Cornish Clotted Cream Shortbread is an authentic shortbread recipe that uses clotted cream in addition to butter to make the most luxurious breakfast or tea time treat ever. This is the ultimate indulgence!
The minute I heard about this concept I jumped on it. I’ve made a lot of shortbread here on tvfgi. I’ve also made quite a bit of clotted cream, but I’ve never used my clotted cream in my shortbread! It really makes sense when you think about it ~ shortbread is based on butter and flour, and clotted cream is very similar to butter in consistency, both are made entirely with heavy cream. It’s logical that one could substitute for the other in recipes.
The few recipes I found using clotted cream make more of a biscuit type shortbread, whereas I love a soft melting texture, so I’ve developed the ultimate clotted cream shortbread here, one that you don’t want to miss. I found that the clotted cream gives this shortbread a lovely subtle flavor.
Let’s get started…first and foremost you’re going to need some clotted cream to make this shortbread.
What exactly is clotted cream?
Let’s get the basics straight:
- Clotted cream is one of the most unique luxury foods on the planet, it’s up there with truffles, Champagne, and Brie cheese.
- Clotted cream is a thick creamy spread normally used on scones, and popular in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.
- It’s made from heavy cream that has been slowly heated over many hours until it thickens or ‘clots’ into a spreadable consistency.
- Clotted cream is world famous for its unparalleled rich texture, and it’s an essential part of a classic British afternoon tea, where it’s spread on scones and topped with jam.
- Normally the only way to get clotted cream is to visit Great Britain, or to spend big $$ on a very small imported jar at your local gourmet market.
What does clotted cream taste like?
- Clotted cream is unique, so it’s hard to compare it to anything else, but the flavor like cream, but with a slightly ‘cooked’ flavor. You just have to try it!
I’ve formulated this recipe to use 6 ounces clotted cream. You can use your own homemade, or buy it in a little jar at the supermarket (the jars are 6 ounces.) It will be in the refrigerated section, usually near the butter.
Clotted cream is imported, and expensive, so it makes sense to make your own. Then you’ll have plenty to enjoy on your scones, and enough leftover for this shortbread. Talk about luxury!
Two ways to make homemade clotted cream
- You can make it in a very low oven in a casserole dish. It will take 12 hours or overnight. See my How to Make Homemade Clotted Cream post for all the details.
- You can also make clotted cream in an Instant Pot. You aren’t pressure cooking, but the IP works because it can maintain the perfect temperature to allow the cream to clot. The cream will take about 10 hours. See my How to Make Instant Pot Clotted Cream for details.
Which method do I recommend?
- If you have an Instant Pot I recommend that method, it is more foolproof because the temperature is more reliable. I have the Instant Pot 6 Qt and it works perfectly for making clotted cream, plus it makes yogurt!
If you love shortbread I’ve got lots of options for you on the blog. Once you’ve mastered a basic recipe there are a thousand ways to add to it for different flavors. I love the zesty lemon flavor of my Scottish Lemon Sugar Shortbread, I made a special lemon sugar with lemon peels to really pump up the citrus in this recipe.
I’ve used the same shortbread dough to make tarts and crumbles, too, it’s incredibly versatile.
And no collection of shortbread is complete without some chocolate, so definitely try my Bittersweet Chocolate Chip Shortbread, we give it as gifts every holiday season. And my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies? The most popular cookie on the blog 🙂
Cornish Clotted Cream Shortbread
Equipment
- 8 inch square baking pan
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 5 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 6 ounces clotted cream
- 2 ounces butter, that’s 4 Tbsp melted
topping
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F Line an 8×8 square baking pan with parchment paper so you can lift the shortbread out for cutting. (The parchment is optional.)
- Put the flours, sugar, and cornstarch in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine well.
- Add the clotted cream and the butter to the bowl and pulse/process to combine into coarse crumbs with no dry flour remaining.
- Turn the crumbly mixture out into your pan and press down evenly with your hands, smoothing out the shortbread as best you can. Prick all over with the tines of a fork. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Bake for about 22 minutes, or until it is just beginning to turn pale golden around the edges. It will still be quite pale overall. If you bake it longer, it will be crisper, but I like the soft melting texture I get after about 22 minutes.
- Let the shortbread cool for a few minutes, and then use a sharp knife to cut it into squares. Cutting the shortbread while still warm makes a cleaner cut.
- Add a bit more sugar to the top, if you like.
Thanks for pinning!
Hi Sue, Is there an acceptable substitution for the clotted cream? It is expensive to buy here.
You can just make regular butter shortbread, Diane. See one of my plainer recipes like Scottish Shortbread, Scottish Lemon Shortbread, Lemon Shortbread, or Chocolate Chunk Shortbread, for examples.
Sue: I’m looking for the metric conversion for this recipe & not finding it. Specifically for the clotted cream. Is this my weight or volume?
Thank you!
I’ve added the metric measurements for you, the clotted cream is by weight.
I too would like metic measurements, even if in brackets beside the imperial. The Web allows you to be International and only three countries in the world – the U.S., Liberia and Myanmar – still (mostly or officially) stick to the imperial system.
There is a toggle button that allows you to switch between the two, right next to the ingredients list. Let me know if you can’t find it,
Would it be possible to add metric measurements? US measurements is not accurate as I have experienced a recipe with 40g flour difference, and I weight everything out.