My Instant Pot Clotted Cream Recipe is a revelation, plain and simple. Your Instant Pot creates the famously decadent spreadable cream that’s the highlight of a classic British afternoon tea, I’ll show you how step by step!
If you’ve ever had clotted cream on a scone at an afternoon tea, you’ll know how uniquely delicious this thick creamy spread can be. If you haven’t experienced clotted cream, I suggest you stick around for this foolproof recipe for Instant Pot Clotted Cream…
Let’s unpack this!
- What if I don’t have an Instant Pot?
- What the heck is clotted cream?
- What does clotted cream taste like?
- what you’ll need for Instant Pot clotted cream
- What does ultra pasteurized mean?
- Where to find non-ultra-pasteurized cream
- TIPS for making Instant Pot Clotted Cream
- Why is there a crust on my clotted cream?
What if I don’t have an Instant Pot?
- No worries, Instant Pot clotted cream isn’t the only way you can make this luxurious treat ~
- check out my original post, How To Make Homemade Clotted Cream in the oven!
- or my latest Stove Top Clotted Cream Recipe
What the heck is clotted cream?
Fair question, it isn’t the most common thing in the world…
- Clotted cream is a thick creamy spread normally used on scones, and popular in Great Britain.
- It’s made from heavy cream that has been heated over a period of time until it thickens or ‘clots’ into a spreadable consistency with a unique cooked cream flavor.
- 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 has a very simple flavor profile, like an unsweetened heavy cream with a subtle ‘cooked’ flavor. The texture is equally if not more important than the flavor, it’s somewhere between a very thick whipped cream, and butter.
Clotted cream is an exotic treat, you might be able to find small imported jars in your better supermarkets, but you will pay a premium price for it. I developed a way to make your own homemade clotted cream in your oven, which I’ve shared in my original post, here.
Today I’m unveiling another, even easier method for making homemade clotted cream, right in your Instant Pot.
what you’ll need for Instant Pot clotted cream
- 2 pints non-pasteurized heavy cream
- an Instant Pot
- I use the Instant Pot Duo
What does ultra pasteurized mean?
- All milk and cream sold in the US is pasteurized, meaning it’s heated in order to kill harmful bacteria and to help preserve it longer.
- Ultra pasteurized cream is simply heated to a higher temperature, at least 280F, and that kills even more of the bacteria and helps it stay fresher for even longer (before opening.)
Where to find non-ultra-pasteurized cream
- Most heavy cream sold today is what’s called ‘ultra-pastuerized’. That just means it’s been heated beyond the regular pasteurizing method so that it has an extra long shelf life. This can interfere with the clotting process, so the general rule it to use regular pasteurized cream when trying to make clotted cream.
- I have found non-ultra-pasteurized cream at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, for starters.
- Look for cream with a high fat content, mine is 40%.
While the cream is clotting, you’ve got time for a quick batch of scones! I’ve got lots of scone recipes on the blog for you to try. Clotted cream and scones is one of those combinations that is unique and can’t be duplicated. But luckily you can make them both in your own kitchen 🙂
And trust me, there is nothing, and I mean nothing, like a warm homemade scone spread with homemade clotted cream.
TIPS for making Instant Pot Clotted Cream
- This is a simple but precise process. Stick to the recipe as stated, this recipe doesn’t have much room for variation.
- You can try this with regular pasteurized cream, but at your own risk.
- Make sure you refrigerate the cream as per the recipe after you’ve cooked it in the Instant Pot, and before you disturb it, the cream thickens up further as it chills in the fridge.
- AFTER you’ve chilled the cream for at least 12 hours, or even longer, you can skim off the thick cream and put it into a jar. There will be leftover liquid in the pot, and you can use that to make scones.
- You can stir some of the thinner liquid into your clotted cream if you want a looser consistency.
- If your clotted cream seems very thin, or you mistakenly mixed too much of the thin liquid into it, try blending it very briefly with an immersion blender, this works like a charm. Just be sure not to blend it too much or you’ll get clotted butter. Also good 😉 but not what we’re going for.
Why is there a crust on my clotted cream?
Worry not ~ the crust is a characteristic of clotted cream, it can be creamy white or even darker yellow. That signifies that the cream has cooked, and ‘clotted’ or clumped into an unbelievably delicious spread. The clotted cream underneath the crust will be creamier.
