Double Cream for Netherlands

Our answer

Double cream appears in some of Nigella's recipes. It is a high fat cream (with a fat content of around 48%) which is common in the UK but not in other countries. Fortunately in most of Europe whipping cream can be used as an alternative. If possible look for a whipping cream with a fat content of 34% or more. For hot dishes where the cream is added as a liquid then you can just add the whipping cream instead.

However if you are making the no-churn ice creams or syllabubs, where ingredients are added to the cream before whipping, then you need to make a slight adjustment to the method for whipping cream. We would suggest whipping the cream to soft peaks first, then whisking in any other ingredients (such as alcohol, flavourings or condensed milk).

Reduced cream is a thickened cream that is sold in cans. Unfortunately it is also not common in the UK and so we have very little experience in using it and we regret that we are unable to advise on a substitute.