It’s easy to spot: a small white pot next to a plate of freshly baked scones in almost any tearoom in Devon or Cornwall on a warm afternoon. The pot’s top has that signature golden crust. It looks almost too valuable to touch. That is clotted cream. If you’ve ever thought it was double cream, you’re not the only one. Most people outside of Britain think they are the same thing, which is like mixing up aged cheddar and sliced American cheese. Both of them are dairy. That’s about the only thing they have in common.
When you heat clotted cream, the milk is forced to separate into fat and liquid. But when you leave double cream to separate on its own, the cream will rise to the top over time. That difference in how things are done isn’t just a small detail.
This is the reason the two creams look, taste, and act in a completely different way on a scone. There is about 48% butterfat in clotted cream and about 64% butterfat in double cream. Even though those numbers look close on paper, once you put a spoonful of each on your tongue, you’ll know why the difference is important.
For the most part, making clotted cream is a slow and careful process. Full-cream cow’s milk is heated in shallow pans with steam or a water bath and then left to cool slowly. This makes clotted cream, which is a thicker cream. In the past, milk came from Jersey cows, which are known for making milk that is very rich and fatty. There is a thick, slightly wrinkled crust on top of the cream that forms as it heats up and then cools down. There’s nothing wrong with that crust. What you want is exactly what you get. This layer below is the reward. It is creamy and pale.
Clotted cream comes from Devon and Cornwall in the southwestern English counties. It is made by heating full-fat cow’s milk until clots of cream rise to the top. This was first done to make the cream last longer.
The two countries have had a friendly (and sometimes not-so-friendly) argument for a long time over which one invented it. In 1993, Cornwall made a big move when it asked for the term “Cornish clotted cream” to be given a Protected Designation of Origin in the European Union. In 1998, it was granted. Devon has never really let them go. The British are the only ones who can feel this kind of territorial pride over dairy products for hundreds of years without it seeming silly.
On the other hand, double cream doesn’t have any of that regional drama. It is the richest cream you can pour. It is made by skimming or centrifuging the milk to separate the butterfat from the milk. If you’re in the United States, heavy cream is the closest thing to double cream. However, heavy cream only has about 36% butterfat, while double cream has 48%.
This is the reason why American bakers who try to follow British recipes sometimes fail: the cream doesn’t behave the same way. When whipped, double cream is thick enough to keep its shape. It’s also rich enough that it won’t break when mixed into hot sauces, but if you’re not careful, it can start to turn into butter if you whip it too much.
Clotted cream isn’t just called “very thick double cream” for no reason. There is less fat in double cream than in clotted cream, and it tastes lighter and cleaner. There is a hint of nuttiness and sourness to clotted cream that comes from the slow heating process and the mild souring that happens during it. It’s not sour in a bad way. It’s more like the cream has become a person. On the other hand, double cream only tastes like rich, clean dairy. It’s where British cooking starts from scratch. The painting is made of clotted cream.
Anyone who comes to England should eat clotted cream on a scone with jam and a strong tea. This is especially true for people who go to Cornwall or Devon. Even this simple step can lead to a debate. You’re on team Devon if you like your jam on top of your cream.
You’re on team Cornwall if you like your cream on top. In a Devonshire tearoom, people quickly learn that saying what they think is about as politically charged as it gets. The best thing to do is to eat the scone and smile.
It is really hard to find real clotted cream outside of Britain. In North America, it’s almost impossible to find the fresh kind that is still warm from the dairy and brought to your door, like it used to be in rural Devon. In some gourmet shops, you can find imported jars that are good enough and don’t go bad, but they’re not even close to the real thing.
The famous crime writer Agatha Christie loved Devonshire cream and is said to have drunk it by the jugful, which, depending on how you feel about butterfat, can be either cute or scary. On the other hand, double cream is at least close to being the real thing. Even though it’s not ideal, heavy cream of good quality is the best thing that can be used in most recipes.
We should take a moment to think about this. Even though both creams are made from full-fat cow’s milk, they taste and look like they belong in completely different groups. One is a tasty treat with a golden crust that has been eaten for hundreds of years in the area.
The other is a cooking cream that can be poured and is used in many different recipes, from chocolate ganache to pasta sauces. Not just the amount of fat or the way they are made that makes them different. It’s also about the goal. Clotted cream is there to be the main attraction. Other things are better because of the double cream. They are both very good at what they do.
FAQs
Q1: What is the main difference between clotted cream and double cream?
Clotted cream is heated and cooled to form thick clots; double cream is simply skimmed.
Q2: Which has more fat — clotted cream or double cream?
Clotted cream wins, with at least 55% butterfat versus double cream’s 48%.
Q3: Can I use double cream instead of clotted cream on scones?
It works as a substitute, but the taste and texture won’t be the same.
Q4: Where does clotted cream originally come from?
It originated in the southwestern English counties of Devon and Cornwall.
Q5: Is double cream the same as heavy cream in the US?
No — double cream has 48% butterfat; American heavy cream typically contains around 36–38%.
