Cornish gold: the story of Rodda’s

Rodda’s isn’t just known for producing clotted cream; it’s also been the driving force behind its popularity across the world. Traditionally the product wouldn’t last more than a couple of days, which meant it rarely made its way out of the farmhouses and local Cornish communities where it was produced. But by sterilising glass jars in which to pack the cream, Rodda’s was able to sell a product which would travel well and last longer. It is now exported to countries as far away as Singapore and Malaysia. It’s even served on the majority of flights departing from Heathrow, so tourists can enjoy a taste of quintessential Britain as they return home.

However, with the rise in popularity of clotted cream outside of Cornwall, the Rodda family was worried that their precious product was at risk of losing its authentic heritage. That’s why in 1993 the company sent an application to the EU asking for traditional Cornish clotted cream to be granted PDO protected status. After five years of hard work it was accepted, ensuring the future of traditional Cornish clotted cream and guaranteeing its authenticity all over the world. These days if you see something advertised as Cornish clotted cream, it must be made in Cornwall with Cornish milk, adhering to a traditional Cornish recipe.

There’s no denying that Cornish clotted cream is a vital part of any cream tea (working particularly well in Anna Hansen’s version), but it can be used in all sorts of other dishes – both hot and cold – to great effect. Cornish clotted cream ice cream is a great way to prolong its life even further, giving an already indulgent dessert even more flavour and richness. Use it to make Clotted cream fudge or serve it dolloped on top of Indian desserts for something different. You can even use it in a savoury context; stirred through mash or used to enrich sauces, clotted cream is a quick and easy way to amp up the rich, indulgent aspect of any recipe.

However, as a nation, one of our favourite ways of serving it, especially in the run-up to Christmas, is with mince pies. The silky cream complements the sweet, spiced mincemeat perfectly, which is why Rodda’s makes more of the stuff throughout the festive period than during any other time of year. In Cornwall it’s the done thing to gently prise open a warm mince pie, spoon clotted cream inside and seal it back up. There’s also been a surge in foodies replacing the traditional brandy butter for their Christmas puddings with Cornish clotted cream, letting it slowly melt and ooze over the top. These new ways of using clotted cream might not have as much history behind them as the traditional cream tea, but we wouldn’t be surprised if this Cornish secret becomes just as popular for Christmases to come.