Clotted cream

Photos courtesy of Nikki Rajala

First comes clotted cream. When Sue, my pen pal, served it, hers had almost the texture of whipped cream.

In Cornwall and Devon, it’s produced by gently heating full-cream cow’s milk and then allowing it to cool in shallow pans. The cream rises to the surface and forms “clots” which are skimmed off. It’s so thick it doesn’t need whipping, or churning as does butter.

Rich and sweet, clotted cream has a minimum fat content of 55 percent (averaging 64 percent!).

I purchased a 5.6 oz jar of Somerdale English Clotted Cream in the refrigerated section at a local upscale grocery store for around $9.50. The butterfat content is 55 percent. The directions said, “Shake before using,” but it was too thick to shake, even at room temperature. Its texture was like butter.

Making your own is easy and economical. The texture of mine was more like cream cheese. The only ingredient needed is one pint of heavy cream.

Pour the cream into an oven-safe shallow pan. Place in the oven, set the temperature for 175°F and leave it for about 12 hours. The thick band of yellowish skin that forms is the clotted cream. Remove from the oven, cover, let cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to use. The cream may be kept for 3 to 4 days, and used for other foods besides topping the scones.

Yield: about 1 cup clotted cream

I poured off the remaining cup of “unclotted cream” after it had been refrigerated — that task might have been less messy if I’d done it when the cream was at room temperature. The unclotted cream can be used in cooking or on berries.

You could purchase clotted cream from the English Tea Store by calling 1-877-734-2458 or visiting them online; click on British Food, then find Clotted Cream & Devon Cream. A 6 oz. jar of Devon Double Cream is $4.81; a same-size jar of English Luxury Clotted Cream is $5.69.

Shipping is extra — because the product is so perishable, the company requires purchasers to choose “Next Day Air” between March and October to guarantee the items arrive in good condition. In addition, they only ship clotted creams Monday through Wednesday to ensure products don’t sit on a loading dock over a weekend.

Next — the scones, and finally, a proper cup of tea… NLR