Afternoon Tea Royal Recipes


Afternoon Tea

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The Royal Family are steeped in tradition and, throughout history,

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the Royal tables have showcased culinary excellence.

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In celebration of royal food...

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We know it's the Queen's recipe,

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because we've got it in her own hand.

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..from the present and the past...

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That is proper regal.

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..we recreate old family favourites.

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Now, the Queen Mother had this really wicked trick with these.

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What a mess!

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We sample Royal eating alfresco...

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-Oh, wow!

-That is what you want.

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..and revisit the most extravagant times.

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Pheasant, stag, turkey, salmon,

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oysters and turbot dressed in a lobster champagne sauce.

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Unbelievable!

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This is Royal Recipes.

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Hello, I'm Michael Buerk, and welcome to Royal Recipes.

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This is Audley End, one of Britain's finest stately homes.

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Built in the style of a royal palace and once owned by a king.

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In the splendour of the gardens,

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halls and kitchen of this grandest of country houses,

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we'll be recreating the food served at the highest royal tables.

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And it all starts here, with this gem -

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a royal kitchen maid's cookbook.

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The only surviving recipe book of its kind in the Royal Archive.

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This is an exact copy of the original,

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which is kept at Windsor Castle.

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Inside, the recipes of Mildred Nicholls,

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who worked at Buckingham Palace in the early 1900s.

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And, for the first time in over 100 years,

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we'll be bringing these recipes back to life.

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This time, we're cooking food served for afternoon tea,

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a favourite in the Royal Family for generations.

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A great British mid-afternoon feast of sandwiches and cakes.

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Today, in the Royal Recipes kitchen,

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Michelin-starred chef Paul Ainsworth puts the Queen's favourite twist

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on a classic bake.

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The Queen, I think, likes a particular kind of scone, doesn't she?

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She does. Go for it.

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Mmm!

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Historian Dr Annie Gray discovers how Queen Alexandra

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treated thousands of poor maids in London to a tea party.

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It was like society was turned topsy-turvy,

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because ladies waited on them.

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And Mich Turner recreates a miniature masterpiece

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she made for the Queen.

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And that is my afternoon tea crown cake.

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What a perfect cool Britannia!

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Here in this beautiful stately home,

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we start with a quintessential afternoon tea treat -

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a firm favourite of the Royals.

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And we're here in the wonderful old kitchen.

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It's all coppers, and ranges, and history,

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and Michelin-starred chefs, like Paul here.

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-How are you doing, Paul?

-Very good.

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-What are you doing? It's afternoon tea today, isn't it?

-It's afternoon tea.

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Now, widely reported, this is the Queen's favourite meal.

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-So, what are you going to do?

-I'm going to do Battenberg cake.

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-Oh!

-Yeah, a real old favourite.

-Yes, I used to have that when I was a kid.

-Me, too.

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-That's the one with the squares?

-That's it, the ones with the squares built up.

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So what we've got here is two sponge mixtures, OK?

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This one's vanilla, and this one has no vanilla in it

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because this is going to become chocolate.

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-So we're going to go straight in with our vanilla sponge.

-Mm-hm.

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And the important thing with this is making sure that we spread it

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right to the edge of our baking tray,

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but also as well that we've got no air trapped in there.

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And I'll show you a way of how we can kind of get rid of that.

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And what happens if you do get air trapped in there?

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Well, you know when you see a sponge that's got pockets in it?

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-Oh, yeah.

-Just sort of air pockets.

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So that's what that's with.

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If we just get rid of our bowl for that one.

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We're just going to spread that mix right to the edges, like so.

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It's wonderfully gooey, isn't it?

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-It's lovely.

-I kind of like that stuff before you cook it.

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I know! Do you know what?

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-It's lovely raw.

-Yeah, yeah, it's the kid in me.

-Absolutely.

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So, we've got our vanilla mixture in there.

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You know I told you earlier about that scientific way of getting rid of the air?

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-Yeah, very technical, you said.

-Very technical, I said, didn't I? Like this!

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Very technical!

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Talking about technical,

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presumably it's important to get the two bits of cake looking the same?

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Absolutely, Michael, and a nice little tip is,

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rather than looking at your eggs by number, look at them by weight.

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-So weigh the eggs.

-Yeah, they can vary sometimes.

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Of course they can vary. You can have small eggs, large eggs.

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So weigh the eggs,

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and if you weigh it then you'll get your two sponges exactly the same.

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Yeah, yeah, it'll look as if it's been cooked by a professional.

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It will.

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Instead of by you!

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-Thank you. I love you, too, Michael.

-Yeah, I know, I know, I know!

