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What can you suggest for a good whip cream which is gluten, dairy and legume free? I find cream without soy or chickpeas is a big challenge.

Holiday Dessert Prep Made Easy

Fran Costigan - Holiday Dessert Prep Made Easy

Recorded

This event was on December 2, 2025

The big December holidays are coming and Chef Fran Costigan, Rouxbe Director of Vegan Pastry is ready to help with desserts that are both sensational and simple to make. From showstopping centerpieces like Buche de Noel and layered Trifles, to simpler puddings and fruit soups, Chef Fran has you covered. Plan your dessert menu for stress-free entertaining. Adapt classic holiday favorites into vegan delights. This live session will help you bake smarter, not harder — so you can enjoy the season and your desserts!

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Question

Carmen Sammut

What can you suggest for a good whip cream which is gluten, dairy and legume free? I find cream without soy or chickpeas is a big challenge.

Answer

Well, Carmen, I would suggest if you're not, I mean I haven't seen the, the creams with soyer, probably the packaged ones that you can purchase and chickpeas, that would be aquafaba, which makes a nice meringue that stands in for a whipped cream. Why don't you try coconut? The fat part of coconut milk makes a nice whipped cream. Um, you just put your can of full fat coconut milk, don't pay for water guys. Put it in the fridge. The cream should come to the top of the can. Scrape it out, put it in your sand mixer or even with a hand mixer and whip it with some vanilla extract. Or you can use peppermint extract this time of the year if that's something that you like and a bit of sugar and it, they hold pretty nicely.

Fran Costigan

Director of Vegan Pastry

FranCostigan.com

Fran Costigan is internationally renowned as the authority on vegan desserts. Trained at the New York Restaurant School and Natural Gourmet Institute, Fran was a chef in both traditional and vegan pastry kitchens before moving into teaching over 20 years ago. A lifelong chocoholic and long time vegan, Fran’s latest book, Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy Free Desserts, (Running Press 2013) is for all who madly, deeply love chocolate desserts, whether or not dietary considerations are an issue. Her previous cookbook, More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally (Book Publishing Company 2006) is the basis of the Costigan Vegan Baking Boot Camp Intensive®. For more information, www.francostigan.com.