Fast(ish) Clotted Cream Recipe

Clotted cream has a rich and long history. According to British Food History, this wonderful dish is over 2,000 years old. It came to England by way of the Phoenician settlers, and the method of clotting cream served the purpose of keeping buffalo milk from spoiling. Clotted cream is used for many different recipes; it's a British staple enjoyed on everything from scones to fresh fruit.

Recipe developer Jennine Bryant of The Marshside Pantry created this fantastic dish that hits the spot. "I love how insanely easy this recipe is. Clotted cream is seen as a highly specialized cream that is created solely in the south of England (and, 'Cornish clotted cream' is actually trademarked and protected), but it is actually incredibly simple to make at home," Bryant shares. She also raves over how much better this tastes when it's homemade versus store-bought, making it perfect for a summer afternoon snack. "It's summertime here in England, so it's perfect weather for a classic English afternoon tea. Scones are a central part of afternoon tea, and they are always served with jam and clotted cream!" So if you want to recreate the experience, you'll be thrilled with how easy this recipe is to make. 

Ready for the easiest grocery list ever? The only thing you need for this recipe is a pint of heavy cream. Easy enough, right?

Once you have the heavy cream on hand, you can make this fast(ish) clotted cream recipe. Granted, it still takes quite a while to make — it needs to cook at a low temperature for 6 hours, then to cool for roughly 6 hours more — but almost none of that time requires hands-on work.

Start by preheating your oven to 350 F. While you wait for the oven to get hot, pour the cream into a large oven-proof dish. Then, cover the dish with aluminum foil.

Once the oven finishes preheating, pop the dish into the center rack. Add an oven thermometer and turn the oven off.

"The method for making it is a little different than usual. Normally, the cream sits in an oven at an incredibly low heat for 12 hours," Bryant says. "This recipe, however, starts with the oven much hotter, and you turn it off as soon as the cream goes in the oven, so it actually becomes clotted cream quicker than with the traditional method. It's a little twist, but a big time-saver."

Leave the heavy cream in the oven so it can sit in the residual heat for about 6 hours. Check the thermometer from time to time to make sure the temperature doesn't drop below 140 F. If it does, turn the oven back on for a brief time to add a little more heat before turning it off again.

Once 6 hours have passed, remove the cream from the oven and set it in a safe place to cool to room temperature. Once it cools to room temperature, pop it in the fridge and let it chill for at least 6 hours.

Now, it's time to dig in! Clotted cream goes great on a scone with a little strawberry jam lathered over the top. Bryant also shares a few additional serving suggestions. "Clotted cream is delicious on fresh fruit and meringues. It can also be used on sponge cakes, and can be used to make an excellent, rich ice cream." 

Have any leftovers? "Fresh clotted cream will last for up to 3 days, and must be kept in the refrigerator," Bryant shares.