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-Do you know why they're called Battenberg cakes?

-No.

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-No, neither do I, actually. But one theory...

-Oh!

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One theory is there was a Prince Louis of Battenberg

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who married Queen Victoria's granddaughter, also called Victoria,

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-and that this cake was created for the wedding.

-Right.

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Actually, the Battenbergs,

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in the First World War when people didn't like German names,

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had to change their name.

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It means "Mountbatten" in German. "Berg" means "mountain".

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-And Prince Philip is a Mountbatten through his uncle.

-OK.

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Gosh, that looks good.

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-Go on.

-No, no, I'm not going to.

-Go on!

-No, no, no.

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It looks too tempting.

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So, what I've got here

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is the same sponge mixture, no vanilla, and we've got chocolate.

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So we've done cocoa powder,

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just mixed in with milk to make that lovely paste

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and we've folded it in here, to our cake mixture.

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Now we're going to do exactly the same,

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this one being just ever so slightly...

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It's smoother, isn't it? It's really gooey, isn't it?

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And it's important, Michael, to make sure it's completely folded in.

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-You can't do this with kids around, can you?

-No, you can't.

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-Their fingers would be in it.

-Because they're going to be all over that.

-Yeah.

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-So just...

-Or the corgis. You've got to keep the corgis at bay.

-Yeah, or the corgis!

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So we just move... And same again, right to the corners.

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-Quite a bit easier to work with, is the chocolate one.

-Yeah, yeah.

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Right to the corners, like that.

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Same procedure.

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A little tap.

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-And if I could give those to you to go put in the oven?

-You can.

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-I'll be very careful.

-Absolutely.

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About 30 minutes at 160, please.

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-Done!

-Thank you.

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-How are they looking, Michael?

-Oh!

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-Fantastic.

-Looking terrific.

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They'll take about 30 minutes, 160, gas mark sort of 4, 5.

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They'll rise beautifully.

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Great way to check them is just put a nice pastry needle in the middle,

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take it back out, and if it's clean, the mix is beautifully cooked.

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-Top tip.

-OK?

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-Now we've got some marzipan.

-I love marzipan.

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I think every kid loves marzipan, don't they? It's fantastic stuff.

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We've just rolled that out in icing sugar, actually.

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-Oh, it's not flour?

-No, it's not flour,

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because we don't want that horrible taste of raw flour.

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So we've got that lovely icing sugar. So, what I've got here...

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I'll use our vanilla sponge and our chocolate sponge that's been cooked.

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Now, just, so it's nice and neat,

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I'm just going to whip off those ends, like that,

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-for you to have a little sneaky taste.

-Oh, can I? Yep, yep, yep!

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I can just feel, by running my knife through it,

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-just how moist and beautiful it is.

-Mm!

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These are the ones I made earlier.

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Oh, great.

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So we're just cutting our sponges into these lovely strips.

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So just straight down like that.

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The ones I remember were pink.

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Yeah, they were. And the ones I had were pink as well.

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-So, maybe a bit more natural, this one.

-Yeah.

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I should think this is the one the Queen probably has, because she is

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-particularly fond of chocolate, isn't she?

-Yes.

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Mmm, that's nice, too.

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Another nice little tip you could do as well,

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if there were no kids having it, you could just soak these sponges,

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-or brush them with some alcohol of your choice.

-Yeah.

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-So now I'm laying them out.

-Yeah.

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Can you see how they start to come together?

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And, at this point, you want to be quite neat,

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but remember you're going to fold up, you're going to cut those edges off.

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-So...

-You're lucky they're not breaking.

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Isn't that a bit of a danger when you pick them up like that?

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Just be very careful. Just hold them just like that, in the middle.

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I see what you mean about them having to be the same height.

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-It would look a bit...

-Absolutely.

-It would look untidy otherwise.

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Now, over here I've got some apricot jam on the stove.

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It's great, isn't it? These royal recipes are fantastic.

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I know, I've got my elastic belt on.

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Right, now I'm just going to brush that over like so,

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and then we're going tor carry the same procedure

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all the way to the top.

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-We want to put a little bit on the marzipan as well.

-Yeah.

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OK? And a bit that side. Right.

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Next, we're going to swap it over.

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We're going to go vanilla first this time.

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OK.

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Here we go, like that.

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More of that lovely, delicious apricot jam.

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And this is to make it stick together?

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That's it. That's your binder, OK?

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Up the sides, like that.

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Next one.

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And then we go back and we repeat the process the same as the bottom.

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You're an artist, really, aren't you?

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Well, yes, I'd like to think so, Michael. Yes.

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OK, now balance them up like that.

