British Expatriate Network

Whats the difference between British Cream & Ice-Cream?

The Single Cream back home you get at Asda etc is thicker and alot nicer than the half and half that you buy here in the USA? and half and half is the closest to SIngle cream I have found?

Does anyone know why the single cream here is different and if anything else is closer?

Plus the Ice Cream here I have noticed is not as creamy or as Soft? ANyone know why?

Love Ben and Gerry's to bits, been to their Vermont plant too, and had a wicked time. They are huge in the UK too, with all those flavours that you don't get in other ice creams.

Cherry Garcia anyone? D

Neil,

Single cream is more akin to light cream over here whereas half and half is just that...half light cream, half full milk so that's why it isn't as thick.

I'm not keen on the general American liking for adding sugar and vanilla extract to whipped cream as it is way too sweet for me. (I'm sweet enough of course! wink ) However I suppose that's the only way of thickening and stabilising the cream enough for it to hold a shape for when you want to fill meringues, eclairs, profiteroles etc.

Personally, I have found that if you whip heavy cream just before you want to serve it on say, a trifle, and then make sure you finish the whole thing then it doesn't get the chance to separate.

Debs x )