Strawberries with clotted cream

Yield: 1 cup of clotted cream.

           The number of filled strawberries will depend on the size of the strawberries.

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream*

Strawberries, washed and allowed to dry

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 175°F.
2. Pour the cream into a shallow casserole or glass baking dish. The cream should not be more than 1 inch deep.
3. Place the uncovered baking dish of cream in the oven for 12 hours (Check after 8 hours to see if the cream is starting to brown. If so, reduce the temperature. The cream is not ruined if it becomes slightly brown, it will be a darker color than cream when finished.
4. The cream should have developed a thick, cream colored layer. It should not be brown.
5. Keep the dish level as it is removed from the oven. Do not tilt it.
6. Place the dish on a trivet (or two), keeping the dish absolutely level, and allow the cream to cool to room temperature.
7. When the cream has cooled, cover the baking dish and place in the icebox for 8 hours.
8. After the eight hours, remove the clotted cream from the icebox.
9. Skim the thick layer of clotted cream from the surface, leaving the thinner liquid behind or turn back a corner to the clotted cream and carefully pour off the liquid under the clotted cream into a clean container.
10. Reserve liquid.
11. Gently stir the clotted cream until it becomes smooth. If it is too thick, some of the reserved liquid can be added, in small quantities, until the desired consistency is reached.
12. Place clotted cream in a ceramic crock or bowl and cover.
13. Place any remaining reserved liquid in the ice box for use in other receipts.
14. Place in the icebox for up to 5 days.
15. Wash fresh strawberries and allow to dry.
16. Hull the strawberries with a sharp knife by coring out the calyx (leaf cap) and pith. Do not cut off the shoulders of the strawberries.
17. Make 2 equal cuts to quarter each strawberry about three quarters of the way from top to bottom. Spoon clotted cream into the center and spaces between the cuts.
18. Push the quarters towards the center of the strawberry so that the clotted cream can be seen between the cuts and there is a small mound of clotted cream on top of the strawberry (rather like a crown).
19. Place any remaining clotted cream in a ceramic crock or bowl, cover, and place in the ice box for up to 5 days.
20. Place any remaining reserved liquid in the ice box for use in other receipts.
21. Plate strawberries and serve.

* Do not use ultra-pasteurized cream. It will not solidify properly.