How to Make Whipped Cream That Holds Its Shape for Hours

Or, you whip your cream ahead, only to find it’s slumped by the time you’re ready to serve dessert?

That’s because the cream begins to weep out liquid and lose air bubbles soon after it’s whipped. Leaving it at room temperature only exacerbates the problem. 

But we’ve got a trick that gives whipped cream incredible staying power. Make it hours ahead, and it won’t let you down. 

While developing our recipe for Cranberry Curd Tart with Almond Crust, we discovered an ingenious solution: We added some of the pectin-rich filling to our whipped cream topping, which kept it billowy into the next day.

Inspired by that recipe, Margaret Pesicka of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, discovered another pectin-rich option—fruit jelly.

Even jellies made from low-pectin fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, and apricots can work because they are typically processed with lots of added pectin so that they gel properly. A few tablespoons of such jellies can give the topping staying power (and a lightly fruity taste).

But not just any fruit jelly will do. An easy way to test if a jelly will work well? Scoop a tablespoon onto a plate—if it’s jiggly and slumps, give it a pass, but if it feels firm and holds a clean, domed profile, then you’re good to go.