Of course, though clotted cream is delicious on its own, on biscuits (especially slightly soft ginger nuts) or with just about anything sweet or semi-sweet you care to name, the absolute best way to eat it is as a Devonshire Cream Tea. No! Any Kiwis reading this who believe a Devon Cream Tea can be approximated using whipped cream, thickened cream or some other Ersatz product – forget it! It can’t for a Devonshire Cream Tea (or even its rival and near approximation a Cornish Cream Tea) you must have proper clotted cream. (Even the stuff they sell in tins and jars that comes from factories is a mere approximation to the real thing.
Here’s how you make a quick modern version. (The real thing is made in big enamel basins over a water bath, using fresh raw cream.)
Making clotted cream
- Take a bottle of “Fresh Cream” from the supermarket.
- Pour it into an oven proof bowl or casserole that will allow the quantity you have to fill it 3-6cms deep
- Put it in the oven at 80C (or if you are not sure of your thermostat maybe 70C for longer)
- Be patient
- …be very patient
- Gradually the delicious “clots” will form as a skin on the cream
- When you can be patient no longer (or after 8 hours or so) scoop off the clotted cream into a serving bowl
Nb. don’t worry if some ordinary cream is mixed with the clots the variability of texture and taste is part of the joy (part that mass-produced cream, in these days of standardised homogenised industrial dairying, cannot really deliver).
Once it’s cool (be patient again!) eat with jam (traditionally strawberry, but your favorite is probably OK) on scones.
[PS the comment below asking about clotted cream icecreams prompts me to add this note: If you are careful in scooping off only the skin you will end up with a very hard homogeneous product like commercial clotted cream. The ideal is to scoop up some of the runny cream as well each time, giving a good approximation of the texture of real farmhouse cream π and the extra benefit of both greater spreadability and a slightly more economical product!]
There is considerable debate between those who put the jam on top of the cream as decoration, and those (perhaps because they value lower calories over taste, heretics!) who use the cream as decoration – provided there are approximately equal loads of cream and jam (in this ecumenical and tolerant age) either can be permitted π
If you don’t have a good recipe for scones, and I had no need of one before I discovered the secret of making clotted cream π here’s one adapted from Allyson Gofton.
Scone recipe
- 2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 50 grams butter (or if you must margarine)
- ΒΎ-1 cup goats whey or milk (ideally slightly soured – I remember my granny saving “off” milk for making her famous scones)
- Heat the oven to 230C
- Put the flour, baking powder and salt into the food processor, zap briefly to mix and airate.
- Add the butter and zap till it becomes crumbs.
- Make a well in the centre, pour in the whey or milk (start with 2/4 cup
- Mix quickly with spatula to make a soft dough.If you need to add a little more liquid.
- On a floured surface roll to 2-4cms thick (depending how big you like your scones).Β Do not flatten be gentle!
- Cut into 5cm rounds (or squares) and put on a greased baking tray. Left over whey or Brush with milk to glaze.
- Bake at 230ΒΊC for 10-15 minutes until cooked, turning the tray round at half-time.
- Cool on a rack till you can comfortably eat them. They can be crisped and warmed if you make them ahead of time.