Cream chargers are a popular piece of equipment in many professional and home kitchens. And for good reasons – they make preparing various dishes, desserts, and drinks truly easy, with whips of cream or sauce added on top to elevate the culinary creation.
All thanks to Nitrous Oxide, a gas that fulfils a critical role in any whipped cream charger. But how exactly does Nitrous Oxide work in a nang?
Let’s find out together!
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What are the main principles behind how N2O interacts with cream in a charger, and why it ultimately works, producing fluffy, light, delicious cream for our desserts and drinks?
The whole process starts in a charger, where Nitrous Oxide gas gets mixed with heavy cream. Essentially, the gas is injected into a liquid, similar to how CO2 is injected into water in a soda siphon in order to make carbonated water.
However, the end effect is not exactly the same since N2O and CO2 are different gases with varying properties. For example, CO2 is known to be more soluble in water than N2O, which is why our fizzy drinks are filled with bubbles, whereas whipped cream stays in its foamy state, no bubbles to be seen (at least with the naked eye).
Still, Nitrous Oxide is pretty water-solvable, and additionally, it’s considered an unreactive gas at room temperature, which means it’s perfect for something like whipped cream, as it doesn’t really change anything about its taste or texture.
N2O can be dissolved in fat (cream in this case) when under pressure. The canister is made pressure-tight when you screw the head down. Then, the charger canister pressurises the liquid, making N2O dissolve into it, mixing with the cream on a molecular level.
But the whipped cream is yet to be created. For now, we have all the ingredients and processes in place. We miss only one thing – release.
The whole magic happens when you pull the trigger. This immediately causes the gas and cream to be released under pressure. The N2O permeated into the cream expands once it’s outside the canister, creating the foamy whipped cream we all know and love.
And that’s about it. The whole process is relatively simple, as most of it is based on the properties of N2O and a pressurised environment that allows gas to mix with the cream. With the moment cream and N2O are released, gas has more space to escape, creating a foam when it’s doing so.
This tasty foam then ends up on our ice cream, hot chocolate, or cake, and we get to share the pleasure of making and consuming whipped cream from the comforts of our homes with friends and family.
Yes, N2O chargers are perfectly safe to use at home if used as intended. It’s always important to familiarise yourself with the manufacturer’s instructions before using a charger so you know what to do and what to avoid.
Luckily, nangs are pretty straightforward to use. You can find the step-by-step instructions on how to do so in our DIY: Making Homemade Whipped Cream with Cream Chargers guide!
Fun fact – N2O is a bacteriostatic gas, which basically means it kills bacteria really effectively. For this reason, N2O whipped cream can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. It’s just another reason why N2O is so widely used for making our beloved fluffy cream.
The best tip we can give you when making your own whipped cream is to give your dispenser enough time for the gas to mix well with the cream. Usually this process requires 60 seconds at minimum.
Don’t forget to shake the charger before use for the unified, perfect texture!
As you can see, the science behind how whipped cream chargers work is not so complicated. Nitrous Oxide is your perfect partner in crime, being an easily solvable and unreactive gas that simply fluffs up the cream without causing any adverse chemical reactions. All it takes is some pressure and time.
Ready to discover your inner culinary genius? See our selection of Cream Chargers and order them online, no fuss and no waiting. Our goal is to deliver the nangs in a matter of minutes and hours so you can enjoy your sweet treats whenever the desire arises! Learn more about Nang Wizard’s delivery times from our FAQ section.
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