REVIEW: Hershey’s Caramel Whipped Topping

What is Hershey’s Caramel Whipped Topping?

Hershey’s Caramel Whipped Topping joins the Milk Chocolate and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup toppings as one more option to add a bit of pizzazz to your desserts.

How is it?

Is anyone else amazed by canned whipped cream? It takes at least five minutes to whip actual cream with my KitchenAid mixer, but this stuff explodes from the can fully formed in a split second. It’s like magic. I mean, I could certainly do a few minutes of internet research and learn the science behind it, but I’d rather assume dark magicks with some wizard opening a portal to a pocket universe of pre-whipped cream, no doubt.

The name of the game for whipped cream is to complement a dessert without dominating it. A bit of sweetness and maybe a hint of vanilla is all it usually takes. Alone, this topping has the creamy sweetness one expects, with enough caramel flavor to make it interesting. The flavor is closer to butterscotch, with the characteristic sharp bite. (As a kid, I thought scotch would taste like butterscotch and was sorely disappointed when I finally tried it. I became less disappointed with time.) Despite the butterscotch flavor being stronger than expected, I don’t think it will overwhelm your treats.

Is there anything else you need to know?

I suspect a sizable portion of canned whipped topping never really tops anything unless dispensing directly on one’s tongue counts. Yet, Hershey’s prominently displays its whipped cream atop a brownie and coffee on the product’s can, so I doubt “spray directly into your mouth” is a serving suggestion. It appears Hershey’s expects this to be artfully swirled on a double-layered fudge brownie with a gooey caramel layer and an expertly crafted coffee beverage. I have some lukewarm gas station coffee and a half-eaten M&M’s brownie.

The tepid coffee was still warm enough to slowly melt the cream, which lent a bit of needed creaminess to the otherwise mediocre coffee. If you’re looking to add something special to your morning cup, this is a good option. The brownie, on the other hand, didn’t benefit from the addition. Prepackaged brownies often have a chemical-like aftertaste, and the butterscotch flavor of the whipped cream only accentuated that. I have no doubt this whipped cream would be great on a better brownie, but it does nothing to elevate a bad one.

Conclusion:

Hershey’s Caramel Whipped Topping makes a great addition to your dessert. It adds a hint of caramel flavor without losing the creamy goodness one looks for in whipped cream.

Purchased Price: $4.39
Size: 7 oz. can
Purchased at: Festival Foods
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 2 Tbsp): 10 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 5 milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.