What Is Clotted Cream? (2024)

This is an English specialty you should get to know.

Updated on March 21, 2022

Clotted cream originated in southwest England and has become a traditional British topping for baked goods at afternoon teas. Depending on which county the product was made in, it's also sometimes called Devonshire/Devon cream or Cornish cream.

To make clotted cream, full-fat milk is indirectly heated in a shallow pan for several hours until the cream rises to the top. It's then allowed to cool in the pan for 12 to 24 hours. During this period, the cream will thicken and clot. Once the watery whey is poured off, the result is a thick and creamy spread that's smooth in texture and lightly yellow in color.

Clotted cream is incredibly rich, requiring 55 percent butterfat to be properly classified as clotted cream. For comparison, heavy cream has a mere 36 percent butterfat.

What Is Clotted Cream? (1)

What Does Clotted Cream Taste Like?

Clotted cream has a unique taste, often described as being similar to a high-quality unsalted butter. It can also have nutty notes from the milk's long cooking time.

When it comes to texture, clotted cream could be compared to softened cream cheese, with the richness falling somewhere between butter and whipped cream.

How to Use Clotted Cream

Most afternoon teas in southwest England wouldn't be complete without a helping of clotted cream. It's often served on scones with jam, but would be just as delicious spread onto crumpets or quick breads.

When berries are in season, it's also popular to serve a bowl of fresh fruit with a dollop of clotted cream. Once opened, a jar of the cream will keep refrigerated for about three days.

Where to Buy Clotted Cream

Your average grocery store outside of the United Kingdom probably won't sell clotted cream. It must remain refrigerated, so shipping isn't always practical. While some online outlets sell a shelf-stable version or ship the cream in insulated boxes with cool packs, for the tastiest clotted cream experience it's best to make it yourself. All you need is some heavy cream, an oven, and patience.

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What Is Clotted Cream? (2024)

FAQs

What Is Clotted Cream? ›

Clotted Cream is a thickened cream with fat content around 68%. Heat causes the cream and fat rise to the top forming clots and are skimmed off. This is the clotted cream.

What is clotted cream in the USA? ›

Clotted creams are processed by sitting the cow's milk for 12 to 24 hours in shallow pans, then slowly heating them at low temperatures. This method enables the clots to rise and be skimmed off, making fresh clotted creams to serve on your table. This type of cream has a fat content of 55%.

How to explain clotted cream? ›

Clotted cream (Cornish: dehen molys, sometimes called scalded, clouted, Devonshire or Cornish cream) is a thick cream made by heating full-cream cow's milk using steam or a water bath and then leaving it in shallow pans to cool slowly.

What is equivalent to clotted cream? ›

What is a good clotted cream substitute? If you can't get your hands on proper clotted cream, you could of course simply whip some heavy cream but you could also have a go at some other types of cream like mascarpone or creme fraiche.

What does clotted cream taste like? ›

Clotted cream has a unique taste, often described as being similar to a high-quality unsalted butter. It can also have nutty notes from the milk's long cooking time. When it comes to texture, clotted cream could be compared to softened cream cheese, with the richness falling somewhere between butter and whipped cream.

Why is clotted cream illegal in the US? ›

Following a 1987 ruling from the Food and Drug Administration, the interstate sale of raw milk was banned in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, raw milk can contain harmful bacteria and germs, which can be especially risky for certain individuals like those who are pregnant or elderly ...

Is clotted cream just whipped cream? ›

Clotted cream and whipped cream are both made with heavy cream, but while whipped cream is whipped into airy peaks, clotted cream is heated and separated, for a far denser texture. With its ultra-thick consistency, clotted cream can even be mistaken for butter.

Is clotted cream healthy? ›

Health Benefits of Clotted Cream

With a minimum butterfat content of 55%, clotted cream is high in fat with a rich mouthfeel. While not advisable to enjoy copious quantities of clotted cream daily, it does possess a good amount of vitamins A, B12, and D, calcium, magnesium, protein, zinc and phosphorus.

How long will clotted cream last? ›

An average rule of thumb is Clotted cream can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Once opened it lasts for approximately 4 days, depending on how you refrigerate it. Unopened clotted cream will keep for longer, up to 14 days.

Does clotted cream taste like sour cream? ›

Crème fraîche has a sour flavour, giving it a distinctive taste that is very different from that of clotted cream, which has a nutty flavour from being heated and a buttery richness. It can help to bring additional creaminess to a dish, such as our Chicken, Leek & Potato Pie.

Can you buy clotted cream at the grocery store? ›

One of the major brands available for purchase in the U.S. is Devon Cream Company. You can find its jars of clotted cream in various sizes online at Amazon, or at several major grocery stores and retailers like Shoprite and Walmart.

Is buttermilk the same as clotted cream? ›

Clotted cream is sweet cream that has been heated using a specifc process to change its texture. Creme fraiche is a cultured product made from cream. It has at least 30% fat and is made with a special strain of mesophilic cultures. Buttermilk in the modern sense is a cultured product made from milk.

Does Aldi carry clotted cream? ›

Cornish Clotted Cream - aldi - 200g.

What is clotted cream called in America? ›

In the U.S, clotted cream would be classed as butter due to its high fat content. Clotted cream is an essential part of a cream tea and is a huge hit with tourists in Devon and Cornwall. So how do you eat a cream tea?

Does the Queen like clotted cream? ›

3. Authentic Clotted Cream: The Queen was known for her appreciation of locally sourced ingredients. Her cream teas featured authentic Cornish clotted cream, rich and luxurious, adding an unmistakable touch of quality and tradition.

What is the point of clotted cream? ›

In the U.K., it's common to serve a dollop of clotted cream with fresh strawberries or other summer berries. You can use clotted cream in place of butter to accompany baked goods such as muffins and quick breads. Additionally, In the U.K., it's used to make confections such as fudge, ice cream and truffles.

Can I take clotted cream to the USA? ›

It is absolutely permissable to bring clotted cream into the US from the UK. I've done it multiple times, but not in carry-on, it must go in checked baggage. Wrap it tightly in cling film to prevent leaks, pack in a soft cooler with a freezer block, declare on customs form et voila, clotted cream in the US!

What is the US equivalent to double cream? ›

The British use double cream in recipes the way we use heavy cream or whipping cream here in the US, but they also allow it to accompany dessert the way we might use ice cream.

Why is clotted cream so nice? ›

Clotted cream has the richness of butter but the creaminess of whipped cream. As my colleague Anya put it, "it's everything you love about whipped cream, but better because it's thick." It's thick enough to sit on top of a scone rather than sink in; in that way, it creates the perfect bed for a layer of jam.

What is the brand of clotted cream? ›

Rodda's is now considered the most loved Cornish clotted cream brand in the world, being enjoyed from Land's End to John O' Groats and as far away as Australia and Asia. But thats not all… we also make other delciously rich and creamy products using the very best Cornish milk.

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