How to whip cream

Follow these simple tips to whip thickened cream into soft or firm peaks. If it starts to look grainy, you’ve over-whipped it – try folding in some more cream.

Tip 1: Use a balloon whisk or an electric beater to whip cream. If the cream and bowl are chilled, the cream will whip more quickly.

Tip 2: For soft peaks, whisk until cream just clings when the whisk or beater is lifted. This is useful when making mixtures, such as mousse.

Tip 3: For firm peaks, continue to whisk until the cream holds firmly to the whisk or beater. This is useful for serving with desserts.

How to put together the perfect cheese platter

For best results when preparing a cheese platter, follow these tips.

Tip 1:
Remove your cheese from the fridge one hour before serving - the flavour is best when the cheese is at room temperature.

Tip 2:
Use the right knife - a knife with holes helps to stop soft cheese from sticking. For hard cheese, try a cheese planer - shaped like a small cake slice with a blade.

Tip 3:
Provide a knife for each cheese on the platter to avoid mixing all the different flavours.