Clotted Cream

Preparation Heat the cream in a heavy sauté pan and gently on the lowest heat for 5-6 hours, by which time it will have a rich, deep-yellow, wrinkled crust (use a diffuser mat if necessary). The cream must not boil or simmer. Let the cream cool overnight, but preferably not in a fridge (I leave it in a cold pantry). Next day, lift off the crust, or "clout" as my Cornish son-in-law calls it. Spoon the cream into sterilized glass jars, cover, and store in the fridge. The clotted cream is on top; thick cream left over when the clotted cream is removed can be used as heavy cream and it keeps for ages—several weeks at least. If your stove doesn't go low enough, then put the cream into an earthenware bowl, set it in a bain-marie, and proceed as above. Reprinted with permission from Forgotten Skills of Cooking: The Time-Honored Ways Are the Best by Darina Allen, © 2010 Kyle Books.

Preparation Heat the cream in a heavy sauté pan and gently on the lowest heat for 5-6 hours, by which time it will have a rich, deep-yellow, wrinkled crust (use a diffuser mat if necessary). The cream must not boil or simmer. Let the cream cool overnight, but preferably not in a fridge (I leave it in a cold pantry). Next day, lift off the crust, or "clout" as my Cornish son-in-law calls it. Spoon the cream into sterilized glass jars, cover, and store in the fridge. The clotted cream is on top; thick cream left over when the clotted cream is removed can be used as heavy cream and it keeps for ages—several weeks at least. If your stove doesn't go low enough, then put the cream into an earthenware bowl, set it in a bain-marie, and proceed as above. Reprinted with permission from Forgotten Skills of Cooking: The Time-Honored Ways Are the Best by Darina Allen, © 2010 Kyle Books.