Question for Expert Dessert Makers Re: Whipped Cream

[Christine]

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.

Based on the sign up sheet, most people are making their specialties. I'm sure there will be something from the store, but where I work, that's generally frowned upon for these things believe it or not. It's sort of about what you can do with your skill level. Because we have at least 20 people signed up and most pies in general give 6-8 slices, I've just thinking of doing a small amount. No more than 12. But, yeah, I'm leaning toward being one of the few "buyers", lol.

 

[Christine]

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

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Oh, I'm right there with you. This is a brand new boss, trying very hard in a post-COVID environment with a ton of new employees just to get people to "meet" each other and get some connection going. Normally I wouldn't overly care but I'm somewhat senior in the organization and report to her so I'm trying to go along.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I would go with the Moon Pies--it would be hysterical! Plus, people could save them for later. Maybe you could put a funny sticker on them? "These are from Christine, the overworked Senior Admin Specialist" or whatever.

 

[design_mom]

My grandma’s specialty was chocolate pudding pie. She always topped hers with meringue not whipped cream. I personally don’t care for meringue (I would always scrape it off), but meringue does hold.

That pie recipe is my daughter’s favorite. I made it once with whipped cream (because I think whipped cream is better than meringue), but my daughter decided she liked the meringue better for chocolate pie.

My office is doing Pi Day too, but thankfully they are providing both lunch and pie.

 

[sdk1231]

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.)

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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!

Those are super cute!

 

[AppleDumpling]

You could always bring a pizza pie (what we call it here). Would stand out among all the desserts, and who doesn’t like pizza?

 

[ronandannette]

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

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I call them "Mandatory Fun Days". Attendance is mandatory, fun is optional. I do a ton of cooking and baking for events and if I was doing this one, I'd definitely be taking a can of Redi-Whip and a jar of sprinkles, leaving my desk early enough to hit them quickly before setting them on the buffet, then letting the chips (or whipped cream) fall where they may.

 

[Christine]

I would go with the Moon Pies--it would be hysterical! Plus, people could save them for later. Maybe you could put a funny sticker on them? "These are from Christine, the overworked Senior Admin Specialist" or whatever.

That is very funny!!!

 

[Christine]

You could always bring a pizza pie (what we call it here). Would stand out among all the desserts, and who doesn’t like pizza?

Someone has got that covered already!! A few in fact!

 

[Christine]

I call them "Mandatory Fun Days". Attendance is mandatory, fun is optional. I do a ton of cooking and baking for events and if I was doing this one, I'd definitely be taking a can of Redi-Whip and a jar of sprinkles, leaving my desk early enough to hit them quickly before setting them on the buffet, then letting the chips (or whipped cream) fall where they may.

This is where I've landed.

So, based on this thread and also Pea-N-Me's personal help, I've found the Dr. Oetzger (sp) stuff. I am using the mousse and the whipped cream stabilizer. Baking the mini pie shells, piping in the mousse, putting the stabilized cream on top, add some chocolate sprinkles. These will be one-to-two bites per mini pie so kind of a good size to grab and go. No one has signed up for a chocolate dessert yet so I think this will be fine for the chocolate lovers.

 

[dbogen]

What about the Mini Quiches? I mean they are in a crust so that makes them pies, right? They sell them frozen and you can eat them at room temp. Just trying to think out of the box, but I think the Moon Pies are hysterical, Whoppie Pies would also work. I seem to remember that Little Debbie makes several "pie" snacks

 

[DLgal]

Based on the sign up sheet, most people are making their specialties. I'm sure there will be something from the store, but where I work, that's generally frowned upon for these things believe it or not. It's sort of about what you can do with your skill level. Because we have at least 20 people signed up and most pies in general give 6-8 slices, I've just thinking of doing a small amount. No more than 12. But, yeah, I'm leaning toward being one of the few "buyers", lol.

Why not just make one full sized pudding pie? It's a lot less work.

 

[Christine]

Why not just make one full sized pudding pie? It's a lot less work.

I wanted to try to be cute and also have something small so people weren't spending the hour cutting into various pies.

 

[Christine]

What about the Mini Quiches? I mean they are in a crust so that makes them pies, right? They sell them frozen and you can eat them at room temp. Just trying to think out of the box, but I think the Moon Pies are hysterical, Whoppie Pies would also work. I seem to remember that Little Debbie makes several "pie" snacks

Based on the sign up sheet, we've got two people making full-size quiche so that's probably more quiche than we need!

 

[Travel60]

You didn't ask for different ideas but I'm offering an easy one that goes with your pie theme. And maybe others in your office haven't seen it.
You need

• 1 tube prepared cookie mix (think Pillsbury chocolate chip, peanut butter or sugar cookies)
• 1 package mini Reese's Peanut butter cups.
• Mini cupcake liners (optional but easier)
• Mini cupcake pan

Put cupcake liners in pan (if using)
Put a small ball (maybe 1" round) of cookie dough in each cup. (Your choice, I like Choc chip)
Bake 350 for 9-10 minutes. Will puff up.
While that is baking take foil off mini peanut butter cups.
Take cookies out of oven and plunge a peanut butter cup in the middle of each.
Put back in oven for 4-5 more minutes.

Call them PB Pies

 

[kymom99]

My mom used to use something called dream whip. Not sure if it’s still a thing. She baked a lot from scratch but sometimes you have to go with convenience.

 

[Christine]

My mom used to use something called dream whip. Not sure if it’s still a thing. She baked a lot from scratch but sometimes you have to go with convenience.

I used to make a chocolate Dream pie that was very good with Dream Whip. Thinking about that, I read the package yesterday while out shopping and it seems to have the same issues as whipped cream--it said it wasn't very stable and should be kept refrigerated. My recollection is that it is more stable, but I just didn't have time to experiment.

 

[40ariel]

I recommend using stabilized whipped cream. (if you have to put the whipped cream on in advance) I have made it with gelatin in the past but there are many recipes on the internet that use cornstarch etc.

Good luck! Try not to overwhelm yourself, sounds like your dessert will be delicious.

 

[Imzadi]

Sorry, but Cool Whip is vile!

How about topping it with mini marshmallows & a bit of chocolate bar for a Smores pie.

 

[Christine]

Well, it all went bad. The pie shells did not come up to the top of my muffin tin and baked up weird, but I didn't give up. The mousse came out okay, but the stabilized whipped cream. It failed. Obviously one packet per one cup of cream was too much. I couldn't even pipe it out of the bag. It was so thick and, well, stable. All in all, it as just kind of gross. Threw it all out. Not taking anything in because I've run out of time--even to go to the store.