The Unexpected Coffee Tool That's Actually Perfect For Making Whipped Cream

Here at Tasting Table, we've tried (almost) every way to make homemade whipped cream, and after extensive R&D, the verdict is in. One of the quickest, most low-effort ways to get the job done is by using your French press. You can brew cold brew and steep loose leaf tea in this versatile little tool. But, perhaps a less-commonly known alternative use for a French press is using it to make a quick batch of homemade whipped cream– no whisk or electric mixer to wash later on.

This technique works thanks to the science behind French press coffee. The manual coffee maker includes two main components: A roomy cylindrical carafe and a plunger, affixed to which is a wire mesh filter that percolates the coffee. Here, the heavy whipping cream thickens as it is jostled and forced through the French press's tight mesh filter.

To do it, add your heavy whipping cream and a few tablespoons of powdered sugar into your French press crate. Then, put the lid on, and vigorously pump the plunger up and down for about one full minute, or until the mixture has stiffened into creamy peaks. Adding more powdered sugar into the mix and pumping for longer will both yield a stiffer texture. For a pleasant chill, pop your French press in the freezer for a few minutes beforehand.

Keep in mind that the more heavy whipping cream you add to the French press, the larger the batch will be and the more pumping it will require to firm up. To give the mixture adequate room to agitate, take care not to fill the French press any more than halfway with heavy whipping cream; a batch this size will require closer to four or five minutes of vigorous pumping. Still, the plunger apparatus eases the arm labor, and is less tiresome than shaking a Mason jar to whip cream — another popular manual method for making the good stuff.

It's worth mentioning that this method produces whipped cream that's thick but not pipable. This slightly-thinner texture is comparable to a rich clotted cream, ideal as a spoonable topping for desserts like pie, cobbler, or a bowl of fresh fruit. If you're feeling ambitious (or java-inspired by that French press), you could even flex a little home barista flair and serve a scoop of this whipped cream as a layer of cold foam on top of your craft espresso drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, and iced matcha. Feel free to customize the flavor of your whipped cream to complement your drinks and desserts by adding a splash of vanilla extract, almond extract, amaretto, or thin, dark, real maple syrup.