Most people are curious about the flavor of clotted cream. However, there is no definitive solution to this topic. The thick, creamy kind of cream goes well with a mug of jam or a slice of toast when thinly cut. It has a texture comparable to whipped or softened butter, but it’s slightly different. It’s created from full-fat milk and has a higher fat content than most other kinds of cream.
Clotted cream has a distinct flavor that has been compared to high-quality unsalted butter, and it may also have nutty undertones due to the long healing period of the milk. Clotted cream has a texture similar to softened cream cheese, with a richness that falls halfway between butter and whipped cream.
What is Clotted Cream?
Clotted cream is a typical British topping for baked dishes for afternoon teas that originated in southwest England. It’s also known as Devonshire/Devon cream or Cornish cream, depending on where county it was created in.
Clotted cream is a cream manufactured from cow’s milk that contains up to 55 % fat. This is a really high score. Most other creams have a maximum fat content of 38 percent. For comparison, creme fraiche has a fat percentage of 30%, and whipping cream has a fat content of approximately 35%. It is, in fact, a concentrated kind of cream.
Clotted cream does not flow smoothly due to its high-fat content, and it has a smooth, thick feel instead. However, because it contains less fat, it is softer than butter.
Water and fat make up the majority of cream (butterfat). Butterfat is solid at room temperature and semi-solid in the fridge (use the consistency of butter as a reference). There will be some protein, but the protein content will decrease as the fat concentration rises because it is all contained in the fluids. Reduce the amount of water in your body to increase the fat content.
What does Clotted Cream Taste Like?
Butterfat, or the fact that butter is formed of, is responsible for most of the clotted cream flavor. Butterfat includes a few flavor molecules but is otherwise flavorless, and clotted cream has a relatively neutral flavor.
Clotted cream isn’t particularly sweet, and it’s the same as sour cream that hasn’t been whipped. Both have a neutral flavor and must be sweetened with sugar. That’s also why clotted cream goes so well with scones and jam. The jam adds sweetness, while the scones add structure and chew, and the clotted cream adds richness. A well-balanced dish.
Taste and Nutrition
The best-clotted cream is so thick that it can be cut with a knife like butter. It features a soft, pale golden crust and a milky, mildly caramelized flavor. Clotted cream has the greatest fat level of any type of cream, a delectable 64 percent average (compared to only 18 percent for single cream), so it’s not something you should eat every day. Still, it’s a delicious treat when savored in moderation.
What is the Process of Making Clotted Cream?
To produce clotted cream from milk, you must remove a significant amount of moisture. The entire process of making clotted cream revolves around it. Boiling is a typical method of removing moisture. However, you don’t want to do this with clotted cream because it will change the cream’s overall behavior. Instead, you employ the sedimentation principle to separate the water from the cream.
The density of fat particles in milk is lower than that of water. The phase with the lowest density will float to the top, whereas the heavier phase will sink to the bottom if this occurs. Wait long enough, and the fat and water will separate largely on their own. You don’t want to wait too long, though.
Sedimentation or centrifugation separates regular cream from milk to begin the manufacturing process. The cream is then heated to extract even more fat. Some of the whey proteins are denatured by heating the cream, and the fat bubbles are destabilized, allowing them to float to the top of the bulk. It’s important to cool this down gently so that all of the fat can float to the top and form a crust. Once you’ve removed the ‘crust,’ you’ll have clotted cream.
It takes a lot of effort to make clotted cream in the ‘correct’ manner. Regular cream is slowly heated at 40°C for up to 12 hours to make it, and the fat in the cream will rise to the top during this heating procedure. This will be your clotted cream, and it must be scooped off.
How to Use and Eat Clotted Cream?
Although clotted cream is an English delicacy, it is typically served on a Scottish scone. The cream scone, formed from a freshly baked scone divided in half and topped with a liberal dollop of clotted cream and jam (that’s jelly to you and me), is the star of any British tearoom. The ‘proper’ order to add the jam and cream is a source of great debate, with both parent counties firmly in opposing camps. You’re on team Devon if you like your jam on top of your dream, and you’re on team Cornwall if you want your cream on top of your jam.
Cream scones are traditionally served with a teapot, dubbed a ‘cream tea.’ They’re also a popular addition to afternoon tea, an English ritual where friends enjoy cakes and beautifully sliced sandwiches served on a multi-tiered cake stand with a teapot.
However, the cream isn’t only for afternoon teas. It’s similar to heavy or whipped cream in that it’s used in the same way (called double or thick cream in the U.K.). During the summer, a large dollop of clotted cream is commonly served atop fresh strawberries or any berry. Clotted cream is too thick to use in or on a cake, and it can’t be whipped as well as heavy cream. Clotted cream, unlike heavy and light cream, cannot be boiled.
What can You Compare Clotted Cream to?
A cultured cream that is very similar to sour cream, crème Fraiche is a cultured cream that is thicker, richer, and far less tart than sour cream. If you want something that tastes and feels the most like clotted cream, go for a cream that has a high percentage of fat in its composition. Mascarpone, a soft Italian cream cheese, and heavy cream can also be whipped together as an alternative choice.
Does Clotted Cream have Sour Flavor?
The butterfat, which is essentially the fat found in butter, is where most of the flavor in clotted cream originates. Butterfat includes numerous taste molecules but is otherwise fairly neutral in the tasting, and the flavor of clotted cream is relatively unremarkable.
Where can I Purchase Clotted Cream?
Unlike other varieties of cream, clotted cream travels easily, and as a result, it has been transported through the mail to all corners of the globe for decades.
Clotted cream comes in jars that range from 1 to 8 ounces and can be purchased online or in well-stocked supermarkets. Clotted cream is unlikely to be found in ordinary grocery stores outside the United Kingdom. Because it must be kept refrigerated, shipment is not always an option. While some internet retailers sell shelf-stable clotted cream or ship it in insulated packaging with ice packs, the best way to enjoy clotted cream is to make it yourself. All you’ll need is heavy cream, an oven, and patience.
Clotted Cream Substitutes
If you can’t get clotted cream, there are a few substitutes that you can use instead.
- Crème fraîche has a smooth, slightly nutty flavor akin to clotted cream. Its fat concentration is around half that of clotted cream, at around 30%, so it lacks the rich, dense texture of clotted cream and is perfect if you’re seeking a lighter alternative.
- Mascarpone is the only dairy product that comes close to the luscious texture of clotted cream, with a 45-55 percent fat level. Although it is a cheese rather than a cream, the flavors are very similar.
Storage
To preserve clotted cream at its finest for as long as possible, keep it refrigerated. It will keep for about 5 to 7 days, but toss it out if it starts to smell bad. Although clotted cream can be frozen for up to four months, it is best consumed fresh because freezing can cause huge ice crystals to form, which degrade the flavor and texture.
Conclusion
Heavy cream, also known as whipped or whipping cream, is used to make clotted cream, which has an acquired taste. It’s not ultrapasteurized but a high-fat cheese typically utilized in sweet applications. Clotted cream can be used in soups and fudge, and ice cream. You can add it to your favorite recipe if you don’t like it. The most important thing to remember about clotted cream is that it is mostly composed of fat and water. It’s primarily water and butterfat, and it’s solid at room temperature and semi-solid in the fridge. This means that the higher the fat content, the lower the protein content. If you can’t get it in the United States, you’ll have to order it from the United Kingdom.
Boiling milk in a pan is the most systematic approach to making clotted cream. This method separates the fat from the milk, resulting in a creamy texture. After that, the fat rises to the top as it cools. The fat will float to the top and form a crust as the cream cools. On top of the cake, the cream will make a lovely, thick layer.