The hospitality industry is cutthroat: everyone is striving to drive demand for their particular culinary specialty, while also attracting high-quality talent and boosting the bottom line. As such, it’s important to consider every possible tool at your disposal, whether that’s a commercial dishwasher to provide sparkling serviceware, or something more client-side: a whipped cream charger.
Any kitchen that frequently uses whipped cream as a topping should consider investing in a cream charger, as they provide a reliable consistency and the ability to generate larger amounts of whipped cream without needing to reload. Larger canisters, such as the 640g Exotic Whip cream charger, boost efficiency even further because you’ll be able to generate liters from a single canister.
But what exactly is a cream charger, and why are they better for a commercial kitchen than simply purchasing ready-made cans of cream? Before you make your decision to purchase a whipped cream dispenser from a highly reputable manufacturer, learn more about the mechanics and benefits of this device. Soon enough, you’ll be researching brands and preparing to boost your whipped cream confections to new heights.
A cream charger uses nitrous oxide to inject gas into cream
Whipped cream dispensers are marvels of both chemistry and mechanics; they rely upon the interaction of pressurized nitrous oxide and milk fats to develop a creamy froth. The nitrous oxide, which is kept under pressure in a canister, is forced into a container filled with whipping cream, called the dispenser, through a pressure-regulated hose. It easily penetrates into the mixture and dissolves, creating a bubbly structure that is primed to become cream.
When you press the trigger of the dispenser, the mixture is forced out at high pressure, and this causes the nitrous oxide to bubble up, just like soda fizzes when exposed to air. While whipping cream by hand can cause the mixture to expand by up to two times its original size, nitrous oxide can quadruple its volume, which makes for a very impressive – and cost-effective – treat. Better yet, nitrous oxide is colorless, tasteless, and odorless, which means it will not change the flavor of the whipping cream itself.
Whipped cream dispensers are useful kitchen tools for several reasons
One of the greatest benefits of a cream charger is that it allows you to dramatically scale up your whipped cream production. Even when using an industrial mixer, making whipped cream takes a great deal of time and effort, and it also means that one of your appliances is unavailable for other tasks. There’s also the fact that exposing whipped cream to the elements before applying it can encourage bacterial growth, potentially sickening your customers.
Nitrous oxide solves several of these problems at once. Other than ensuring the cream charger is working properly and filling the dispenser with cream, you don’t have to exert any effort; the charger itself is the vessel to make the cream, which frees up precious prep space. Unlike oxygen, nitrous oxide inhibits bacterial growth, so you won’t need to worry about contaminating a patron’s meal; as long as you keep the dispenser itself clean, you can have a perfectly safe whipped cream mixture for any dessert.
Better yet, a cream charger allows you to unleash your creativity, as you can easily make flavored and colored creams for special drinks or desserts. By adding special-purpose flavor drops and dyes to the dispenser, you can make any manner of delicious boutique creams – something which is difficult and time-consuming to do when making whipped cream by hand.
For best results, find a reliable manufacturer and use as directed
Cream chargers do have drawbacks, just like any other kitchen appliance, which is why you must do your due diligence on any company that sells nitrous oxide. Firstly, the N2O canister is pressurized, which means that it could pose a serious risk should it be punctured, dropped, or heated. You must always store the cream charger system upright and in a cool, dry place. The second concern is the fact that nitrous oxide can have harmful effects on human health if directly ingested, though it is entirely harmless when used for its intended purpose. Always advise your staff never to mishandle the gas and educate them on the risks of inhaling it.
When used correctly, a cream charger is a highly effective and efficient tool that enables you to make quality whipped cream with a fraction of the effort. If you’re ready to provide even more value to your patrons, contact a well-respected whipped cream dispenser company and prepare to spice up every dessert you make.