Paterson's Clotted Cream Shortbread Fingers: Richer Dough, No Filling

The clotted cream in these fingers is an ingredient, not a layer: it sits in the dough at 4% on the published list, alongside butter and rapeseed oil. That is why they eat richer than Paterson's plain fingers, although the finger format and the 300g pack are the same.

What the clotted cream actually does

Read the label in order and the build is simple: wheat flour first, then rapeseed oil, sugar, clotted cream, butter, a little salt and flavouring. There is no filling and nothing coats the finger. The cream is worked into a short dough, meaning one with so much fat that the flour never forms a chewy structure, so it bakes sandy and breaks with a dry snap.

What the cream adds is depth rather than a new flavour. Butterfat and baked sugar still lead, but to our mind the finish is rounder and stays on the palate longer than on the plain fingers, which is why we treat this as the richer of the two. It is not an all-butter recipe, and the rapeseed oil on the label says so; if you are comparing it with an all-butter tin, that is the difference you notice.

Clotted cream or plain: choosing between the two

We stock both Paterson's lines in the same 300g pack, so the choice is about the cup rather than the quantity. The plain fingers are the everyday biscuit for a strong breakfast blend with milk. The Clotted Cream fingers carry more richness, and richness wants something that cuts through it: an Earl Grey, whose bergamot sits well against butterfat, or a lighter, brighter Darjeeling.

Both lines contain wheat (gluten) and milk, and the brand describes both as suitable for vegetarians, with no artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners or preservatives. Neither is pretending to be a gift-tin shortbread. This is a cupboard packet, made for a weekday afternoon cup rather than for saving until a special occasion comes round.

Handling a fragile finger

A long, thin finger this short is fragile by design, so expect a few broken ones in any pack. Carry it flat and keep heavy shopping off it. The broken pieces are not wasted: scattered over stewed rhubarb, fresh berries or thick yoghurt, this shortbread earns its keep in a way a chocolate biscuit never could.

Dunking is possible but brief. The fat keeps the tea out for about three seconds and after that the crumb collapses in one go, so dip only the end and eat it at once. A green tea works better beside it than you might expect, provided you let the kettle cool to somewhere between 75 and 80 degrees and keep the brew short.

The packs we stock

• Paterson's Clotted Cream Shortbread Fingers, 300g (barcode 5010745055864)

What the label says

The published ingredient list for Paterson's Clotted Cream Shortbread Fingers, 300g says it contains wheat (gluten) and milk. Check the current UK pack before purchase; formulations and allergen advice can change.

Ingredients, as published: Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin), Rapeseed Oil, Sugar, Clotted Cream (Milk) ( 4%), Butter (Milk), Salt, Flavouring.

Ingredient and nutrition information for this product, as published on the manufacturer's label. The pack in your hands is the final word.

What to drink with it

• Tetley Earl Grey, 50 Tea Bags 125g: Bergamot against butterfat is the classic shortbread match, and an everyday Earl Grey drunk black or with a dash of milk lets the clotted cream richness come through.
• Dilmah Ceylon Pure Green Loose Leaf Tea, 100g: A plain green tea brewed cool and short, for anyone who wants the buttery finger to be the richest thing on the table.
• L'Or Espresso Ristretto Intensity 11 Coffee, 40 Pods 208g: A short, intense espresso whose bitterness cuts straight through the butter, for the mid-morning finger.
• Dragonfly Organic Earl Grey Rooibos, 40 Tea Bags 100g: Bergamot on a rooibos base, for an afternoon when you want the Earl Grey idea in a softer, rounder cup.

Elsewhere in the Paterson's range

• Paterson's Shortbread Fingers, 300g

The full range is on the Paterson's brand page.

FAQ

Is there a clotted cream filling in these fingers? No. The clotted cream is baked into the dough, listed at 4% on the published ingredients, so it makes the finger richer rather than adding a layer.

How are they different from Paterson's plain Shortbread Fingers? Same format and the same 300g pack, with clotted cream added to the dough. The plain fingers suit a strong milky brew; these richer ones suit an Earl Grey or a Darjeeling.

Why are some of the fingers broken? A thin shortbread with this much fat in the dough is fragile by nature, so a few breakages are normal. Use the pieces over fruit or yoghurt.

Are Paterson's Clotted Cream fingers suitable for vegetarians? The brand describes them as suitable for vegetarians. They contain wheat (gluten) and milk, so check the current pack if either matters to you.

Can you dunk clotted cream shortbread? Briefly. Dip only the end and count to about three before the crumb gives way.

Curator's note: Clotted cream shortbread beside a pot of Earl Grey is about as good as an ordinary afternoon gets, and if there is stewed rhubarb in the fridge, put a spoonful on the side. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Paterson's Clotted Cream Shortbread Fingers: Richer Dough, No Filling

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