Devonshire Cream - with Crockpot make

[Juan Fries Widdat]

I am finding recipes - back to 1658! and of course a good bit of variation. http://www.vintagerecipes.net/books/compleat_cook/to_make_clouted_cream_1.php
The oldest recipes let the cream clabber in the settling pan and then cook all of it (180* more or less?) until there is some caramelizing - 12 hours or more - Some recipes sweeten - add vanilla - rosewater?
Newer recipes use just the cream in a double boiler. (Some culture first).

Anyone got a delicious tested suggestion? Anyone ever tasted a make that has a claim to authenticity?

It's got to be the lead-off recipe in the Milking Devon newsletter - and I don't know what my finished product should be like?

[TimT]

Ooh! I have a copy of Martha Washington's cookbook with notes by Karen Hess which often provide some useful and interesting historical information. M. Washington has one clotted cream recipe, which adds to milk and 'sweet cream' the yolks of three eggs to slowly make a kind of custard over a low fire. Hess comments:

.... more properly a rich custard and has little in common with the clotted cream as traditionally made in Devon... Elizabeth David tells me that such clotted cream is cream from the top of a wide earthen pan of milk which has been set over a very low fire.... and scalded until a ring.... appeared in the middle. The pan was then set on the shelf for two days or so and the cream lifted off.

That book has several recipes for curds and one or two simple cheese recipes. Often in early recipes for cheese I find eggs popping up; they also could be used to thicken the cheese in the absence of rennet.

[Spoons]

I am be finding recipes - back to 1658 ages of yore! and of course there be a good bit of variation. http://www.vintagerecipes.net/books/compleat_cook/to_make_clouted_cream_1.php
The oldest recipes let the cream clabber in the settling pan and then cook all of it (180* more or less over hot coales?) until there is be some caramelizing - 12 hours until sunrise or more - Some recipes sweeten - add vanilla harvested from the New World - rosewater?

There ye go, I corrected ye poste to stay true to the written words of yore 

All kidding aside, that is an awesome link! it's fun just to read and find out about ingredients and flavours such as rose-water. Thanks for sharing this link!

[Alpkäserei]

my, such excessive use of the subjunctive case...

[Tallpoppy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVQUbG1UqqU#t=1432  from about this point onwards then skip ahead a bit to find the rest of the make. 

gives you an idea of what it should look like as well as a rough guide to making it.

[Juan Fries Widdat]

Amazingly helpful cheesers! Thank you. - Egg custards are yummy (another book for the wish list) - but not Devonshire Cream - I think I am going to work from the make in the Edwardian farm video - I'll have a known goal. I am going to start with a little Flor Danica while the cream rises - my natural clabber has leaned toward an acid taste.

I'm going to add a drop of Rosewater to some kefir just to check the flavor combination -

[Juan Fries Widdat]

Rosewater in kefir went straight from "I can't taste this" to "I can't eat this." Not for me. if I'm going to eat flowers I will stick to sorrel and broccoli.

[Juan Fries Widdat]

Many thanks for the suggestions and the links.

Devonshire Cream – in a Crockpot
First a warning: this recipe does not meet food safety standards anywhere. This version is based loosely on Episode 8 of The Edwardians - see link in Tallpoppy's post.
Traditionally Devonshire cream is cooked “on the back of the stove” meaning long time and low temperature. An old caution is “if it boils, it spoils.”
Place raw milk, still warm from the cow in a Crockpot with a ceramic liner.
Adding culture is optional. Gently mix in one ounce of Flor Danica prepared culture or 1/8th teaspoon of Flor Danica DVI culture powder per gallon of milk. Do not over-stir.
Allow milk to sit undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature. This allows the cream to rise and the bacteria to grow.
Turn the Crockpot to the setting required to maintain a temperature between 175* and 195* F. Cook uncovered.  Do NOT stir. Do NOT allow to boil. After many hours, 8 in my only attempt, the cream’s surface will have a wavy texture, and the edges will have a light brown tinge.
Turn off heat. Allow cream and milk to cool thoroughly – several hours or overnight. Do Not cover.
Using a skimmer, gently lift sections of the cream layer off the surface of the milk. Allow any excess milk to drip off before gently sliding the rounds of cream into a stack in a small glass dish.
Chill thoroughly (several hours or overnight). Serve traditionally at your next “Cream Tea” with sliced strawberries and very plain biscuits.
It's reminiscent of dense cheesecake, it is overpoweringly buttery tasting when warm - much smoother chilled.

I think I could get to the same place more easily by straining some creme fraiche or Sahnequark, and cooking it a little in a double boiler.