Clotted Cream and Other Mysteries

Once upon a time, on a train car barreling from Madrid to Lisbon, a young woman was served a small jar of Clotted Cream at breakfast. It was the first of many firsts, but one that gave rise to a lifelong love affair with sunrises, train travel, and clotted cream.

Clotted cream is a staple at most Afternoon Teas due to its strong historical significance and amazing flavor.

Clotted cream, a velvety smooth and barely sweet cream has its origins in the Southwestern part of England. While the exact author of the method is unknown, it is widely believed that cooking milk was a simple and effective way to preserve it. The final product was not only shelf stable but incredibly delicious.

It all starts with a bit of milk. The milk is heated slowly over an extended period of time until a thick and luscious "crust" forms on top. This "crust" is then carefully removed and put into darling tiny jars and shipped to tea rooms, hotels, and dining cars around the world. Clotted cream also goes by a variety of names. Devonshire Cream comes from, you guessed it, Devon. Cornish Cream comes from Cornwall. Everything else is generally just referred to as "clotted cream." Wherever it comes from, it should be creamy, velvety, and absolutely delicious. And that is the history of clotted cream in a nutshell.

So what makes it so special? Clotted Cream has a butterfat content of 55% minimum. (Heavy Whipping Cream has only 36%). This high fat factor alone makes it somewhat special. During the cooking process the butterfat naturally rises and separates from the whey (a watery substance with a high protein content) to create a dense, golden, and wrinkled "crust". This crust is barely sweet and slightly nutty. And while all this fatty goodness is wonderful, it would quickly become overwhelming if it were not for a smart classical pairing of clotted cream and jam.

Clotted cream and strawberry jam are a classic combination at tea time. If you've ever "over-indulged" on ice cream, you will understand the idea of flavor fatigue. Clotted cream, much like ice cream, coats the tongue and creates a wonderfully indulgent and velvety mouthfeel. However, it does not take long for our tastebuds, robust though they may be, to become overwhelmed by the rich flavor and mouthfeel. This can quickly sour the whole experience. Luckily, the natural acids found in fruit jams act like a palette cleanser between bites which allows us to enjoy the taste, texture, and aroma of the cream for much longer. The balancing act between fat and acid is present in many dishes at tea time. Just think about a buttery shortcrust pastry with lemon curd, creamy chicken salad with tart apple, rich smoked salmon with tangy capers.

The winning combination warm scone, cool cream, and bright jam is a teatime classic. The pairing appears to have originated around the 1850s when tearooms began to open up around England. Clotted cream, and the tradition of enjoying it on a slice of bread, may be quite a bit older. Stories exist that attribute the creation of clotted cream to 11th century monks who developed the method as a way of preserving fresh milk.

Alas, we will never know. Luckily, the mysterious and wonderful culinary tradition of clotted cream still exists today.

However, if you local store doesn't import clotted cream, never fear. You will find some delightful alternatives below that can do double duty on your tea table as well as at your next holiday fete.

Mascarpone - a velvety and barely sweet Italian cheese (around 60% fat content) which a velvety texture. Consider blending it with a little vanilla extract and your sweetener of choice. Serve it with stewed seasonal fruit and a crunchy biscotti for a simple and elegant dessert.

Whipped Heavy Cream - This is a wonderfully affordable option and one that comes very close to the original. Whip the cream slightly more than you normally would but without it turning it into butter. You can sweeten the cream with a little powdered sugar (it dissolves better than granulated sugar) before whipping. Whipped cream is also a delightfully lighter (and seasonally appropriate) alternative to buttercream when piled atop a spice cake.