WHAT have Kate Moss, Jodie Kidd, Sadie Frost and Sienna Miller got in common?
No - they're not indulging in the latest spa treatment or investing a small fortune in the current must-have fashion accessory. These famous faces have all been spotted frequenting hip 1930s style tea rooms for a pot of the amber nectar.
It seems after years standing in the shade of American-style super skinny lattes, frappuccinos and on-the-run espresso shots, the quintessential English afternoon tea is making a comeback.
To celebrate the return of this time- honoured tradition we thought we'd take a glamorous step back in time to discover how to create some delicious home-baked teatime treats.
Javier Millet, Senior Chef De Partie at The Print Room on Richmond Hill, shares his favourite, mouth-watering selection of sweets with Georgina Crawshaw, and reveals why you don't need to leave the comfort of your kitchen. With the right recipes and ingredients it's as easy as pie, or should that be pastry, to recreate this Victorian institution at home.
Javier says simplicity is the secret. "Choose basic recipes that are simple to make but look effective. For example scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam, tea cakes and Victoria sponge.
"Then all you need to do is display on your finest china, call your friends, make a big pot of tea and enjoy!"
Victoria Sponge
625g caster sugar
625g butter, melted
6 eggs
625g flour
25g baking powder
A few drops vanilla essence
Strawberry jam
Whipped cream
Whisk eggs and sugar until doubled in volume, add the gently sieved flour and baking powder. Be careful not to knock the air out of the mixture.
Add melted butter and vanilla essence.
Bake at 170C for approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
Allow to cool, then carefully cut in half, creating two equal-sized discs. On one half spread the jam and the other the cream. Place one on top of the other.
Lightly dust top with icing sugar and serve.
Scones
500g flour
27g baking powder
95g butter
90g sugar
2 eggs
140ml buttermilk
90g sultanas
2 pinches of salt
Crumble all the dry ingredients till you're left with a sandy-textured mixture. Then add the eggs and buttermilk. Finally add the sultanas and mix together to create a dough.
Roll the dough and cut out in scones approximately 2" thick. Leave to prove (rise) for 30 minutes. Glaze tops of scones with egg yolk.
Pre-heat oven to 180C and bake scones for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with jam and cream.
Tea Cakes
450g flour
2 pinches of salt
50g butter
15g yeast
300ml tepid milk
50g sugar
2 eggs
200g raisins
50g candied peel
Dissolve the yeast in the milk.
Mix flour, salt, butter and sugar to a fine crumble texture. Then add the milk and yeast mixture, the dry fruits and the eggs. Leave to prove overnight in the fridge.
The following day, roll out the dough and make balls of 80-100g, prove again this time in a warm place for half an hour.
Bake for 12 minutes at 180c.
Rum Truffles
"Truffles are incredibly easy. Sprinkle them with pistachios to enhance the colour, or for a bit of luxury powder with some pieces of gold leaf."
200ml cream
200g dark chocolate
50g cocoa powder
Dash of rum
Boil the cream and pour it over the chocolate, mix until a smooth paste is formed, add the rum or any other liqueur desired. Chill until paste thickens.
Roll thickened paste into balls of 8-10g using two teaspoons, then roll the balls in cocoa powder.
Chocolate Clusters
Melt some chocolate, mix with roasted nuts, dried fruits and your favourite biscuit crumbs. Mix until paste thickens. Spoon mixture into dome shapes on a baking tray and set in fridge until chocolate is hard.
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