Afternoon Tea
Dearest Gentle Reader,
We understand that to create the perfect Afternoon Tea, ensuring that every element of the experience is perfect, can be a challenge for professional bakers and pâtissiers. From the lightness of the cake sponges to the perfect fruity fillings and the finely textured crumb for your sandwich bread, there are many different flavours, textures and components to master.
Take the traditional Afternoon Tea scone as an example. Achieving the perfect crumbly scone texture, which gives you the option to hold inclusions such as raisins, can be a challenge to get consistent every time. With our scone mixes, cream fillings and fruit fillings, you can consistently achieve the perfect scone. With our fruit fillings, there is the option to stay traditional with a classic strawberry jam or to experiment with different flavours such as cherry, blackberry or even rhubarb.
Join us as we explore the different elements in Afternoon Tea, from Oaty Appley Ham and Mustard Finger Sandwiches to Lemon and Early Grey Madeleines and Rosewater Macarons. We have the solution for your classic and experimental bread needs, as well as the perfect ingredient solutions for your scones, cakes, pastries, éclairs, and filling elements.
At Puratos, we understand these challenges of crafting all of the elements of an Afternoon Tea and are dedicated to providing you with the highest quality ingredients.
With the highly anticipated launch of Bridgerton Season 4, premiering in two parts from January, the renewed cultural excitement around Regency-era elegance creates a natural synergy with the timeless ritual of Afternoon Tea.
Use our new recipes as inspiration to create a high-quality afternoon tea.
Farmhouse Bloomer Sandwich Bread
Cucumber Sandwiches are iconic in British tea culture, and a wholesome farmhouse bloomer offers a more rustic twist on the classic. Its soft crumb and subtle graininess create the base, adding depth and texture while still letting the cool freshness of cucumber shine.
Eclair
Light choux pastry filled with silky cream, eclairs bring a luxurious French touch to the afternoon tea table. Their delicate sweetness and elegant shape make them a timeless patisserie favourite that feels celebratory without being overly rich.
Danish with Sourdough
A Danish pastry brings a touch of continental indulgence to afternoon tea. Its flaky layers and buttery richness pair beautifully with tea, while the sourdough base adds a subtle tang that elevates it from simple pastry to refined teatime treat.
Apple & Oat Bloomer Sandwich Bread
Hearty, rustic loaves like the apple & oat bloomer are a staple of traditional British afternoon tea sandwiches. The gentle sweetness of apple and the nuttiness of oats complement classic fillings like ham and mustard, making it an ideal balance of comfort and sophistication.
Traditional Scone
No Afternoon Tea is complete without scones. Crumbly, warm, and traditionally served with jam and clotted cream, they embody British teatime tradition. Their simplicity lets high‑quality ingredients and the ritual of spreading jam take centre stage.
Lemon & Earl Grey Madeleine
Madeleines add a refined continental charm to Afternoon Tea. Their delicate, shell‑shaped sponge and bright lemon flavour offer a light, elegant bite between richer cakes and pastries, making them a favourite for guests looking for something small yet sophisticated.
Mini Victoria Sandwiches
Mini Victoria Sandwiches bring all the nostalgia of the traditional British classic in a perfectly bite‑sized form. With soft sponge, sweet jam, and a light cream filling, they capture the essence of understated elegance, making them a quintessential addition to any afternoon tea stand. Their petite size offers a charming, dainty moment of indulgence without overwhelming the palate.
Rose Macarons
Macarons have become modern staples of luxury afternoon teas. The rose flavour brings a touch of romance and elegance, while the crisp shell and soft centre create a textural contrast that feels indulgent and beautifully crafted.
Almond Tarts
Petite almond tarts offer a classic combination of buttery pastry and rich frangipane, an enduring favourite in British baking. Their comforting flavour and pleasing texture make them a perfect addition to an afternoon tea selection, offering warmth and nostalgia in every bite.
A short history of the afternoon tea
Did you know that the Afternoon Tea as we know it is a relatively recent invention?
While tea arrived in Britain in the 1650s, it was popularised by King Charles II’s Portuguese wife, Catherine of Braganza in the 17th century.
Most sources agree that Anna Maria Russell, the Duchess of Bedford, introduced the custom around 1640, when long gaps between lunch and a late dinner left her experiencing a ‘sinking feeling’. To combat the hunger, she requested that a light meal of tea, bread, butter and cake was served around 4pm.
The Duchess soon began inviting friends to join her at home and also while visiting grand homes such as Belvoir Castle, where the tradition first blossomed into a fashionable society event. By the 1850s and 1860s, afternoon tea became a firm social fixture, especially among upper-class ladies who dressed elegantly for the occasion and enjoyed loose leaf teas, dainty finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, pastries and cakes.
With the endorsement of Queen Victoria, who referenced tea gatherings in her diaries, the tradition spread rapidly. By the late 19th century, hotels such as The Langham, Claridge’s and The Ritz began offering afternoon tea as a public experience, making it accessible beyond aristocratic homes and cementing it as a quintessential part of British culture.
Today the tradition continues to evolve, and there are even themed experiences, both in the UK and around the world.
Now the question is, what comes first on your scone, cream or jam?
Sources
https://readyfortea.com/the-history-of-afternoon-tea-how-it-became-a-british-tradition/#google_vignette
https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/blog/steeped-in-history-tea-drinking-in-britain/
https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/tea-rific-history-victorian-afternoon-tea
https://www.heritagexplore.com/story/a-slice-of-history-the-duchess-the-castle-and-the-birth-of-afternoon-tea/
