Step 1

Chill the cream. The colder the cream, the easier it'll be to whip and the longer it'll hold its shape. Plan to whip the cream the moment you take it out of the refrigerator, rather than leaving it sitting on the counter for some time. The bowl you pour the cream into should also be chilled if possible.

Step 2

Add sugar and salt. Sweeten the cream with your sugar of choice. Add a pinch of salt to bring out the cream's rich flavor and contrast with the sugar. Use a spoon or whisk to stir the mixture well.

Step 3

Whisk the cream. Using a large whisk, or a hand mixer, start whipping the cream in a circular direction. Whip as quickly as possible to help air change the consistency of the cream from a heavy liquid into a light, fluffy substance.It takes a little practice to learn how to whip cream effectively by hand. You have to work quickly enough that the cream doesn't have time to warm up too much. Switch to the other hand if the hand you are using becomes too tired.Use an electric mixer to make the job easier. Set the bowl of cream under a stand mixer and let the machine do all the work, or use a hand mixer to make gentle swirls in the cream while the beaters whip it up.

Step 4

Watch for peaks to form. The first change you'll notice is that the whisk or beaters will begin to leave drag marks in the cream, indicating that it has become more solid in texture. Continue whipping until you can lift the whisk or beaters from the cream and leave semi-stiff peaks in their wake.Some people prefer soft whipped cream, which slumps deliciously down the side of cakes and pies. Others prefer stiffer whipped cream that retains a certain shape when it's used to top a dessert. Keep whipping until the cream reaches the texture you desire.Add more sugar and continue whipping to stabilize or make the whipped cream thicker.Stop whipping before it turns to butter. If you keep whipping for too long (which is easier to do with an electric mixer than by hand) the cream will turn to solid butter. If this happens to you, save the butter to make cinnamon sugar toast or another delicious treat and start over with a new batch of cream.