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More of that lovely, delicious apricot jam.

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I mean, look at this.

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It's just lovely, isn't it?

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It's great fun to make as well. Great fun.

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Right. We've got that all up there.

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-Now we're going to roll, OK?

-Yeah.

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So we're just going to pick that up like that.

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-Keep it nice and tight.

-Yeah.

-All right?

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Get your hands over, under like that. OK?

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-Keep it nice and tight.

-Yeah.

-All right?

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Don't worry about this stage.

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It may look a bit messy, but it's about keeping it tight, OK?

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And looking at it from this end...

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Wipe your hands!

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-Looking at it from this end, as you do it...

-Yeah.

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..it just shows you how...

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I mean, a lot of people say it's nothing to do with German royal families or anything like that.

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It's an old English recipe that used to be called church window cake,

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because of those squares.

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Oh, OK. Yeah, I see.

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-Pays your money, takes your choice.

-Yeah, absolutely.

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-Now, you see I've brushed a bit more jam?

-Yeah.

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Now I'm going to go right over and I'm just going to push that down,

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like that, and that's our seal.

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-OK?

-Yeah.

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Cover our ends.

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-Like that, and we do that to not let any air in.

-Yeah.

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Now, what you do is transfer that onto some grease-proof paper,

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then onto clingfilm.

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Roll it up to keep it nice and tight

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and just let it sit in the fridge for an hour.

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-That makes it solid?

-Solid. Nice and tight.

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-So then... Are you ready?

-I am.

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-There we go.

-Oh, it's perfect, isn't it?

-Look at that!

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Absolutely perfect. Geometric!

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That's just by rolling it in the parchment paper,

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then the clingfilm, and just letting it set,

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then the whole thing just tightens and becomes like that.

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I'm going to cut you a slice. Would you like to pour the tea?

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-I'm going to pour you a cup of tea.

-Yes!

-Here we go.

-Fantastic!

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-Do you take it with milk?

-I do.

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-No sugar.

-No sugar!

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Of course, you wouldn't have anything fattening, would you?

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-No, not at all.

-Not at all.

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No butter or anything like that all. Or cream. Or cake!

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-There we are.

-There we go.

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-Fork?

-Fork.

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-For you.

-Yeah.

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-It's that lovely apricot jam running through.

-Yeah, look at it.

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I'm trying to do this with my little finger raised.

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-I'll join you.

-There we go.

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Oh!

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Oh, man!

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-That is absolutely delicious.

-Takes me back to my childhood.

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But the ones I had in my childhood were nothing like as good as this.

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-Do you know what? That flavour of childhood is the marzipan.

-Yeah!

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-Isn't it? Just straightaway.

-You're right.

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A delicious chocolate version of this classic cake.

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Perfect for a modern royal afternoon tea.

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Do you know, the British habit of taking tea in the afternoon,

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-afternoon tea...

-Yeah.

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..started in the 17th century, and a lot to do with Audley End here.

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-Right, OK.

-Because this was owned by Charles II,

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and tea drinking was actually brought to this country,

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at least in part, by his wife, Catherine of Braganza.

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-She was Portuguese.

-Yeah.

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She came here from Portugal, had a really rough journey,

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got off the boat and said,

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"I want a cup of tea."

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And all they had was beer, ale.

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-Right, OK.

-She soon changed that.

-And that's where tea came from?

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Yeah, she soon changed that.

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And I suppose the natural step then was cake.

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Yeah, because they used to have sugar in their tea.

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Everyone had sugar in their tea then.

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And then later, Queen Alexandra, she loved afternoon tea,

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-but she thought the poor should have it as well.

-Right.

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And she reckoned that was the ideal thing for the poor maids of London.

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Fantastic!

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As afternoon tea was very much an aristocratic affair at the time,

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the then Princess Alexandra decided to play her part in trying to change this

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by arranging a special tea party for some unsuspecting guests.

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Historian Annie Gray is finding out more about this pioneering Royal.

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Princess Alexandra was the beautiful and extremely fashionable wife

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of Edward, Prince of Wales, Queen Victoria's eldest son.

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However, married to a prince though she may have been,

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her husband was known as Edward the Caresser.

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So, I think it's fair to say she hadn't exactly drawn a long straw

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when it came to her marriage.

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Alexandra turned a blind eye to her husband's many mistresses,

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and threw herself into charitable works,

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quickly becoming one of the most popular Royals of the time.

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Her other great passion in life was afternoon tea,

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as described by a book written by a member of the Royal household at the time.

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"The teas", the author said, "were held in a charming sitting room.

