Double Cream in a Recipe

I purchased "English Double Devon Cream" from Devonshire, Eng., but it was took thick to spread, even after trying to mix it up to a spreadable consistency. I opened it well before its use-by date. What would have helped? Would "clotted cream" have been softer so that I could have had mounds of cream?

So the double Devon cream I linked to worked just fine.

Chocolate ganache from a British recipe, hmmm…

If you want to follow the recipe as closely as possible, enrich the cream as described above. UK double cream is very thick but still pourable. Alternatively, the double Devon should work (but it's not exactly the same thing), or you could just use less heavy cream or work in some unsalted butter.

The cake sounds good, I may have to try making it myself.

I am making Nigella Lawson's Nutella cake. It is easily googled.

It might help to know what you're making (I am really curious now) and in which country the recipe originated as the terminology can differ.

In the U.S., "cream" contains a minimum of 18% butterfat. Double cream, then, contains 38% (yes I know the numbers aren't perfect -- blame the government, not me). In the UK, double cream is 48% (I looked that up to be certain).

The heaviest cream commonly available here will be labeled "Manufacturer's Cream" at 38%. It can be difficult to find outside of food service suppliers though. "Heavy Whipping Cream" runs just slightly lower at 36% and it's pretty common these days. (Sure didn't used to be but we're wising up a little. Fat = flavor after all, plus these heavier creams have other serious advantages.)

You can easily boost the butterfat in the cream if you want to. Just pour it into a coffee filter set over a container to catch the liquid and leave it overnight (in the refrigerator of course). Some measuring and a little math will tell you what your remaining butterfat content is but I just spread it on my scones and try not to think about anything but how good it tastes.

Sorry I am in the US. So I guess my question is now what would be my best option for double cream. The double Devon or a heavy cream.

Thank you for your advice.

Sorry, are you in the UK?

In the U.S., double cream is 38%. I believe UK whipping cream is close to that. Devon is 48% and clotted cream is 55%.

Chef Ono,

It has a higher fat content than US heavy cream right? In the store, I've seen double devon cream right next to clotted cream which is why I was confused. See the links for the products I see in my local grocery.

http://www.amazon.com/English-Double-Devon-Cream-Pack/dp/B000F32LVS/ref=sr_1_2?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1337364434&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Devon-Cream-Company-Clotted-6oz/dp/B001GQ9YJ0/ref=pd_bxgy_gro_img_b

Double cream is heavy cream / manufacturer's cream. Devon / Devonshire cream is clotted cream.