Egg-free Tiramisu, again


I made egg-free tiramisu again recently. This time I used whipping cream instead of double cream. Double cream is very common in UK and widely used for cooking, pouring over fruits, whipping for desserts, etc. I had simply guessed that double cream was something like US heavy cream, so I was whipping double cream to make desserts, including the previous tiramisu. Then, I had wondered why the whipped cream was so stiff and almost gooey each time no matter how lightly I whipped it until I noticed that UK double cream contained not less than 48 percent milk fat while US heavy cream had at least 36 percent milk fat. The number told me that double cream was supposed to be so heavy (fatty)! Now when I buy cream for desserts, I look for a type of cream named "whipping cream" that contains contains not less than 35 percent milk fat, which means similar to US heavy cream or US whipping cream (between 30 to 36 percent milk fat). I used whipping cream to make this tiramisu. The cream was beautifully whipped and the result was airy and delightful. By the way, there is Single cream in UK. One day I had tried to whip it but I couldn't. Based on the experience, I guessed it was something like half and half in US. I just researched and learned that Single cream contains not less than 18 percent milk fat while US H&H has about 12 percent. Well, one is not really the same as the other. Anyway I rarely used H&H while I was in US anyway, I probably wouldn't need to find one or an alternative in UK. The next question in my head was, What is Single cream used for in UK? It is said that Single cream is mostly used to pour over desserts, which is why the cream is known as "pouring cream." Well, as mentioned above, it seems that Double cream is also used as pouring cream. I have never seen the term "pouring cream" or been offered fruits/desserts with pouring cream in US. It may be very English. Speaking of cream, clotted cream (contains not less than 55 per cent milk fat!) is truly English! It's a must for scones at an English traditional afternoon tea or cream tea setting and dangerously tasty. I have seen clotted cream at Whole Foods, an upscale grocery chain in US, which is imported from UK, but I think the English luxurious cream is really not known there. Ok, here is my conclusion: England loves cream. I am happily adapting to the country's cream culture.

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