Today, January 5th, is National Whipped Cream Day.

Whipped cream is, not surprisingly, cream that has been whipped. This can be done with a hand or electric mixer, or with a fork or whisk - the latter two being quite hard work.

Whipping the cream adds air to it, increasing its volume. Cream that contains at least 30% butterfat is required, as those with a lower content have difficulty trapping the air.

Whipped cream is used as a topping on desserts, both hot and cold, and drinks, and sometimes in savoury dishes.

Whipped cream is available in aerosol form, in which the cream comes out of it already full of bubbles when activated.

Image: Morguefile