Clotted Cream

I get a request for a recipe for Clotted Cream a lot. As this is a traditional dairy product of the south west of England (Cornwall and Devon) and the American Milking Devon is the purest example of what would have been in the area Once Upon a Time, I thought I'd include it in a post here.

Start with the freshest Devon raw milk (raw is important here or this does not work). Pour into a pan about 6" deep. Put into a cool place until the cream rises to the top. This may take 10-20 hours.

Place pan in a water bath on stove. Gradually increase the temperature of the milk to about 175 degrees or so. The temperature is not as important as the ring around the edge and the bubbles or wrinkle that will show on the surface of the milk. This may take 45 minutes to an hour.

Cool immediately. Cream will thicken as it cools. Remove the cream with a slotted spoon.

Enjoy with Cornish Splits or scones and a wild berry jam.

The old pans held 6-7 (American) quarts of milk or cream. They were 15" in diameter at the top and 11" diameter at the bottom and 7" high.

Some people skim off the cream from the milk setting overnight and collect in a pan (or pudding basin of this dimention) and continue with the recipe. It will taste cooked or carmelized (some say burnt).

The best thing there is!