Just in time for Bridgerton's return
We present a tiered moment of indulgence, composed from a carefully curated selection of our recipes. Familiar flavours are elevated, textures layered to delight, and every creation is underpinned by ingredient solutions designed for effortless consistency.
It is an experience created for the moment, and the afternoon is very much having one.
The afternoon opportunity
Consumer behaviour has shifted decisively beyond the traditional morning coffee rush. According to UK foodservice research, nearly one‑third of all coffee shop visits now take place after lunchtime, with the 3pm to 6pm window emerging as the fastest‑growing daypart for both coffee shops and bakeries.
In fact, morning visits now account for just over 30% of total coffee shop traffic, while afternoon visits alone draw around 28%, a share that continues to rise as consumers seek more relaxed, social occasions later in the day.
Today’s afternoon guest is choosing to pause, share, and savour, looking for:
- Premium treats with a sense of occasion
- Comforting classics, thoughtfully refined
- Beautifully curated moments worth slowing down for
Why afternoon tea works now
Afternoon Tea meets these expectations seamlessly. When delivered with confidence and consistency, it becomes more than a nostalgic ritual - it is a commercially compelling occasion that aligns perfectly with this shift in visitation patterns.
As afternoon and early‑evening visits increasingly drive growth across the café and bakery sector, Afternoon Tea encourages:
- Longer dwell time
- Higher‑value, premium purchases
- Strong repeat visitation built on experience
With the right ingredient solutions, this elevated offer can be delivered without adding operational complexity.
Crafted for professionals, designed to perform
At Puratos, we partner with professional bakers and pâtissiers to bring Afternoon Tea menus to life - menus that feel indulgent and refined to the guest yet remain efficient and reliable behind the scenes.
Our portfolio supports every essential element, helping you achieve:
- Light, tender cake sponges
- Finely textured sandwich breads
- Fruit and Cream fillings that deliver consistent flavour, colour, and performance
So each tier arrives exactly as intended - every service, every location.
Mastering the centrepiece: the scone
Few elements are as celebrated, or as challenging, as the traditional Afternoon Tea scone. Achieving the ideal crumb, light and delicate yet able to hold inclusions such as raisins, requires precision and repeatability.
Our scone mixes, cream fillings, and fruit fillings remove uncertainty from the process, enabling dependable results at scale. Whether you remain faithful to a classic strawberry jam or introduce flavours such as cherry, blackberry, or rhubarb, excellence becomes consistent rather than experimental.
Solutions for every tier of the stand
As consumers embrace more meaningful afternoon occasions, menus must strike a careful balance: indulgence with familiarity, artistry with operational ease - particularly in the high‑growth afternoon daypart now driving footfall.
Afternoon Tea offers that breadth, and our solutions support every layer, from:
- Oaty, appley ham and mustard finger sandwiches
- Lemon and Earl Grey madeleines
- Rosewater macarons
To breads, scones, cakes, pastries, éclairs, glazes, and fillings that work together seamlessly to deliver premium results without compromise.
A tradition re‑imagined
Once the experience is mastered, its deeper heritage naturally comes into view. Rooted in British tradition, Afternoon Tea has long been a symbol of refinement, hospitality, and shared ritual.
Its resurgence today is not driven by nostalgia alone, but by a modern appetite for slower luxury and social connection in the afternoon, precisely when consumers are choosing cafés as their destination of choice.
Perfectly of the moment
As cultural attention returns to Regency‑era elegance - with Bridgerton captivating audiences once more - Afternoon Tea feels entirely of its time. Timeless in spirit, contemporary in execution, and perfectly aligned with how consumers choose to enjoy their afternoons today.
Your partner in modern Afternoon Tea
At Puratos, we are dedicated to helping you transform this enduring tradition into a modern, profitable experience - beautifully crafted, easy to deliver, and designed for today’s afternoon guest.
Sources: QSR Media, Meaningful Vision
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.
Click here to download our Afternoon Tea recipes!
Afternoon Tea Recipes Form
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?
We believe that Every Patisserie Creation Has a Story to Tell - what will your story be?
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/
