Fresh summer fruit mixed with whipped cream makes for a delicious dessert or snack. During the winter months, who doesn’t love a cup of hot cocoa topped with a mound of whipped cream?

There’s no need to buy whipped cream in a can. Not when you can whip up your own cream right in your kitchen. Here’s how:

Ingredients

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

In a chilled bowl, combine whipping cream, sugar and vanilla. Beat with chilled beaters of an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Makes 2 cups whipped cream.

Flavor Variations

Take your whipped cream to a new level by adding one of the following along with the vanilla:

• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 Tbsp. additional sugar
• 2 Tbsp. hazelnut, almond, orange or chocolate liqueur
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon, orange or lime peel
• 1/2 tsp. mint extract and 1 Tbsp. mint paste made from fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger