“I have a British background and I have always had tea and something sweet. First time I tried this clotted cream I almost ate the entire jar by itself, it is that good!” ~Kim
If you’ve never had a classic English afternoon tea with scones and clotted cream, you’re missing out!
Last week I was treated by the historic Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles to their classic English afternoon tea. If you’ve never had a classic afternoon tea, you need to experience it. The highlight of any afternoon tea, besides the tea, is the array of tiny treats that comes with it, and I always zero right in on the scones and clotted cream. (That’s them on level two of our 3 tiered tea tray.)
What is Clotted cream?
If you’ve never had it, clotted cream is a very thick rich spreadable form of heavy cream that was first invented ages ago by some very smart British farmers. Traditionally cream heated until it thickens and develops a slightly nutty flavor. Clotted cream has a high fat content (around 55-65%) and a dense texture. It’s not like whipped cream, or cream cheese, it’s not like butter…it has a unique decadent consistency and a wonderful soft flavor. It’s quite thick and spreadable, and when you slather it on a freshly baked scone there is no better thing in the world.
The little pot of clotted cream that we got at the Biltmore had me craving more, and happily I made the most astounding discovery…you can actually make clotted cream at home in your own kitchen. No more tracking it down in specialty stores and paying big bucks for the imported stuff. My homemade clotted cream was actually way better (and a whole lot fresher) than the British stuff I usually buy.
What does clotted cream taste like?
Clotted cream has a rich, creamy taste with a slightly nutty ‘cooked’ flavor. It’s luxurious and indulgent, with a dense, velvety texture that is thicker and creamier than regular whipped cream. Clotted cream is also slightly sweet, but not as sweet as whipped cream or frosting, with a delicate flavor that pairs well with desserts, fruit, and scones. The crust on top of the clotted cream adds a slightly caramelized and nutty flavor, which many people find particularly delicious. The mouthfeel of clotted cream is a key part of its charm, and is like nothing else you’ve ever had!
what you’ll need
- heavy or whipping cream that has not been ultra-pasteurized
- This is cream that has been pasteurized, but not ultra-pasteurized. Ultra-pasteurized cream is cream that has been heated to a higher temperature than regular pasteurized cream to extend its shelf life.
How to make clotted cream
This is an amazing process, I hardly had to do anything, and I end up with a ton of the richest, silkiest clotted cream I’ve ever had.
- I used 2 pints of (non-ultra-pasteurized) heavy cream.
- I poured them into a baking dish, and left it overnight in a 180F oven (the lowest my oven will go.)
- In the morning I let it cool and then refrigerated it for the rest of the day.
- Then I scooped it into jars, which was a little sloppy at first, and put them back in the refrigerator. Any little bit of liquid gets absorbed right into the clotted cream after you put it in the jars, and by the next morning when I had it with my scones, it was absolutely to die for.
How long does clotted cream last?
Homemade clotted cream can last for up to 3-4 days when stored properly in the refrigerator. To extend its shelf life, it’s important to keep it in an airtight container and store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator, such as the back of the bottom shelf.
It’s important to note that clotted cream does not have any preservatives, so it should be consumed as soon as possible for the best flavor and texture. If you notice any changes in color, texture, or odor, discard the clotted cream immediately as it may have spoiled.
What to do with the leftover whey from making clotted cream
The leftover whey from making clotted cream can be used in a variety of ways:
- Adding it to smoothies or protein shakes for a boost of protein and nutrients.
- Using it as a substitute for milk or water in baking recipes such as bread, muffins, and pancakes.
- Using it as a marinade for meat or fish to tenderize and add flavor.
- Adding it to soups or stews for added richness and flavor.
- Using it as a liquid base for making homemade ricotta cheese or other soft cheeses.
- Feeding it to pets, as it is a good source of protein and nutrients for animals.
Note: It’s important to keep in mind that the leftover whey should be used or stored promptly to avoid spoilage. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for longer storage.
I can’t say enough good things about this project, the results far exceeded my expectations and it was absurdly easy. The only catch is that you can’t use ultra-pasteurized cream, which is cream that’s been processed for a longer shelf life. Many stores only sell ultra-pasteurized cream, so you have to search a bit for regular cream. I found mine at Whole Foods. Just read the labels… if it doesn’t say ultra-pasteurized on the label, you’re good to go.
can you make clotted cream with ultra-pasteurized cream?
Some readers in the comments below have had success with ultra-pasteurized cream. It is possible to make clotted cream from ultra-pasteurized cream, but it may be more difficult to achieve the desired texture and flavor. Ultra-pasteurization is a process that heats the cream to a higher temperature than regular pasteurization, which extends its shelf life but can also alter the proteins and enzymes in the cream. This can make it more difficult for the cream to form clots, which are necessary for making clotted cream.
What to eat with your homemade clotted cream
You will definitely want to make scones to go with your homemade clotted cream. I have lots of recipes for scones on the blog, but a simple one to start with is my Classic Cream Scones Recipe.
Tips for making clotted cream
- Make sure your cream is not ‘ultra pasteurized’, you will need to find regular pasteurized cream at a Whole Foods or other similar store. Ultra pasteurized cream has been treated in a way that prevents it from ‘clotting’.
- An oven thermometer is an essential kitchen tool, and really comes in handy for this project. If your oven is too cool or too hot your homemade clotted cream will not ‘clot’. Set your oven to 180F and then check the thermometer. You can adjust up or down as necessary.
- If your oven does not go down as low as 180F you can try one of my other methods for making clotted cream:
Homemade Clotted Cream
Video
Equipment
- a heavy casserole dish
Ingredients
- 2 pints heavy cream or whipping cream (double cream in the UK), avoid ultra-pasteurized cream for best results.
Instructions
- set your oven to 180F
- Pour the cream into the casserole dish. It should come up about 1-3 inches on the side.
- Set the dish, uncovered, in the oven and leave undisturbed for 12 hours. Be sure to leave the oven on the whole time. I do this overnight.
- Remove the dish from the oven and set to cool. Then cover and refrigerate. Note: the cream may seem thin at this point, but is going to thicken considerably overnight.
- The next morning scoop the thickened cream into a jar or jars, and cover and put back in the refrigerator. You can use the leftover cream for baking..
- Spread the clotted cream on freshly baked scones.
Nutrition
Hi,
My oven is really jumpy. I can go as low as 150°f but my temperature is fluctuating by 20-30° in either direction. Will these temp fluctuations affect this recipe or are these temp differences normal in older ovens??
I am trying to find a spot on the dial that hold close to 180 as my temp dial is only marked in 50° increments.
Thanks
There’s no predicting until you try Amanda, good luck!
I have a yogurt maker. Can I use it instead of a instapot or oven?
The yogurt maker doesn’t have a 180F setting, so I don’t think so. Yogurt is cultured at a much lower temperature.
I have an instant pot, but not a yogurt setting. Do you happen to know if there is another setting that will do the same thing?
I don’t think there is, Antoinette, until they come up with a feature that let’s you set an exact temperature, which would be awesome. Your best bet is to use your oven if it can go as low as 180F.
The video shows covering the pan before putting in the oven, but the recipe says uncovered. Which is correct,
You can actually do it either way. I started out not covering the container, but these days I do, it keeps the cream softer.
It’s been awhile since I visited your page, but someone sent a link to a recipe & I was shocked by how cluttered & almost unreadable it’s become. I realize you want income from it, but there’s a point where readers just wont come back, certainly not for a pleasurable read. ?
It’s one of the unavoidable annoyances of publishing on the Internet, I’m afraid. I try to modulate the ads so they work for me but don’t intrude too much. If you can read the blog on desktop rather than on a mobile device I think you’ll find the adds less intrusive.
I’ve watched videos and get all kinds of different feedback. One Brit says low oven 12 hours. Another say preheat 106 C (I think he said, as the room had high ceilings and he wandered around a lot). Anyway he said to do the preheat, put the dish of cream in the center of the oven and TURN THE OVEN OFF. Leave it for 12 hours. Then the rest was same as yours. I didn’t like the brown stuff. Can’t I just scrap the white stuff off the brown stuff? I came from a farm where we always had cream topping our bottles of milk and mom made our butter, cottage cheese etc. Please email me your answer. Thank you.
If you don’t like the crusty parts, try covering your container in the oven, that should help.
I am going to try this for sure but wondering if you can add a little bit of sugar to the cream before you put it in the oven?
I don’t think that would be a problem, but I haven’t tried it Renee.
My family loves clotted cream. All of the cream we can get near us is ultra pasteurized. This will definitely work, you will just not have as high a yield. At 175, my oven does an auto shutoff, so I do 12 hours at 180. However, I now have two full pounds of fresh clotted cream waiting for the scones I will make tomorrow for Christmas morning breakfast. That took two quarts of heavy ultra pasteurized cream from Brookshires (40% milkfat). I had four cups of liquid cream left, but fortunately, we all love cream in our coffee. So it is a win win ! Lol
Sounds perfect David, and it is good to know that ultra pasteurized cream will work if necessary, Happy Holidays!
I would add in the directions that it won’t be thick when you take it out of the oven but will thick n when you refrigerate it. I put mine back in the oven for a few more hours not knowing that. It’s okay but a little more creamy yellow in color than I would have liked.
I’m English and clotted cream is usually yellow in color. I’ve never seen the bright white color like in these pics, back home
The color difference is due to the cows diet, and I think British cows produce a yellower color cream in general.
rachael. Do you remove that thick yellow layer? It looks yucky stirred in.
The yellow layer is one of the best parts, I usually just pack it into a jar along with the rest of the thick cream without stirring it in.
Hi
I’ve made clotted cream 3 times now. I’ve also attempted mascarpone 2x. The 1st time I used ultrapasturized and boy was it grainy! Fortunately, some heavy whipping and adding cream/mascarpone in tiramisu hid it. Trader Joe’s has just plain pasteurized cream at/less than my supermarket! So I’ve been using that. Here’s my question (2 parter): this time, I cooked it at 170F for 12 hrs but left it sit in the oven for another 4 hours (fell asleep). Despite being older cream (2 days from expiring), I had no whey to pour off for freezing! I scraped into a glass jar. Is that normal? It was barely coloured. The next day the consistancy was like mascarpone, so i used it as such in a batch of my fav dessert. Can it be considered mascarpone w/o the addition of an acid? I’ve been VERY disappointed in my mascarpone thus far. (Looking not to spend $7 or more/lb). Thanks!