Gas Propellent

• The gas inside your favorite can of whipped cream is nitrous oxide, better known as N2O. This colorless gas has a sweet smell and taste and is soluble in oil, water, alcohol and sulfuric acid. Because it is easily compressed, N2O is an ideal gas for use as a propellant for whipped cream canisters. Once the whipped cream is poured in and the can is sealed, N2O is forced into the can under high pressure, with no room for expansion.

Upside-Down

• When you top your favorite dessert with a fluffy glob of whipped cream, ensure to hold the can straight up and down as you spray. Holding the can on an angle allows more N2O to leak out of the can than necessary. Continuous leaks may leave you without enough N2O to dispense the whipped cream. You may notice that when you shake the can there is remaining product inside, but no longer any way to release it.

Unstable

• Whipped cream is not whipped inside the can. In fact, the whipping doesn’t begin until you press down on the nozzle and set the N2O into action. Bear in mind that whipped cream that relies on gas to help it expand is not the best candidate for decorating cakes and other baked goods. The fluffing effects wear off after about one hour, returning the whipped cream to the liquified state it was in before it left the can.

Cream Whippers

• You do not need to rely on commercially-made whipped creams to dress your favorite desserts. Metal canisters charged by nitrous oxide are available online and in some stores that sell baking products. The canisters -- known as cream whippers -- have the capacity to whip up a pint of heavy cream in seconds. The result is a fresh whipped cream free of preservatives and artificial sweeteners that are often found in commercial brands of whipped cream.