Part two of my British Summer necessities list, regards Clotted Cream. Really only popular on a national level since the 1980′s, the West Country of England has provided us with this most favourable form of dairy product to round off a perfect cream tea. Scones, in my opinion, are just not the same with out it.
The process by which clotted cream is made, is a slow but very simple one:
Ingredients:
1pt. double cream (although better with un-pasteurised, this recipe still works with pasteurised creams also.)
Method:
Place the cream in a glass or metallic bowl that fits over a saucepan of hot water (Bain Marie). Let the water simmer very gently on the lowest flame possible for three to four hours, topping up the water in the pan when necessary but making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
Fatty deposits will start to appear as a yellow crust on the surface of the cream that will thicken slowly. Once the amount in the bowl has reduced by about half, remove the bowl from the water and allow to cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator over night.
With a slotted spoon or slice, lift out any thickened cream (or ‘clouts’) and the yellow crust. The clotted cream will keep for up to four days. When you are ready to use, stir the yellow crust into the white thick cream and serve chilled.
Tip: If scones are not your fancy, here are some extra recipes that include clotted cream to inspire you:
- Clotted cream ice cream
- Clotted cream fudge
- Sautéed mushrooms with garlic and clotted cream
Stay tuned tomorrow for the next instalment: Classic Strawberry Jam.
Filed under: clotted cream tea, scone, slow cooked Tagged: british, butter, clotted, cream, food, recipe, scones, slow, snack, tea
