Q. For making creamy sauces, what cream should I use?

Diane, Erdington

A. Single cream containing only 18 per cent fat and is probably best for just pouring. Crème fraiche can be heated but very gently as it will separate if boiled.

Double cream and whipping cream are interchangeable in most recipes. Double cream contains 48 per cent fat, while whipping contains 35 per cent.

Double cream tolerates heat very well and is ideal for making creamy sauces and adds instant richness, but unfortunately it does have a tendency to split.

Overall, I would tend to use whipping cream as it is the more stable of the two.