Clotted Cream

Clotted cream served with scones and jam

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City/Region: England | Scotland

Time Period: 1670 | 1755

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Clotted cream is one of the most delicious and simple foods I’ve ever had. It’s made with only one ingredient, but has a richness and nuttiness that is divine. It’s one of those foods that is difficult to track down the origins of, but one story includes the ancient Phoenicians, and another a fairy princess and prince. Both are equally likely to be true.

For best results, look for cream that isn’t ultra-pasteurized. Labels will say “pasteurized” or “low temp pasteurized”. This recipe doesn’t have a lot of active time, but the cream does need to cook for 12 hours, so I recommend starting first thing in the morning. It’s worth it.

“To make clouted Cream.
Take Milk that was milked in the morning, and scald it at noon; it must have a reasonable fire under it, but not too rash, and when it is scalding hot, that you see little Pimples begin to rise, take away the greatest part of the Fire, then let it stand and harden a little while, then take it off, and let it stand until the next day, covered, then take it off with a Skimmer.”

— The Queen-Like Closet, or Rich Cabinet by Hannah Wolley, 1670

“Clouted Cream
...If you please beat Part of it with a little Rose-water, and a Lair of unbeaten Clouts, with Sugar between...”

— A New and Easy Method of Cookery by Elizabeth Cleland, 1755

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Ingredients:

• 1 quart (1 L) cream*
• 1/4 teaspoon rose water (optional, for 1755 serving style)
• Sugar (optional, for 1755 serving style)

*Cream that is not ultra-pasteurized is best and will yield the most clotted cream. Check labels for pasteurized or low-temp pasteurized.

Instructions:

1. First thing in the morning, preheat your oven to 175°F (80°C). If your oven doesn’t go lower than 200°F (95°F), this will still work, but you won’t need to cook your cream for as long. 175°F (80°C) is ideal for getting the most clotted cream.
2. Pour the cream into a baking dish. A 9x9 inch (23 cm) baking dish works well, but anything will work (I used 2 smaller dishes) as long as the cream is 1 inch (2.5 cm) to 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) deep.
3. Bake the cream for 12 hours. It will start to smell really good after a few hours, but don’t be tempted to take it out early.
4. After the cream has baked for 12 hours and the top looks dimpled with folds in it, it’s ready. There is still liquid in the bottom and you don’t want any of it to splash up to the top, so be very careful as you take it out of the oven. Let it cool to room temperature.
5. Cover the cream and put it in the fridge for 12 hours or until it has fully chilled.
6. After the cream has chilled, the top should be nice and firm. Use a spatula or knife to loosen the edges of the firm cream, then hold it in place as you tip the dish to pour off the liquid layer underneath, which is essentially skim milk. You can toss it or use it for any milk purposes you may have (like these scones).
7. For serving the clotted cream forth, you can leave it as is or beat the crust that formed on top back into the rest of the clotted cream. The crust is the tastiest part, so having it separate can be a nice little treat. You can also dress up the clotted cream as described below in Step 8. Any way you make it, serve the clotted cream forth with some fresh scones and some jam.
8. To prepare Elizabeth Cleland’s recommendation for serving, beat 1/4 cup of the clotted cream with 1/4 teaspoon of rose water. Spread this in an even layer in a small bowl, then sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on top. Top this with a layer of unbeaten clotted cream, and serve it forth with fruit or bread.

Notes

• Clotted cream only stays good for maybe 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator, but it freezes really well. Freeze some in small (or large, I’m not judging) amounts and thaw some out whenever you want some clotted cream.

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