How to make English clotted cream

I’m a huge fan of Devonshire cream teas!

High tea is a must-do whenever I visit London (here is my blog on 6 great places to try in London), but I’m always amazed we don’t sell clotted cream here in New Zealand. I mean, how much dairy do we produce and yet is all controlled by the Milk Mafia?!

What is clotted cream?, you ask. Thick, sweet cooked cream.

How hard can it be to make? It turns out it’s easy as pie but just takes FOREVER.

So this post is for anyone who wants to replicate their high tea experience:

Clotted cream is made with high fat cream – ideally unpasteurized (best if you can buy it straight from the farmer). Typically New Zealand supermarket cream has about 35% fat content. Clotted cream has 55%.

But if you can’t buy the real deal straight from the milking shed, go with the heaviest whipping cream (not ultra-pasteurized) you can find and a bottle of full cream milk.

Combine 2 parts milk to 1 part cream into an oven-proof dish and bake uncovered at about 80˚C for up to 12 hours. (I know, ages!)

A thick skin will form on the top. Remove from the oven and refrigerate for another 12 hours and voila, you’ll have 2 types of cream consistency.

With a slotted spoon, scoop the thick cream off and slather on your scones. It can be stored for 4-5 days.

And don’t throw away the thin cream! Use it in other naughty desserts 🙂

Want to make something else?

Try this easy peasy no bake ginger slice. You can keep all these ingredients in your pantry and whip up this little afternoon delight whenever you fancy!