippy918]

Just buy some pies at the store.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Stabilized whipped cream from a bakery would work for you. It has (I think) gelatin added to stabilize it. It holds its shape, and is lighter (and not as sweet) than a regular frosting. It can handle sitting out for a bit. I had some on a Publix cannoli cake recently, and it was delicious! The bakery may even be able to put it in piping bags for you.

 

[sdk1231]

The whipped topping does present a problem. Any whipped topping is going to melt. You could buy the Redi Whip and bring it to work, put it in the fridge, and set the cans out for people to self-serve with their mini pies. Of course they won't look like cute little mini pies all done up in whipped cream and sprinkles, but will look like little bowls of warm-ish pudding. I assume you're doing a graham cracker crust? In my opinion, mini pies are work intensive. If it were me, and I had very little time but was working from home, I'd buy a pie crust from the refrigerator section of the grocery store, put it into a pie pan, crimp the edges, and then stir together the filling for a pecan pie, using the recipe from the Karo Syrup (corn syrup) bottle. Prep time 10-15 min max. Put it in the oven to bake while you're working. Then bring your easily portable pie to work as a homemade pecan pie. No one will know the pie crust wasn't homemade. Pecan pie is incredibly easy but people seem to be really impressed by it. If you want to be show-offy, toss in a shot of bourbon or some dark chocolate chunks.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I had to do this around the holidays for work (with mini mousses and cheesecakes), and had to use Cool Whip for that reason. They held up fine in the fridge overnight. I brought them in in a dessert-type cooler that I picked up on Amazon.

My DD made homemade whipped cream for a dessert project in HS for a culinary class and it just didn’t hold up.

An alternative would be to just leave out the canned whipped cream and let people put their own on, I suppose. But they won’t look as nice.

 

[DLgal]

Dr. Oetker Whipped Cream Stabilizer, 0.35 Ounce (Pack of 2) https://a.co/d/dMFzsJR

You need this product to keep whipped cream stabilized.

If you have a stand mixer, buy 16oz of heavy cream and some of this powder. Whip up the cream with a bit of powdered sugar and this stuff. It will hold for 2-3 days. You can just put a dollop on top of each pie. No need to pipe it out. It will be stable at room temperature for an hour or 2.

You can even whip it up the day before and refrigerate it. It will hold overnight.

 

[sdk1231]

Dr. Oetker Whipped Cream Stabilizer, 0.35 Ounce (Pack of 2) https://a.co/d/dMFzsJR

You need this product to keep whipped cream stabilized.

If you have a stand mixer, buy 16oz of heavy cream and some of this powder. Whip up the cream with a bit of powdered sugar and this stuff. It will hold for 2-3 days. You can just put a dollop on top of each pie. No need to pipe it out. It will be stable at room temperature for an hour or 2.

You can even whip it up the day before and refrigerate it. It will hold overnight.

I've never heard of this stuff! Thanks for sharing.

 

[_19disnA]

I would choose a type of pie that doesn't require whipped cream as a topping. Too much fuss when it sounds like you are already busy that day. You also need to keep it refrigerated even if using some sort of stabilizer.

 

[AppleDumpling]

If you make whipped cream from scratch, there are a number of ingredients you can use to stabilize it. The one I’ve used is instant vanilla pudding. Add one tablespoon of the pudding mix per cup of heavy cream, and whip it with an electric mixer. If you want a sweeter taste, you can also add a dash of powdered sugar and/or vanilla extract. It will last up to two days. I think this would go well with chocolate pudding pie.

 

[Genie+]

Not exactly what you’re asking but one of my easy favorites that rivals bakeries-

Make box cake. Can do ‘doctored’ box cake recipe if you wanna kick it up a notch, though not necessary. This is my favorite version: https://www.mybakingaddiction.com/cake-mix-recipe/
Cool the cake.

Make ganache. Sounds fancy shmancy and is decadent, yet soooo easy.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/33647/chocolate-ganache/

• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream

Heat heavy cream in sauce pan just to boiling. Pour over chocolate. Stir. Done!

Pour it over your cake. Put cake in fridge to set. Ganache will stay solid at room temp after it sets.

 

[Christine]

Thanks for the suggestions. I was actually going to use the new Pillsbury mini-pie crusts. Bake them, add in the chocolate cream filling, then top with a little bit of some form of light cream topping to make them interesting. I need this to be fairly bite sized so they bake over the bottom side of a mini-muffin pan.

Everything is supposed to be "pie" themed in some form so a lot of things got ruled out that I normally can bake and take.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Cool Whip is an answer but I'll have to transfer it to a bag so I can pipe it on.

You don’t have to use a pastry bag, you can use a ziplock bag with the corner cut off.

I think your pies sound good. These were how mine came out. (Forgot to take a pic ahead of time, these were two I brought home, lol, so they’d been handled and traveled quite a bit. Chocolate mousse on the left and cheesecake w graham cracker crust on the right.)



PS I bought these cups on Amazon, but the other day I bought some similar ones at the regular supermarket. It simplifies things to just use the cups; they travel well. (These ones came w little spoons, too.) They were a hit, fairly simple to make, and it was interesting to see who went for the chocolate and who went for the cheesecake!

 

[Christine]

You don’t have to use a pastry bag, you can use a ziplock bag with the corner cut off.

I think your pies sound good. These were how mine came out. (Forgot to take a pic ahead of time, these were two I brought home, lol, so they’d been handled and traveled quite a bit. Chocolate mousse on the left and cheesecake w graham cracker crust on the right.)

View attachment 745569

Love those containers. Where did you find them--I may change my plan!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Love those containers. Where did you find them--I may change my plan!

Amazon!

 

[AppleDumpling]

Never tried the Pillsbury mini crusts, but I like the graham cracker shells from Keebler. The minis are about 3 inches wide and come with plastic covers. No baking needed.

 

[JLTraveling]

Cool Whip works great as long as you can keep the pies refrigerated until shortly before serving. One of my go-to desserts for family gatherings is regular-size chocolate pudding pie with chocolate chips, topped with Cool Whip and more chocolate chips. It holds fine for the hour or so that it takes to get where I'm going, but I always have the hosts stick it in the fridge to re-cool until shortly before serving. Although I have taken it to potluck buffets and just stuck it on the dessert table, and it was still okay. I just wouldn't leave it sitting out for hours.

 

[_19disnA]

You never said how many of these you are making or how many others are also baking something. If it is anything like our office, most will never fuss and usually just buy something at the store.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

A forced fun work event would get this much effort from me.