Fresh summer fruit mixed with whipped cream makes for a delicious dessert or snack. During the winter months, who doesn't love a cup of hot cocoa topped with a mound of whipped cream?

There's no need to buy whipped cream in a can. Not when you can whip up your own cream right in your kitchen. Here's how:

Ingredients
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
In a chilled bowl, combine whipping cream, sugar and vanilla. Beat with chilled beaters of an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Makes 2 cups whipped cream.

Flavor Variations
Take your whipped cream to a new level by adding one of the following along with the vanilla:

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 Tbsp. additional sugar
2 Tbsp. hazelnut, almond, orange or chocolate liqueur
½ tsp. almond extract
½ tsp. finely shredded lemon, orange or lime peel
½ tsp. mint extract and 1 Tbsp. mint paste made from fresh mint leaves
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger