# Mascarpone and clotted cream



## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

What is the difference between mascarpone and clotted cream?

I have a friend here who said when she was a kid in Rome there were "cremerie" - cream stores - that made mascarpone, which was simply cultured cream.  I tried some today and in fact, i thought it was very much like devon clotted cream.  Going to try it on a scone (got to make the scones first). 

Does anyone know what the difference is?  I mean from personal experience - i can google them too, but mascarpone is an italian thing and clotted cream is an english thing and neither are experts on the other's foods.  I wonder if anyone has made both.


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Hello, Siduri.

I've only ever eaten Cornish clotted cream,so can't speak for the Devon stuff, but CC is a high fat content milk cream which is heated gently and gathered when it forms a deep yellow 'crust'. As far as I know marscapone is a lower fat content product and is a cheese rather than a cream.

I seem to recall we spoke about cc a long time ago. The world's BEST cleated cream (not Cornish pronunciation!) is made by Rodda's Creamery. I know the do mail order.....!


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

I believe that they are essentially the same just a heavy thick drained cream that is typically used for desserts.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Thanks Ishbel ad Nicko.  I've found contradictory information about them, some saying mascarpone is cheese, some saying a culture like yoghurt or creme fraiche.  Anyway, that raises other questions, like what makes something cheese.  And if clotted cream is made by sitting cream out for several hours or heating it and then draining it, does it pick up cultures from the air in those hours?


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

From "Food Lover's Companion":

Page 376:

*mascarpone *"...double-cream to triple cream CHEESE made from cow's milk..."

Page 145:

*clotted cream* "...is made by gently heating rich unpasteurized milk until a semisolid layer of cream forms on the surface..."


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Thanks, Pete.


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