is love cream. If you haven’t tried it, it’s like a mix between whipped cream and whipped butter, but with a deeper flavor.
It’s thick, it’s creamy, and it’s absolutely dreamy on scones fresh out of the oven. The clotted cream and scones have always been my favorite part of afternoon tea. I’m obsessed with it.
What is clotted cream?
Clotted cream looks kind of funny, but it’s actually so delicious. It’s also called Devonshire cream or Cornish cream, so if you’re not too fond of the word “clotted”, you can think of it that way. Really, clotted is just another word for thick, so think of it as heavy cream! It is a thick, spreadable form of heavy cream invented long ago by Devon dairy farmers to preserve milk.
What does this taste like?
Clotted cream tastes rich and, well, creamy. It’s not particularly sweet as it’s made with just cream. It’s pretty neutral like whipped cream and is the perfect complement to the jam. It has a smooth and rich texture that melts in your mouth. It has a slight hint of sweetness to it, kind of similar to how really good butter tastes a little sweet.
What do you eat it with?
Clotted cream is essential with a batch of scones. Believe me when I say you haven’t lived until you’ve eaten a fresh scone smeared with Devonshire cream and jam. it is divine. This is standard when you have tea and british scones. You can pretty much eat it on anything where you have butter. I love it on toast and have been known to eat it with slices of banana bread as well. You can also have a smoosh on the side of the cake.
Clotted Cream Ingredients
- Cream. All you need to make clotted cream is heavy whipping cream. That is! You will need to make sure that the fat percentage of the milk is 35% or higher and that it is not ultra-pasteurized and you are good to go.
How to make clotted cream
- Cook. Pour your cream into a baking dish and bake in a very low oven for 10 to 12 hours, or overnight.
- Cool. Allow to cool to room temperature, and then place the dish in the refrigerator to harden and cool.
- Travel. The thick, lightly browned layer of cream on top of the plate is clotted cream! Drain it and then taste it.
What kind of cream?
Clotted cream is made from heavy cream or whipped cream. Heavy cream is the rich fat layer that has been skimmed from the milk prior to homogenization. It’s a bit like saying, “the cream always rises. Since cream contains so much fat, it rises on top of the milk and is skimmed. We’re going to take heavy cream and concentrate it even more. Since you only need one ingredient, it’s best to use the highest quality cream you can find: local, organic, grass-fed. Essentially, you want things that taste really good because your end product will taste just like the cream you buy.
What is heavy cream?
Heavy cream is just another name for whipped cream. It is also sometimes labeled as heavy whipping cream. As long as the label says 35% fat or higher, you can make clotted cream.
What is Ultra Pasteurized Heavy Cream?
Ultra-pasteurized cream is cream that has been heated to 280°F to make it more stable. Unfortunately, you can’t use ultra-pasteurized heavy cream to make clotted cream. I’m not too sure about the science, but ultra-pasteurized heavy cream doesn’t clot as much as regular pasteurized cream.
Can I make clotted cream in an Instant Pot?
Yeah! Simply place the heavy cream in your Instant Pot and choose the yogurt setting until it boils. When the Instant Pot beeps to let you know it’s heated, press keep warm. Let the cream cook for 8 to 10 hours. Turn off the Instant Pot and allow it to cool completely, then place the insert in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours to chill and firm up. Remove the top layer of heavy cream – this is clotted cream.
Slow Cooker Clotted Cream
Yes, but it depends on the setting of your slow cooker. You will need to add the cream to the slow cooker and keep it warm; the cream should stay between 165 and 180°F, so read your manual to see what setting that is. It should probably only be warm, but it could also be the low setting, so double check. Once the custards are in the slow cooker and the temperature is just right, cover with the lid and cook for 8 to 10 hours or until a light golden crust begins to form. Turn off the slow cooker and allow it to cool to room temperature before chilling completely in the fridge, then just skim off the thickened top layer.
Or even a rice cooker?
Yes, as long as your rice cooker has a keep warm setting that keeps things warm between 165 and 180°F. You can test your rice cooker with water and an instant read thermometer. Just pour 4 cups of water, keep it hot, and after about 30 minutes check the water temperature. If it gets to 165-180°F, you can make clotted cream in it. Just pour the cream into the bowl and keep warm for 8-10 hours. Check occasionally to make sure your rice cooker hasn’t turned off. When done, let it cool to room temperature, then put it in the fridge to chill completely before scooping out any clotted cream that may have formed on top.
Why is there a scab on my clotted cream?
The crust is the part you want, it’s the cream that has coagulated. Most people remove the thickest top layer. Underneath the thicker layer, there may be another slightly looser layer. You can also remove it and use it to loosen the cream if you want a looser, runnier clotted cream. Beneath this layer will be liquid, which is leftover whey (the liquid left over after making cheese or butter). You can use buttermilk in baked goods.
What can I do with the remaining liquid?
After removing the good layer of clotted cream, you’ll notice a bit of whey at the bottom of your plate. You can use it in any baked goods that call for milk. You can use it to make scones, muffins and cakes.
steph-xox
PS This last shot is pink because I used some strawberry powder and gold glitter!
in which to spread it

clotted cream recipe
Homemade Clotted Cream – thick, rich and perfect for spreading on cream puffs (or toast!) for afternoon tea.
Serve 1 liter
- 1 qt whipped cream 35% MF or more, NOT ultra pasteurized
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Heat your oven to 170°F. Pour the cream into a deep saucepan with an oven lid. You are looking for a deep dish so that the cream is 2-2.5 inches deep when you pour it. I used a saucepan with a glass lid, like an old school pyrex type thing. Cover the dish and place in the oven at 170°F for 10-12 hours, or overnight, which is what I did.
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The next day (or 10 to 12 hours later), take the casserole out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or even overnight.
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Skim the top layer, slightly golden and thick. This is your clotted cream! There will be another layer below the slightly yellow layer that is creamy and thick like sour cream; It’s also coagulated, but with a little more moisture. Read it too. Use as is, both thickened creams are considered clotted. Some people mix the two and some just use the top coat. Or, you can use a stand or hand mixer/spoon and blend both types of cream until thickened, but that’s not traditional at all. Serve cold and enjoy! I love it on scones, toast (SO GOOD), cakes, basically anything or everything!
Clotted cream should be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, covered.
Make sure your cream is not ultra-pasteurized; double check when buying the cream. If it is ultra-pasteurized, this will be indicated on the box/bottle.
The original recipe was just mixed with the cream, which I think would work too, but I wanted a smoother whipped consistency. Whipping the top two layers together is NOT traditional.
nutritional intakes
clotted cream recipe
Amount per serving (2 tablespoons)
calories 89
Calories from fat 80
% Daily value*
Fat 8.9g14%
saturated fat 5.9g37%
Cholesterol 40mg13%
Sodium 10mg0%
Potassium 30mg1%
The carbohydrates 2 g1%
Fiber 0.01g0%
2g sugar2%
Protein 0.01g0%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.