But let’s imagine a hypothetical situation wherein you have misjudged your guests’ enthusiasm for whipped cream-topped pie following a big holiday meal, and now you find yourself faced with a fairly large amount leftover. Do you throw it away? Do you save it, knowing that it will likely lose its billowy magic over the next few days? Let me offer a third option: Freeze your leftover whipped cream for later. Whipped cream freezes - and thaws - surprisingly well. Just drop mounds of it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze overnight. The next day, peel off the frozen whipped cream clouds and transfer them to a freezer bag or container for longer storage. When a situation arises for a few spoonfuls of whipped cream, just pull out what you need. In my opinion, the very best use of these frozen whipped cream puffs is to top a hot mug of cocoa or coffee. Not only do they melt slowly into the hot beverage, providing time-release doses of cream, but they take the edge off a steaming hot cup (without cooling it too much!). You can also use the leftover whipped cream to top a slice of pie or other dessert - yes, this works! Place the frozen whipped cream on top of your dessert, then let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or so to thaw before serving. As a dessert topping, the whipped cream holds its shape quite well without becoming grainy or separating, but it does lose some of its perkiness. The frozen edges also have a tendency to crumble as you handle them, as well. This is perfectly acceptable for a midweek dessert casual family gathering, but less ideal for situations where looks are important, like a dinner party or a special occasion. For those, I’d recommend making a fresh batch of whipped cream. Be sure to transfer the frozen whipped cream to a freezer container within a day or two; it can quickly start to pick up off-flavors in the open air of the freezer.
