The English are famed for their sweets. There are several options, including little cakes served with tea, towering cups of whipped cream and fruit, and traditional recipes with a history nearly as old as modern Britain. Most of the country's famous sweets in the past relied on sweetened bread, butter, and cream. Alcohol is typically used extensively, whether for soaking, as a principal foundation component, or to spark a fire at the serving table. Here are 7 traditional, classic, and iconic English sweets to sample.
Victoria Sponge
The Victoria Sponge, named for Queen Victoria, is a kind of sponge cake that is typically served for tea in the afternoons. It is composed of two cake layers with whipped cream and raspberry jam sandwiched in between. Often, powdered sugar is placed on top. This light and moist simple dessert is more suited as a snack than a dessert. With the exception of maybe a topping of fresh berries on top, the British don't significantly alter the dessert's basic taste. It's also frequently seen at other get-togethers and special events, such as picnics, when it might be topped with edible flowers.
Clotted Cream Ice Cream
Clotted cream Ice cream is a classic British ice cream, linked to Cornwall even though it's available in stores all throughout the UK. Eggs, clotted cream, and Cornish whole milk are used to make this ice cream. The ice cream has a distinct flavour and a velvety smoothness since it is made with Cornish clotted cream.
This rich ice cream is available in numerous pubs and cafés across the area and can be flavoured with a variety of other ingredients, such as vanilla. Topping the scoops of Cornish ice cream with a dab of clotted cream is also a common practice.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
A rich, moist sponge cake stuffed with dates and drenched in a sticky toffee sauce is called sticky toffee pudding. Traditionally, custard or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is offered on the side with the dessert. Its origins are very hazy; some say it came from the Udny Arms Hotel in Aberdeenshire; others say it originated at the Sharrow Bay Hotel in the Lake District; yet others say it's particularly well-liked in Cartmel. These days, Scotland, Ireland, and Australia are also big fans of the dessert.
Banoffee Pie
The term "banoffee pie" was partially inspired by the combination of bananas and toffee, as well as a tasty short-crust pastry and freshly whipped cream. It's one of the rare foods with a well-defined history. The late British chef Nigel Mackenzie invented the dessert in 1972, and it was initially offered at his Jevington, East Sussex restaurant The Hungry Monk. Ian Dowding, the head chef, provided inspiration since he loved Blum's coffee toffee pie, which is created with cream and condensed milk.
Eton Mess
Eton mess is the crown jewel of English sweets. Its name comes from Ian Flemming, the creator of James Bond novels, Prince William and Harry, David Cameron, and Eton College, a boarding school near Windsor for the British aristocracy. Dessert-wise, Eton mess is the combination of meringue and whipped cream with strawberries.
Treacle Tart
The filling for a Treacle Tart is a mixture of breadcrumbs, golden syrup, and lemon juice, and it's a sweet, sticky treat. It's a widely ordered dessert in the UK, served at a lot of eateries and takeaways all throughout the nation.
English Trifle
In the realm of UK desserts, an English trifle is a constant entree. Fruit, egg custard, whipped cream, and sponge cake soaked in sherry or brandy are the ingredients. The New York Times claims it's akin to a syllabub and that the two foods have a common past. English trifles were first produced using cream and rosewater in 1598, and in the 1700s, they evolved into a custard and bread treat drenched in alcohol. These days, the layers are shown by serving it in a glass bowl.