- Instant Pot
- 2 pints non-ultra pasteurized heavy cream, make sure to find non-ultra pasteurized cream for this
- Note: I like to plan to start my Instant Pot clotted cream in the morning, when I wake up. That way I can put it in the refrigerator before I go to bed and wake up to a finished product!
- Pour the cream directly into the Instant Pot. Close the lid (no need to set the vent, we’re not pressure cooking.) Press the YOGURT button and press until it says BOIL.
- When the machine beeps, and has reached the boil stage, press the KEEP WARM button and let it go for 8-10 hours. I let mine go for 10 hours.
- Turn the machine off and remove the pot. Let cool at room temperature without disturbing. Then refrigerate the pot, as is, for 12 hours.
- Carefully scoop off the thickened layer of clotted cream, leaving the thin liquid behind. It’s ok if you get some of the thinner liquid into your clotted cream, you can mix it in.
- Spoon your cream into a glass jar. You can leave as is, or stir it together to make it creamier.
- Enjoy within 2 weeks.
- The leftover liquid can be used to make scones.
I have an instant pot duo eco plus and when I press yoghurt setting it comes up with custom, ferment or pasteurised. Nowhere does it say boil. Any ideas what I use please?
Ahh, that’s the problem with these constantly changing designs. It sounds like pasteurize would be the one.
Was nervous while making it that I would screw it up but I followed the directions to a T, and got almost 2 cups of delicious clotted cream, enjoyed on scones for Mother’s Day! All I can say is thank you for this awesome recipe! I did add some liquid back in and mixed it up to make it softer and smoother.
Yay Sarah ~ Happy Mother’s Day!
I just made this and I’m quite excited! I don’t have an Instant Pot, so I had to make some adjustments on how I made it. I brought the cream up to a simmer on a Saute setting, covered, then on Warm for 10 hours. I mistakenly put in the fridge right away instead of letting cool to room temperature undisturbed so I was worried it wouldn’t work, but it worked great.
A hint to make separating the solids from the liquid – make a break in the solidified layer and pour the liquid out instead of skimming. It’s much easier IMO. Can’t wait to try it on my rhubarb scones.
What if you don’t have a yogurt button on your pressure cooker? Is there another setting that may work?
I don’t have that setting either (I don’t have Instant Pot brand) – I heated the cream to a simmer uncovered on a Sauté setting – or use whatever setting you have that could potentially bring the cream up to a simmer/boil – then I covered it and switched it to Warm setting for 10 hours. Worked great!
I have a Pampered Chef Quick Cooker and used the “proof” setting. I’ll let you know how it goes. 🙂
YAY!! Clover Heavy Cream! I live down the street from them in Petaluma. I didn’t know you could get their products in LA. Can’t wait to try it.
Lucky you 🙂
You need to push the keep warm button while making clotted cream as well with the yogurt button or no
Does the yogurt light go off after boil go off to let it set for 10 hours thanks
I know I’m late to the party. I just tried this recipe in my 8quart instant pot and it turned out as described. However, I would like to mention, my clotted cream has a faint taste of various cooking spices. I recommend using a new rubber seal or one solely dedicated for these type of recipes. It’s faint enough that when paired with jam I shouldn’t notice it too much (I hope…). I also ended up with a fair amount of liquid underneath. I think next time I will try the oven method to get more of a golden finish on the top and less liquid. Thanks for the recipe, I’m off to make scones and earl grey!
Interesting tip about the rubber seal, Kristine. I’ve been just rinsing mine, but there is definitely an odor to my IP lid. You might also check out my stove top clotted cream recipe, there is no leftover liquid (whey) whatsoever with that method.
I don’t have an Instant Pot with YOGURT setting. Guess I’m going to boil the cream then set to keep warm for 10 hours!
What will happen if I don’t let it sit until room temperature before chilling it? It is late at night and it just finished it’s 10 hours… would love to go to bed now instead of waiting a couple more hours to be able to chill it.
That should be fine Lynette.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I was nervous about cooking something for 10 hours without any idea way of knowing that it was progressing successfully that entire time but it worked! Can’t wait to make scones tomorrow and eat it!