An American alternative to Clotted Cream?
 

Is there one? I've developed a taste for Clotted (Devonshire) cream, is there an American counterpart? Can one make their own? Is it available in specialty shops (I haven't found any yet...) Any information is appreciated.

Hi DiAblo.
I know what you mean. It is delicious!
I live in Canada and we can get it at our regular grocery supermarket like Loblaws or Zehrs. Have you looked in your grocery store near the specialty cheeses or in the dairy case?

Same thing happened to me--I did find it in a few speciality shops here. Although I've not used it in some time--sooooo rich!!

What part of the coutry do you live in, DiAblo? In my area (L.A.) there are several British import stores with clotted cream and other British foodstuffs like Irn Bru and authentic scones. Or try Trader Joes - they have a lot of specialty items.

There was an old thread about Scones and clotted cream and someone gave the recipe for making your own.
Try a search on scones or clotted cream, maybe you can find it.

Try creme fraiche (most supermarkets) and I'll bet you can't tell the difference. Add a little sugar if you don't like the slightly acid finish to the creme fraiche.

Diablo, you CAN buy the real thing at the Whole Food markets. As I recall it will be in the Cheese department.
It is also on sale on line.

Sorry?! no difference between creme fraiche and clotted cream???

That's like saying there's really no difference between The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper!

DiAblo - good luck with your search for the real thing... just console with yourself that all the while you can't lay your hands on some you can't be clogging up your arteries with it either. I reckon we only have it max twice a year because it's soooo good it's also diabolically bad.

Dr D. :)

Oh boy, can I tell the different between crème fraîche and clotted cream! Clotted cream is nearly solid; crème fraîche is softer. As for buying clotted cream, you can get it from the King Arthur baking catalogue (and on line), among other sources. Our local market carries it, but I haven't yet seen it at Trader Joe's, alas (or perhaps a good thing!). You can make your own if you have a very strong arm and the ability not to sleep for 24 hours, as it's made by ladling warm milk over and over for that length of time. Devonshire cream isn't necesarily clotted cream, BTW--it can be just a very heavy cream of the sort you would put on berries. My personal favorite is Cornish clotted cream whenever I can find it.

Trader Joes Does Not carry it, But Whole Foods does.

This recipe comes from my Brit friends. I have no idea if it's authentic but here goes:

2 pints high quality full fat milk [ English pint is 20 ozs.]
1. Put the milk in a pan and let it stand somewhere cold for 24 hours
2. Sit the pan with the milk in a larger pan containing water to around the same level as the milk.
3.On a very very low heat bring the water to simmer-it's essential that the water takes at least an hour to come to a simmer and it's equally important that it never boils.
4.Take the pan off the heat and let the cream cool until it is absolutely cold.
5.Using a wide flat slotted spoon skim the cream off the top making sure you allow time for it to drain thoroughly.
That is all [all?] there is to it. The amount is supposed to be enough for strawberries and cream for 4 people

This is a recipe that came from somebody's ancestor and allegedly was made all the time by "grandma". Have I tried it? No way.I am able to get it at a local high class store at a pretty steep price.But then it does go a long way and my arteries will thank me for making this part of my daily diet

The above should read for NOT making this part of my daily diet

Mmmmmmm clotted cream is wonderful. We can not get it here in the states as it uses unpastuerized milk. Query the web for a recipe for Devonshire Cream. I have it somewhere. It tastes almost as good as clotted cream. Now I have a taste....

I have bought jars in the refrigerated department at our local supermarket (but it is an upscale market). They are imported from the UK, and say "Devonshire Cream -- Clotted Cream". I expected the worst when I first bought it, but I thought the stuff was as good as what I've put on my scones in Devon!!

I buy it frequently in the States - Whole Foods, a local British shop and a couple of tea shops all carry it.

I find Clotted Cream regularly in Whole Foods and Fresh Market....but I can't find Creme Fraiche and have resorted to making that myself! It;s not that hard...but somehow it just doesn't taste like France.

