Clotted Cream

I've had a few queries about this from Asian food-fans. And since I grew up in Devon, UK, I'm going to try to describe it.

Clotted cream is the thickest of the varieties of cream you can buy. It is made in dairies by a method of heating cow's milk, allowing it to cool slowly and then scooping off the intense, creamy residue that forms on the surface. 

The texture of clotted cream is not liquid (like double or single creams) but solid, dense, very smooth and almost chewy. It is not really like butter (it's less oily and of course not at all salty). If anything, it might have more similarities to a very upmarket, dense and smooth ice-cream. There might be a yellowish 'crust' on the surface which can sometimes break up to put 'bits' in the texture.

In the UK, clotted cream is the key ingredient for a 'Cream Tea'*, but it's also the nicest option for strawberries and cream** and other desserts. The downsides: it's very rich and probably not calorie-free; it tends to be harder to find and more expensive than other kinds of cream. The fat content of clotted cream is a minimum of 55%.

Famous brands might well be from either Devon or Cornwall - these are neighbouring counties in South West England, a region famed for lush green grass, cows and dairy products!

NB: It is NOT whipped cream or squirty cream. Agreed, both these can be 'solid' - in fact whipped double cream serves well enough with scones or other desserts if you can't find clotted. But you won't find any snowy peaks or 'light fluffy air bubbles' in clotted cream. It's solid stuff, delicious, and to be eaten in moderation!

* A Cream Tea

Is a traditional set serving. It consists of: a pot of English tea; scones (a kind of sweetish bread roll - some contain sultanas, some don't); jam; and clotted cream. You cut the scone and spread it with the jam and cream.



Scones for a Cream Tea, Cornish style

In theory, a Devonshire Cream Tea spreads the cream on before the jam; while a Cornish Cream Tea puts the cream on afterwards. This makes no difference to flavour of course, but there is some friendly rivalry between counties surrounding it!  

** Stawberries and cream

Yes, the English staple served (though I have to say also 'overpriced'!) at Wimbledon and other summertime events. Maybe take your own instead! You can use any kind of cream on strawberries, but a dollop of clotted is the best.

TYPES OF CREAM

In the UK there are grades of cream classified by fat content, in the way you can get grades of milk. Needless to say the higher fat ones are in general more yum!

Single cream - min 18% fat, thin liquid cream, which can be poured onto puddings, it's hard to whip

Whipping cream - 35% fat, can be whipped but a lower fat option than double

Double cream - min 48% fat, slightly thicker liquid cream, good for whipping and desserts

Clotted cream - off da scale.

Squirty cream - who knows what's in this, but it might not be cream.

Photo credits: Europeancuisines.com, dawnvickers blog, Riverford Farm dairy