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How to Make Clotted Cream

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Nothing beats slathering clotted cream on a scone, then adding some amazing jam to top it off! You can make clotted cream at home easily, no need to buy it in the store. This is also known as Devonshire cream and Cornish cream!

This pairs perfectly with my blueberry scones or raisin scones recipe!

white plate with clotted cream on a scone topped with some jam, underneath is a pink and blue printed table cloth, clotted cream in a heart patterned Pyrex container in background
Clotted Cream on Blueberry Scones

Homemade Clotted Cream

This is a scones game changer, folks. This tastes just as good as the clotted cream I’ve enjoyed at all the Fairmont hotel high tea’s that I love to go to! I’ve always known how to make clotted cream, having read up on it years and years ago, but it’s a two day process so I’ve never tackled it.

It’s not a lot of work, at all, by the way, but you do have to heat it in the oven for 12 hours overnight, then leave it in the fridge for another long stint (I did 24 hours and it worked perfectly). So it’s just time, and remembering that you have it in the oven!

close up clotted cream in a heart patterned Pyrex container and blueberry scones

What is Clotted Cream?

Clotted cream is a thick, spreadable cream that is made from a process of indirectly heating cream slowly, and on a low temperature so that the cream content rises to the top and “clots” together, basically leaving a watery whey liquid underneath that can be discarded. You then scoop that top layer off, mix it together if the crust is thick, and slather all over scones.

heavy cream poured into measuring cup

How to Make Clotted Cream

The steps are super easy, and it’s one ingredient! I do think that some of the clotted cream I have had in restaurants is sweetened with sugar, so you can add some to your liking at the end. I find the sweet cream is perfect as-is, with jam slathered on top!

  • Pour heavy cream into a casserole dish making sure that the cream isn’t more than three inches deep.
  • Place in an oven heated to 180°F.
  • Leave in the oven undisturbed to curdle for 12 hours.
  • Remove and set on the counter to cool, trying not to disturb the layers too much.
  • Refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight.
  • Scoop the top layer off, then mix vigorously to combine.
  • Enjoy!

heavy cream in a casserole dish removed from oven and set aside for cooling, blue kitchen towel on each sides

The Type of Cream to Use

While I haven’t seen any here in Canada, you cannot use ultra-pasteurized cream in this recipe, the yield won’t be the same. You can use plain old pasteurized cream just fine.

While the recipes I have seen online call for 40% milk fat, the cream shown in this recipe was a 35% whipping cream and just look at that gorgeous clotted cream it yielded! Don’t fuss about that 5%, use what you have on hand.

This is an excellent way to use up cream that might be going bad soon!

close up clotted cream in a heart patterned Pyrex container

Storing Clotted Cream

Now that you’ve made it, it’s time to store your bounty!

  • Refrigeration : you can store this in the fridge in a closed container for 3-4 days safely.
  • Freezing : yes, you can freeze clotted cream! Even though this is a small batch and yield only about a cup of clotted cream, I am going to put half in the freezer for another time and eat half over the next few days on scones. The texture WILL change, but just whip it again to try and smooth it.
  • To defrost frozen clotted cream, move the cream from the freezer to the fridge and thaw overnight. Once the clotted cream has been thawed completely, give it a quick whip with a fork and it’s ready to use.

white plate with clotted cream on a scone topped with some jam, underneath is a pink and blue printed table cloth, clotted cream in a heart patterned Pyrex container in background

Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks

  •  You SHOULD have a thick, yellow crust! A lot of people freak out, but real clotted cream has that thickened crust on top. You simply mix it in at the end. The heat cause the fat molecules to rise to the top, concentrating all the beta carotene in that one area, which then turns it yellow!
  •  There is a big debate over whether jam first, or clotted cream first. I prefer the clotted cream on the bottom. I’m sure I’ll go to British hell for that. (no really, this is an actual thing)
  • If you can, cook this at 175°F if you oven goes that low. If you have an oven that runs hot, I would cook this during the day from 8 am to 8 pm and check on it (without moving it!) periodically. IF the tops BROWNS, it’s ruined. I thought my new oven would be too hot as it’s all gas, but 180°F was perfect for 12 hours.

 

When I first took it out of the pan, I thought “what is this thick, un-spreadable gunk?” Then I clued in that you really do have to mix it up to get a lighter, smoother product.

Let me know if you try it in the comments below!

Happy cooking!

Love,

Karlynn

 

 

 

 

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How to Make Clotted Cream

Nothing beats slathering clotted cream on a scone, then adding some amazing jam to top it off! You can make clotted cream at home easily, no need to buy it in the store!
5 from 3 votes
blueberry scones on a white plate cut in half and slathered with clotted cream and raspberry jam
Prep Time
1 minute
Cook Time
12 hours
Course
Desset
Cuisine
British
Servings
16 servings
Calories
103
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups of heavy cream (pasteurized is ok, ultra pasteurized is not)

Instructions
 

  • First, realize that this is a two day process and plan accordingly! It's worth it!
  • Preheat your oven to 175°F - 180 °F.
  • Pour the heavy cream into a casserole dish, making sure that the cream is no deeper than 3 inches. ( it won't curdle properly)
  • Place the uncovered casserole in the warm oven and leave overnight. Do NOT disturb it!
  • After the 12 hours is up, remove the dish from the oven.
  • Set it aside to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the next day. It needs to be cold for a good 24 hours.
  • After you have refrigerated it all night, spoon the thickened crust and the thick TOP cream into a jar, leaving the liquid cream at the bottom. Discard the bottom cream, mine wasn't fit to be used in anything to be honest.
  • Mix the cream together quite vigorously. The top yellow crust needs to be combined with the thinner clotted layer. Mix until they are combined together. You will have smaller pieces of the yellow crust mixed throughout by the end.
  • Spread on scones with jam and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

  • Calories show are for the entire 2 cups of cream, you do discard some, but really, it will be close
  • Calories are for a tablespoon of clotted cream

Nutrition Information

Calories: 103kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 11mg, Potassium: 22mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 437IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 19mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

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  1. Cookee says

    Hi Karlynn,
    Love so many of your recipes and need to get cooking and baking. I am interested in making the clotted cream. I have a few questions please!

    Does this favor the taste of cream cheese or cottage cheese?
    Why don’t you take the crust off and discard?
    Do you add any sugar or icing sugar to your cream, or have you heard any others try this idea out? Maybe a little vanilla even???
    Yep…I m a newbie.
    Thanks for your help.
    Cookee

  2. Rachel says

    I am trying this recipe and I realized after that my cream is 33% and it’s in the oven…it’s dairyland brand whipping cream. I hope this works..I didn’t realize heavy cream and whipping cream were different

  3. Karen Willoughby says

    I live in Winchester, KY. I can only find ultra pasteurized cream. What stores, etc. can I find the cream your talking about? Thanks, Karen

  4. Jeannine says

    I do this all the time but I don’t discard the whey. I use it to make scones to eat with the clotted cream. Delicious. 😊

  5. Bill Gaffney says

    Instead of an oven could this be done in a Ninja Foodi that has as one of its specialties making yogurt?

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