Do you enjoy the taste of whipped cream? Many people love the taste of whipped cream but do not like to hand whip it themselves. These people want to make their own whipped cream so that they can tailor it to their needs with other additives but don’t want the hassle of hand whipping the cream. You can make perfect whipped cream every time using a whipped cream dispenser and nitrous oxide cream chargers.
What is a whipped cream dispenser?
A whipped cream dispenser is a type of bottle that is used for whipping cream using nitrous oxide gas canisters. The nitrous oxide is added to the cream and not only pushes the cream out (under pressure) but also expands in the cream when it comes out whipping it to be light and fluffy.
A whipped cream dispenser bottle has a top/lid that includes a nozzle (where the whipped cream comes out), a trigger (when it is pressed the whipped cream comes out of the nozzle), the nitrous oxide canister holder and valve where the nitrous oxide goes in.
Whipped cream dispensers come in a range of sizes commonly 0.25 litres, 0.5 litres and 1 litre. The most common size is the 0.5 Litre whipped cream dispenser.
Can flavoured whipped cream be made with nitrous oxide cream whippers?
Yes, a range of sweeteners and flavours can be added to the cream when it is added to the whipped cream dispenser. This can include sugar, artificial sweetener, flavours, colours, stabilisers and more. Some popular flavours to be added when making whipped cream includes caster sugar and vanilla flavouring. A stabiliser such as gelatin can be added to the cream to help stabilize solidity of the whipped cream. This is important if you want to store the whipped cream after whipping for a few days, without a stabiliser the whipped cream can melt and loose its shape.
What are nitrous oxide cream charger canisters?
Nitrous oxide cream chargers are the canisters that contain nitrous oxide used for whipping cream. In Melbourne in Australia, cream chargers are also known as Nangs. You can even buy Nangs online and get your Nangs delivered to your door after hours in Melbourne. This can be handy for restaurants, bars, clubs and coffee shops that operate after hours and run out but still want to offer products with whipped cream. These little steel canisters (often nickel plated to avoid rusting) are used to put nitrous oxide into the whipped cream dispenser to whip the cream. Cream chargers usually come in an 8 gram bulb size. One 8 gram nitrous oxide bulb is suitable for charging a 0.5 litre whipped cream dispenser.
Is whipped cream a healthy food?
Cream contains a high-fat content and is calorie-dense. Consuming a large amount of cream can be unhealthy because it has a high fat content. Therefore, cream should be consumed in moderation. Whipping cream makes is less dense (as it contains gas), this can help some people control their portion intake of cream since it is bulkier. In that way, whipping cream can be better than unwhipped cream if it helps to control the amount that is consumed. Cream whipped with nitrous oxide can make it up to 4 times/ greater in volume for its weight. This is a higher volume to weight ratio that can be achieved with regular hand whipping of cream that is usually 2 to 3 times the volume of unwhipped cream.
What is nitrous oxide?
Nitrous oxide has a chemical formula of N2O. This means that it contains two nitrogen atoms and an oxygen atom bonded together.
It can whip cream as it dissolves in fat under high pressure in the whipped cream dispenser (cream need to have fat for it to be able to be whipped) and when the cream with nitrous oxide is released into normal air pressure expands to whip the cream.
Nitrous oxide has anti-bacterial properties and can help keep the cream in the whipped cream dispenser keep fresh for longer.
Nitrous oxide is also used by some racing cars to mix with petrol and make the car go faster. Although nitrous oxide is not a fuel, at high temperatures (~300deg C) it can release the oxygen atoms and help burn the petrol faster and thus release more power.
Nitrous oxide is also used by dentists as an anesthetic when performing drilling and other activities where a general anesthetic is not warranted.
Are nitrous oxide cream canisters safe to use in food?
Yes, high-quality cream canisters from a reputable company are safe to use in food. Cream chargers are specifically designed to be used in food and made from pure food-grade nitrous oxide.