Cream for Scones

Once you have scones, you must provide cream and jam.  I confess, I do not make my own jam.  I buy the the best quality, seedless fruit jam.  I am partial to raspberry myself.  Cream, on the other hand, can be more of a challenge here in the states.  Being the tea rebel that I am, I prefer to whip up some good ole' thick whipping cream for my scones but there are others who are more traditional.  For them, I do try to provide a more 'proper' cream.

Below are several recipes.  They each have a different consistency and taste.  Your best bet is try them all and then determine which you prefer.

Clotted Cream / Devon Cream

When speaking or reading of tea, you will see many references to Clotted Cream and Devon Cream.  Basically, Clotted Cream contains a minimum of 55% milk fat, while Devon Cream's fat content is lower at 48% milk fat. Devon Cream comes from the cows of Devon, England.  The true articles can be a bit ticky to get in the states but there are many recipes on how to ‘fake’ them.  Use can use the same recipes for both types of creams.  The difference is in the fat content only.

Recipe #1 - Easy

• 1 c heavy cream
• 1 c sour cream
• 1 t vanilla
• 4 T confectioner's sugar

      Mix together sour cream and vanilla.

1. Beat cream in a cooled bowl. When have medium-stiff peaks, sprinkle on sugar and continue to beat. When sugar is integrated and peaks are stiff, gently fold in sour cream/vanilla mixture.

Recipe #2 - Easy

• (3 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 cup heavy cream

In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese, sugar and salt. Beat in cream until stiff peaks form. Chill until serving.  

Original recipe makes 2 cups

Recipe #3 – Time Consuming

2 cups heavy cream

1. Cook cream in top of double boiler over simmering water until reduced by about half. It should be the consistency of butter, with a golden "crust" on the top.
2. Transfer, including crust, to bowl. Cover and let stand 2 hours, then refrigerate at least 12 hours.
3. Stir crust into cream before serving. Keep unused portions refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.

Makes about 1 cup.

Recipe #4 (Alton Brown’s) – Time Consuming

      2 cups pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) cream

      Set a coffee filter basket, lined with a filter, in a strainer, over a bowl. Pour the cream almost

      to the top of the filter. Refrigerate for 2 hours. The whey will sink to the bottom passing 

      through the filter leaving a ring of clotted cream. Scrape this down with a rubber spatula and 

      repeat every couple of hours until the mass reaches the consistency of soft cream cheese.