Cooking with Clotted Cream: A Rich and Creamy Delight (2024)
Clotted cream is a traditional English breakfastalternative with a rich fat content and a nutty, creamy flavor.
History of Clotted Cream
Clotted cream dates back to old English days.The origin of clotted cream is a bit uncertain, but despite its occluded origins, its production is mostly associated with southwest England. Cornwall and Devon are the two counties most often associated with clotted cream. The famous Devon cream tea and the Cornish cream tea derive their names from these counties. Famously, in 1998, the term “Cornish Cream Tea” became a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) by European Union directive. A cultural tradition in southwest England is to send tins of clotted cream to their friends and relatives in other parts of the British isles. Outside of England some deep-rooted clotted cream lineages can also be found in France and Ireland.
The Flavor of Clotted Cream
Clotted cream is made by gently heating heavy cream over a long period of time so that the whey separates from the fat. The fat solidifies on top of the container in which it is heated and is scraped off to be enjoyed as clotted cream. Clotted cream has a rich and nutty flavor with a creamy texture and subtle saltiness. For those who have never enjoyed clotted cream the taste falls somewhere between whipped cream and butter.
With a minimum butterfat content of 55%, clotted cream is high in fat with a rich mouthfeel. While not advisable to enjoy copious quantities of clotted cream daily, it does possess a good amount of vitamins A, B12, and D, calcium, magnesium, protein, zinc and phosphorus.
Culinary Benefits of Clotted Cream
Where to start? Let’s start with the most famous culinary item for which clotted cream is used. The Devon Cream tea or the Cornish Cream tea is specifically made with clotted cream. Clotted cream is served with scones, tea, and jam. It is a delightful traditional Southwest English breakfast. Clotted cream is also used as an accompaniment in both hot and cold desserts. In Southwest England, clotted cream is used in the production of ice creams and fudge.
Clotted cream is also used in some savory dishes, namely risotto and egg dishes. Try stirring clotted cream into our Spring Risotto for added richness and flavor.
In India, clotted cream is known as malai. It is widely eaten for breakfast along with tea and bread. Malai sometimes is sprinkled with sugar to give it a sweet, nutty taste. Other culinary uses of clotted cream can be seen in meringues, caramel sauce, and also in clotted cream truffles.
Storage
Clotted cream should be kept in a sealed container and can be stored for up to two weeks. Clotted cream must remain refrigerated when not used or it will start to go bad. If properly refrigerated, clotted cream does last up to 14 days, but normally once opened it tastes best when consumed within 4 days.
To make a tasty dish with sauce, replace the fresh cream traditionally used to coat a veal or turkey escalope with clotted cream. Add some mushrooms and a little garlic and spices for a simply delicious result! To accompany your meat, make mashed potatoes to which you add a spoonful of clotted cream.
Why? True clotted cream is made with unpasteurized milk, and the FDA officially banned the distribution of any milk or milk products that haven't been pasteurized in America in 1987.
An average rule of thumb is Clotted cream can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Once opened it lasts for approximately 4 days, depending on how you refrigerate it. Unopened clotted cream will keep for longer, up to 14 days.
Across the United Kingdom, clotted cream is typically served with scones, especially as part of traditional afternoon tea. In Devonshire and Cornwall, clotted cream gives afternoon tea its namesake of cream tea, where it's served with scones, light sandwiches and miniature desserts.
Nutritionally, there is nothing particularly “bad” about clotted cream. However, it is worth noting just how rich in calories the cream is. As always, the caloric content of a food has no bearing on how healthy (or not) it is.
Clotted cream is technically illegal in America, as it is made with unpasteurized milk, and the FDA banned milk products that haven't been pasteurized in America in 1987. When milk is unpasteurized, it means the milk is raw and hasn't been processed to remove bacteria.
Clotted cream and whipped cream are both made with heavy cream, but while whipped cream is whipped into airy peaks, clotted cream is heated and separated, for a far denser texture. With its ultra-thick consistency, clotted cream can even be mistaken for butter.
Unopened, our Clotted Cream has a very long shelf life, once opened it must be refrigerated and eaten within a few days. Can you put clotted cream in coffee? Clotted cream is too heavy for coffee, but single and double cream can be used.
Following this refrigeration period, take the dish out and gently spoon the thick, buttery clotted cream into a jar, leaving the liquid (whey) behind. This leftover liquid is great for baking scones.
How long does clotted cream keep? If stored in a sealed container and refrigerated, it will last for up to a week. Once opened, it will keep for up to four days. If you're unsure, give it a sniff: if it smells sour, it has likely expired and it's best to throw it out.
It is also called Devonshire, Devon clotted cream, or Cornish clotted cream, depending on where it was made. The dish is traditionally made with full-fat unpasteurized cow's milk, although many recipes today feature heavy cream.
Clotted cream has a much higer fat content than double and extra thick cream. Extra thick cream is usually served spooned over desserts. It can also be used for cooking but it is not suitable for whipping.
It is absolutely permissable to bring clotted cream into the US from the UK. I've done it multiple times, but not in carry-on, it must go in checked baggage. Wrap it tightly in cling film to prevent leaks, pack in a soft cooler with a freezer block, declare on customs form et voila, clotted cream in the US!
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