This could be the single most important thing I do all week. I am about to make clotted cream. I will start it at 7:45 a.m. tomorrow morning, and by 7:45 p.m. tomorrow evening it will be done, but I will have to let it set out until it cools to room temperature, and just before going to bed tomorrow night, I'll pop it in the fridge and it will be ready for me on Friday morning. Can't wait.
HOW you may ask, does one make clotted cream? I can't believe you're asking me that when the real question is, WHAT is clotted cream? Well, clotted cream is the best thing ever and it goes on anything you can think of that you may add butter too; and more things than that even. Clotted cream is literally just heavy whipping cream baked, cooled, and scooped. There is ONE ingredient in clotted cream, and that's...well, cream. It's heavy whipping cream in the United States and in the UK they call it "Double Cream". They have it pasteurized and extra or ultra-pasteurized, but to do the clotted cream correctly you'll just need the regular heavy whipping cream or double cream, nothing too fancy.
Using a glass rectangular or square glass pan (glass works best) you'll pour the cream into the pan without spraying any oil into it. You just pour it straight in and you pour it about 1.5 inches thick before popping it into the oven at 175 degrees F or 80 degrees C. You bake it for literally 12 hours, but I check it around the 10-hour mark to see if it's about done. I've been known to take it out at 10, not lying. Then, after you take it out, and it has the light golden colored (tiny bit) thicker top, you can use a spoon to take a bit off the top to see if it's nice and creamy (thick and spreadable) underneath. You'll set it on the cabinet or table where the cat can't get to it, you may have to put it inside the microwave until it cools to about room temperature. I find that it takes 2 hours to do that. Then just send it to the fridge to cool off completely.
SUCH a good thing. In grocery stores in the U.S., if you can find it, it is about $9 for a very small amount. Whole Foods is the only place I know that has it, and yes, it was $8.99. In the U.K. I bought it for about $3.50 (USD) and it was a bit larger, maybe 15-18 ounces vs the 6 oz jar I got at Whole Foods. A good quart-size carton of heavy cream is about $4.00 USD and will make about 15-18 ozs or so, you will need a container to put it in. Maybe save an old butter tub. WORTH IT.
NOW...here's the deal. You have a top or a shelf of clotted cream at the top, and the underneath liquid is there to use to make biscuits or scones. Yep, you don't throw it out, you use it. The skimmed topper is the clotted cream you've been waiting for. Lift it, scoop it out, and put it in a container to use. Be sure to have a lid or a way to cover it.
If you've never had clotted cream, you are absolutely missing out. If you just won't try it because the name "clotted cream" sounds bad, think of it as roasted heavy cream; that may help you out a bit. Just tell people you're British and need this to keep you going. They may understand. It really really, no really, is really very good...really. You can add jam, jelly, and cheese, you don't have to add anything. I top my bagels, biscuits, cookies, pies, just anything - - but it does add calories; you should know that.
OK there you go, one more thing off my list of things to make on Pinterest that has been super great and wonderful. I will likely update the photo when I make mine, but for now, you get the one I found online. Enjoy!!
UPDATE: So, I baked it for 12 hours at 175 but think it needs to stay in another hour or so. I raised the temperature to 200 as my oven may be a bit less heated than others, but there is a nice soft golden crust. I think it will be great.
Photo Credit: thefruitbasketshop.co.uk
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