Makes about 400 g (14 oz)

As far as old-fashioned comfort food goes, clotted cream is right up there with bangers and mash or a roast chook. It takes a bit of effort to make but it’s well worth it. In essence, it is cream that has been very slowly baked, reducing the moisture content and allowing a caramelised crust to form on top. Make sure the cream you start with is pure cream with no thickeners — it works really well with 45% cream but this may be hard to get in some places. Serve clotted cream with berry jam on scones, dolloped on top of a pudding or straight from the end of your finger!

700 ml (24 fl oz) thick pure
cream (45%) — or use a
combination of 350 ml
(12 fl oz) pouring (whipping)
cream (35% fat)and
350 ml (12 fl oz) double
(thick/heavy) cream
(52% fat)

Allow the cream to sit at room temperature for 8 hours to slightly sour – this will greatly improve the taste of the clotted cream.

In a bowl, lightly whisk the cream. Pour into a 15 x 10 x 11 cm (6 x 4 x 4¼ inch) loaf (bar) tin so that the cream is 5.5 cm (2¼ inches) deep.

Preheat the oven to 100°C (200°F/Gas ½). Place the loaf tin into a larger baking dish or roasting tin and pour in enough water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake the cream until it has reduced by up to a third and a golden crust has formed on top (this can take anywhere from 8 to 15 hours). Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate for 1–2 days to set.

Spoon the cream from the top and transfer to an airtight container, discarding any watery residue at the bottom of the tin. Clotted cream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week … but we bet it doesn’t hang around for that long!