They say we learn something new every day. Whoever “they” may be. I must agree that as we drift off to sleep at night, most of us could zero in on something new we learned that day. Today, I learned something about Chantilly Cream. Actually, I learned several things. Chantilly is a town in Northern France mostly known for its lace and fine porcelain; Chantilly Cream is actually the French version of sweetened whipped cream; I have actually been making Chantilly cream since I was a little girl but just didn’t know it; and lastly, a more stable whipped cream results from adding the sugar only after the cream has been whipped to soft peaks. If you are at all interested as to why the last fact is so, read here.  I found the information intriguing and enlightening.
Leave it to the French to make something relatively straight forward and simple sound so sophisticated.  Had I known then what I know now about Chantilly cream, I could have been impressing more people over the years.  My earliest memories of this dessert topping transports me back to the kitchen of my childhood.  My dad was the one who first introduced me to the principles behind whipping cream.  The first stage of the process was driving to our town dairy to purchase fresh cream.  Once home, the cream was placed in the refrigerator for a nice chill during which a bowl and beaters took up residence in the freezer.  “Everything must be well chilled to make the best whipped cream” he would tell me.  As though it were yesterday, I can see the thick, white cream pouring from the small glass bottle and into the chilled bowl.  (I’m dating myself here – let’s just say I was very, very, young – but I remember when cream came in bottles with cardboard stoppers covered with paper caps.  If I knew then that those little bottles would be such a trendy prop in today’s food photography, I would have stashed a few away.) With a little hand mixer my dad whipped up magic.  He added a touch of sugar and a hint of vanilla.  I’m pretty sure that ours was the only home in the neighborhood serving up Chantilly Cream on a regular basis.
You may be wondering the reason for my research on Chantilly cream.  While reading through the recipe for this chocolate snack cake in The Cheese Board Collective Works, it was suggested that Chantilly cream would be a nice accompaniment to the cake.  I got to thinking, what is Chantilly cream and how does it differ from the plain ole vanilla infused sweetened whipped cream I’ve been eating all my life.  I now know it doesn’t differ in the slightest.
In my opinion, this cake is perfect just as it is.  However, I’ve not met many desserts that weren’t complimented by a smidgen, or scoop, of “Chantilly” cream.  (I feel so French just saying that word.)  And, what a versatile cake.  You can turn this delectable chocolate recipe into many things heavenly; a 9-inch layer cake, cupcakes, loaf cakes…and a 9×13-inch version slathered in vanilla buttercream frosting would be my idea of scrumptious.
Tears came to my eyes while writing this post and thinking back to those childhood memories of Dad as my baking instructor.  I’m grateful for his patience and for all I learned at his side.  Dad didn’t whip up Les Grande Savarins or elaborate chocolate sculptures, but the basics of all-American baking he knew well.  And, with what I learned new today, he was obviously an expert at making “Chantilly” cream

Source:  Adapted from The Cheese Board Collective Works