Double cream in France

[Chancer]

This has been raised many times including by myself, the lack of a high enough fat content cream in France to allow it to be whipped to the right consistency for desserts.

 

I have tried fixe chantilly and dependant on the one that i used it either tasted of cardboard or worse still sweet cardboard, now I think that I finally have the answer thanks to a tip from a friend.

 

Mascara pony cheese!!

 

I was doubtfull but some googling revealed its a 75% fat content cream so even higher than double cream and with a similar taste unless you know different, so soon I hope to finally make one of my cheesecakes that tastes as it should, next wednesday 20th Jan Lidl will have mascara pony cheese in their Italien promo.

 

I've never tried it before, what does it taste like?

[andyh4]

Can't speak for that product Chancer but I have just seen and tried Elle et Vive Crème Mascarpone, which seems to be their standard Normandy cream fortified with Mascarpone and it seemed to behave like double cream and (as far as I remember) tasted very much the same as well. It has however been a very long time since I had double cream.

[woolybanana]

Anything to do with whipping, Norman is your man. He will not what to get and how to go about it.

[Chancer]

10 years has been a long time to wait, nearly 11 in fact.

[idun]

Well I used to like Elle et Vire and would make sure that it was well chilled before using.

And I found that an electric whisk was best, in fact it was because of the cream in France, being what it is, that I bought my first electric whisk, until then, all I had ever used was a fork!!!!!! For merangues and cream!!!!!

I must add that I find that it whisks better in a deep but narrowish container/bowl/measuring jug (that sort of thing), rather than a wide mixing bowl.

Also, I used creme fixe in France, never a full sachet, probably about half for a tub of creme.

Ofcourse chantilly needs icing sugar in it, because by nature it is a sweetened cream.......... and I cannot imagine my life without sweet things in it, when I feel the need for cake, it has to be 'right'!!!!!

Mascarpone....... interesting, I find the more I beat that, the more 'liquid' it becomes, unless I use it directly from the tub. Helas, some of my recipes need other ingredients beating in to the cream, and some have mascarpone in them.

[Hereford]

Chancer: The "Creme au Marscapone" by Elle et Vire is fantastic.  Does indeed whip with just a dessert spoon of suger (no nasty fixe).  We use it a lot and no-one at all has ever noticed it is not "all" cream.

Super on a trifle or apple pie etc. 

Watch out on the supermarket shelf though as some E et V cream is in a very similar packaging and they are usually next to each other.

Enjoy it.

Mrs H

[Chancer]

I assume it whips without sugar n'est-ce pas?

[JohnFB]

When I want double cream I mix a proper Italian Mascarpone with a french creme entier, tho must admit I have never tried whipping it. Not my thing.

JFB

[Patf]

I've never found what we call double cream in France either. My Auntie Pat married a farmer, and I've watched her use the separating machine many times. She would use the cream either for butter, or to make mayonnaise, or a filling for sponge cakes.

I've had a look at some of the french websites about milk separation, and it seems that "double cream" is what comes from separating before pasteurisation, but not often sold because it sours quickly.

[Alan Zoff]

I have never understood why there should be such a difference in taste. Why isn't cream just cream, given the ingredient, whether made in UK or all those thousands of miles away in France?

In UK, it's still one reason for using M&S. Great double cream.

[Chancer]

I am more than happy with the offerings in France except créme chantilly, I have grown to prefer crème fraîche and fromage blanc, the latter I make myself as well as faiselle.

 

Its just that for this recipé  the cream needs to be whipped to the same consistency as the egg whites (stiff peaks) before folding in, its also piped on the top and for me the taste of cardboard or sweet cardboard ruins it, but maybe the French would prefer it that way, chacun à son gout.

 

I think that I have recently discovered the difference between faiselle and fromage blanc, using the latter as a starter culture I always failed to make the former, it was just runny and would not form the curd, it works fine using faiselle as the starter but having bought a pot I no longer have the need but it can make a very solid cheese if you let it curdle long enough and keep draining it, the difference I believe is that faiselle contains présure and fromage blanc just the normal lactose bacteria.

[Hereford]

Chancer: I have not tried whipping it withour sugar. The carton says for "creme fouettée" (sorry spelling probably wrong) to add the sugar.  I would think it would whip without but perhaps, due to the cheesy part, be a bit sour.

[Chancer]

Not a problem in a cheesecake [;-)]

 

In fact it will put back what the St Moret is lacking compared to Philadelphia.

[Patf]

Perhaps the double cream in the UK has additives, to make it like customers want, but not a threat to health?

[Théière]

Chancer in the UK Lidl's they have a Turkish style yogurt sold in large tub for £1.49 it has the consistency of thick cream and not the taste of yogurt either. At 10% fat it has replaced cream anywhere we would have it on a desert and it's better than the offerings in either M& S or Waitrose as disclosed by customers of those shops who go to Lidl just for it. Don't know if that is available in French Lidl's

[idun]

I hate cheesecake....... apart from Yorkshire Curd Tart, which is a favourite!!

As you say, chacun son gout, how very true.

I never over sugar the chantilly and ALL my french guests have always commented that it lovely and not over sweetened, as it usually is.

I do use creme fraiche in a couple of things, but in general do not like it, it always tastes on the turn to me, but I know why that is!!

Hate Philly cheese, love St Moret........ yet again, a chacun son gout!!!!![:D]

[Chancer]

Théière.

Not available in France but I know it well, 10% is nowhere near enough for whipping, double cream is 47% but I agree that its an excellent low fat substitute for cream.

 

And do you know I am looking at a pot of Lidl Turkish yoghurt right now! I use the empty pot for making my fromage blanc, been using the same one for 2 years now, something that most people throw away, its a good example of how over the top packaging has become, probably costs more than the product within.

[lindal1000]

If you add some marscapone to ordinary full cream it will whip up. At Christmas leclerc were selling 'crème a la marscaponne' which worked a treat in my trifles.

[lindal1000]

Sorry..forgot..it tastes like double cream but a bit heavier.