Will you just look at that creamy lusciousness? This is what real Devonshire, or Cornish clotted cream, should look like. Yes, this is the real stuff that is slathered onto warm scones in Cornwall and Devonshire. I am posting this photo, because I want you, dear reader, to see exactly what we poor souls, who don't live in the local vacinity of Devonshire, or Cornwall, England are missing out on, and can only dream of putting between our lips.
Alas, all the rest of us can do is either travel across the pond to England, or try to make sad copies of this English delicacy, which is forced to remain with in its local culinary sequester-ship, of the pastoral regions of Devonshire and Cornwall, due to its perishable nature.
These pastoral areas are located on the southern tip of the Great British Isle, and both are famous for producing the rich cream laden milk used in making clotted cream. I hear tell that these two regions wage a friendly rivalry, as to which region produces the best version. Which for me, makes this product all the more charming and appealing. I have also read articles from those who were fortunate to have grown up in the area, or tasted this English delight on holiday, and they say that the closest thing to describe its flavor and texture is if you were to mix mascarpone cheese with a hint of vanilla and nutmeg. That sounds easy enough to accomplish.
These pastoral areas are located on the southern tip of the Great British Isle, and both are famous for producing the rich cream laden milk used in making clotted cream. I hear tell that these two regions wage a friendly rivalry, as to which region produces the best version. Which for me, makes this product all the more charming and appealing. I have also read articles from those who were fortunate to have grown up in the area, or tasted this English delight on holiday, and they say that the closest thing to describe its flavor and texture is if you were to mix mascarpone cheese with a hint of vanilla and nutmeg. That sounds easy enough to accomplish.
Even so, any fabricated concoction we contrive will be missing the characteristic golden clotted layer that rests atop the creamy sea beneath it, the very thing that gives it its name. We here, on the other side of the pond, can only weakly call our farces "Devonstyle Cream." Well, even though I have never had the pleasure of tasting the real deal, I shall endeavor a create a better counterfeit. For a while I have been mixing sweetened sour cream with cream cheese and a touch of vanilla, of which I mash together. This concoction does form 'clots' or nodules of cream, and is tasty, but admittedly, isn't even close to its original name sake in taste and texture. For now I will give my recipe for Devon Style cream, but soon I will start experimenting to provide a much closer rendition, that I hope will do this creamy and buttery looking delight the justice it so richly deserves.
Devon-style Cream
8 oz. room temp. cream cheese, or mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of nutmeg (optional)
Method:
Place cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg into a mixing bowl and mash with a fork until cheese is "clotted" in appearance.
Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. Store any remaining cream in fridge tightly wrapped.
The sugar is there only to sweeten the sour cream and tame the saltiness of the cream cheese, so if you want to substitute the sour cream with unsweetened whipped cream; by all means do so.
1/2 cup sour cream
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of nutmeg (optional)
Method:
Place cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg into a mixing bowl and mash with a fork until cheese is "clotted" in appearance.
Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. Store any remaining cream in fridge tightly wrapped.
The sugar is there only to sweeten the sour cream and tame the saltiness of the cream cheese, so if you want to substitute the sour cream with unsweetened whipped cream; by all means do so.