Hi everyone,

It’s baking season again! (i.e. the summer is almost over…)

I want to try to make the Sweet Cookie Tart Crust instead of the usual Pate Sucree’ recipe I use from Gordon Ramsey’s book.
However I’m stumped at one of the ingredients - ‘Heavy Cream’. Does anyone know what the UK equivalent would be? Some say it’s double cream but some say it’s whipping cream.

Could anyone help?

Hello, I’m in the UK and when I see ‘heavy cream’ listed in a recipe I use double cream as a substitute.  It always works!!!  Hope this helps.

I the US “heavy Cream”  is what we use to make Whipped cream.  Not sure if that gives you any help at all…but there you go!

Thank you for your replies. I found a thread here from someone in the UK who had tried using Double Cream in that recipe and it didn’t work….hmmm…

There is a difference between the two, I think if you look on the carton you will find ‘our’ double cream has more butterfat in it. I don’t have a carton here at the moment to tell you the percentage but I do know it is richer than the US equivalent.

Well I have now tried it with the UK Whipping Cream, as I read that the fat content is closer to US Heavy Cream than UK Double Cream is. So far everything seems to be ok, i.e. the pastry went into crumbs when I expected, then it stuck together ok, now it’s in the fridge to rest. The real test will be the cooking I guess.

In terms of procedure, using Rose’s recipe it was really really easy! I think I’ve read somewhere that more recent editions of The Pie and Pastry Bible have variations, i.e. she uses gloves instead of ziplock bags etc, but I have to say it was very easy. After years of struggling with Gordon’s Ramsay’s recipe (tastes delicious but hard to handle), if it tastes as good I might be a convert.

Sounds like the crust worked just fine.  US cream ranges from as high as 40% butterfat (and this works in the pie crust recipe, I’ve used it), to as low as 30%.

Can’t wait to hear how you like it. What are you going to make with it? 

added by later edit:  ooops, must not have read very carefully- have edited to correct for the sugar crust. 

Hi Julie and thanks for your reply.

I think the recipe I’ve used from Rose’s Pie/Pastry Bible is for Pate Sucree, it’s on page 56 of my edition of the book, listed as ‘Sweet Cookie Tart Crust’ and then in brackets (Pate Sucree).

I’ll be making a chocolate tart from an old Jamie Oliver’s recipe, I think it’s a chocolate ganache type of recipe. I’ve made it several times before, always with Gordon Ramsey’s pate sucree, it’s always a success but I wanted to try Rose’s version of the pastry. So far I’ve made her Cream Cheese Flaky Pastry for both cherry pie and apple pie and it’s fab!

Will do the baking tomorrow, the pastry shell is now in the fridge, will cook it tomorrow and then report back!

Ok, the pie shell is pre-cooked now, cooling down for filling. Here’s a pic:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5291673&l=d009212b5d&id=661881882

My borders are always a bit messy. I think it’s because my oven is rubbish, it doesn’t shut properly so we hook up the door to the hob with a bent metal coathanger….! We are trying to make do until we refit the whole kitchen.

I’m very happy with Rose’s version of Pate Sucree. I had my doubts because the Gordon Ramsey’s recipe tastes wonderful, but I think this was easier to use and I’ve tasted a couple of crumbles and it’s just as good, if not better, than Gordon’s. The only slight issue is that Rose’s recipe just gives you enough for the tart dish, without much scope for error, so I will really need to always make 2 batches and then add a bit when I roll it out. I get pastry-amount anxiety….

Looks beautiful!!!

Thanks Julie!

Did I mention that the pie was delicious?