I made clotted cream once when I lived near a dairy that sold unpasturized milk. It was very similar to the recipe pipsil posted. However, I must confess that watching stovetop water take at least an hour to come to a simmer but not boil is the operational definition of death by tedium. Never again. Not even for heavenly clotted cream.

What are the brand names of the product sold at Whole Foods? Our Fresh Market carries a brand made by the Devon Creme Co. (Double Devon Cream and Clotted Cream) They're good, but not the real thing IMHO.

Thread about scones (including recipe for clotted cream):

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34441185

I'm going to Whole Foods tomorrow ..I'll look for the brand, and hopefully be able to resist! I am supposed to be dieting for my college reunion!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too bad our regular grocer had buy 1, get 1 free on HD creme brulee ice cream :x

Be careful. Too much clotted cream and you'll have clotted arteries.

Fresh Market has it??? Cool! I am buying some tomorrow and making orange scones!
While this Florida weather remains cool and damp, sort of like England if I reeeeally use my imagination!

One(of the many) of the reasons I return to London as often as possible, is the clotted cream at Harrod's! Big bowls of the stuff yummm....I get bunches and buy scones, and all is right with the world! :-D I can't find it here, Patrick, I will have to wait for Fresh Market in FT Myers to open, or pop on down to Naples!

Judyrem, it wasn't Fresh Market where I buy it. It's my favorite Naples market, Wynn's. I see that obxgirl found it at Fresh Market, but I couldn't find it at ours.

Patrick. I will have to pop on down to Wynn's then. Thanks for the info. Harry's in Atlanta (really Alpharetta) used to have it. God, I miss Harry's :-( Judy

judy, I posted an url above where you can buy it on line!

Thanks cigale, I will look it up!

Pipsil, I'm guessing that recipe will not work with Homogenized whole milk, and most American milk is homogenized. I've never seen homogenized milk separate before it's totally spoiled, no matter how much you heat/cool it.

I feel like I have seen it at Wild Oats.

Best wishes,

Rex

Ryn 2691, I don't have a clue but you are probably quite right re homogenized and /or pasteurized milk especially as this is a very old recipe and no one thought of doing anything to milk except use it as it came out of the cow.

To approximate creme fraiche - from Jules Bond's 'The French Cuisine I Love', Leon Amiel, NY, 1977:

"To each cup of heavy cream add one tablespoon of buttermilk. Blend, heat in a saucepan until lukewarm, about 85 degrees (29C - NC). Pour it into a glass or porcelain container and let it stand at room temperature until the mixture thickens, which can take anywhere from 8 to 36 hours, depending on the room temperature. Then store in refrigerator. Creme fraiche will keep for a week or more."

Thanks for the great information! A friend tried to make it with "store-bought" milk and said it didn't work. I'm in the Midwest and specialty shops are few and far between, but certainly not impossible. I'll keep looking and check out various venues on the web. Thanks again, this proves how great this site is when one is looking for help!

hello DIAblo,
i live in england and i find it difficult to find clotted cream, the nearest i've come to an alternative is to mix single cream with mascaponi, play around with the ratio until you get a good result.
regards
brianp3987

It's been almost nine years since the original post. Hopefully the OP has found an answer by now. :-)

Lee Ann

live in england and i find it difficult to find clotted cream, the nearest i've come to an alternative is to mix single cream with mascaponi, play around with the ratio until you get a good result.>>

really Brian? I know that I am at an advantage living in Cornwall where we make some of the best clotted cream, but I understood that it's available country -wide now especially this time of year.

sometimes I can just about understand how an old thread might be resurrected

but this is frankly bizarre

in a perverse way, it deserves a prize....

all this when you can walk into the Whole Foods and get it, too.

well, as the board member who lives closest to the seat of production, [unless you know different] i think I may be allowed a comment.

and it was Brian what started it!

Brian! They sell it in Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Waitrose AND Morrisons. Don't tell me you don't live near one of those!

Our Kroger's occasionally carries it in the International Foods section. I've seen British gift shops and Indian grocery stores that carry it. Even Irish gift shops occasionally. Are there any like that near you?