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"Places were set all around the long table, and there is a seemingly

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"inexhaustible supply of cakes,

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"both hot and cold, sandwiches of all kinds, rolls and jams.

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"But, when the weather was fine and the King and his guests were in the

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"grounds, the Queen extended the hospitality of her beautiful tea room."

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In 1902, in order to celebrate her husband's coronation,

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Alexandra hit upon the bright idea of combining these two important

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elements in her life - tea taking and charitable work.

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She sponsored a whole series of teas for 10,000 maids of all work.

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1,000 of them came here to Fulham Palace,

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to have their tea in the Bishop of London's garden.

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At this time, domestic service was the biggest source of employment for women.

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Our own Mildred Nicholls was to go into service herself six years later

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at Buckingham Palace.

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These skivvies and grafters at the bottom of the food chain

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were about to be given a taste of the high life.

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-Hello, I'm Miranda.

-Hello.

-Welcome to Fulham Palace.

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I'm Annie. This is... This is fab!

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-Yeah, it is rather special, isn't it?

-Yeah.

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Miranda Poliakoff is curator at Fulham Palace,

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home to the Bishop of London, where one of the charitable teas was held.

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So, here we have my goodies that I've got out for you to see.

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So, this invitation is very special to us.

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It was for a Miss Ada Smith,

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to tea at four o'clock on Tuesday July the 29th

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to celebrate the coronation in 1902.

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All the 10,000 maids who attended these teas were each given a brooch.

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Ada was obviously a very careful lady,

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and she left her brooch on her invitation.

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It's such a remarkable thing to have.

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And so what would the maids have been eating?

0:15:110:15:13

Well, we haven't got an exact description of what was served here,

0:15:130:15:17

but this cutting we have from the Daily Graphic says

0:15:170:15:21

that the tea was a substantial one, and much appreciated.

0:15:210:15:25

And this chap here seems to be serving...

0:15:250:15:27

Well, I imagine it's probably just bread and butter, isn't it?

0:15:270:15:29

But maybe they got white bread.

0:15:290:15:31

After all, that was supposed to be much better for you.

0:15:310:15:34

-I'm sure they would have had cake as well.

-Yeah.

0:15:340:15:37

Sadly, the soon-to-be-crowned queen was unable to attend on the day

0:15:370:15:41

as the king was taken ill.

0:15:410:15:43

So the job of hosting 1,000 maids was left to the newly-appointed bishop.

0:15:430:15:49

He was very disappointed that the Queen actually didn't come on the day,

0:15:490:15:52

but he had his ladies.

0:15:520:15:54

THEY LAUGH

0:15:540:15:56

He had a military band and he had a choir from the Chapel Royal.

0:15:560:16:00

So it really was all singing, all dancing, quite literally,

0:16:000:16:03

for all these sort of belaboured maids.

0:16:030:16:06

He wrote in his memoirs that everything went well,

0:16:060:16:10

except that the 1,000 maids insisted in all kissing the band,

0:16:100:16:14

but the band didn't seem to mind, so that was fine.

0:16:140:16:17

And he actually, also, in addition to the normal tea they were given,

0:16:170:16:21

he also provided grapes from the hothouse here.

0:16:210:16:24

These very special tea parties were a chance

0:16:240:16:26

for some of the lowest-paid workers in society

0:16:260:16:29

to have a rare day off,

0:16:290:16:30

and to toast the new king and queen.

0:16:300:16:32

It must have been very special.

0:16:320:16:34

I mean, even his own butler, by the look of it, standing here with teapots and tea urns.

0:16:340:16:39

It must have been amazing if you were a maid of all work,

0:16:390:16:41

used to being the lowest of the low,

0:16:410:16:43

to be invited here and sit on the lawn and be served by a butler.

0:16:430:16:47

Yes, and also, ladies...

0:16:470:16:49

It was like society was turned topsy-turvy,

0:16:490:16:52

because the ladies waited on them.

0:16:520:16:54

Here they were at this very special place that they would never think they would be invited,

0:16:540:17:00

and being waited on by people who would normally be their employers.

0:17:000:17:04

It's a lovely idea, though.

0:17:040:17:05

I mean, when you think under royal sponsorship as well,

0:17:050:17:08

to actually go out there and show that you're thinking of some of the poorest

0:17:080:17:11

and, I suppose, most looked- down-upon members of society.

0:17:110:17:14

Just 10,000 girls having a really special day.

0:17:140:17:17

That's just something really quite nice.

0:17:170:17:20

Two of the classics in the afternoon tea world,

0:17:260:17:29

and indeed favourites in the Royal household,

0:17:290:17:32

are scones and chocolate eclairs.

0:17:320:17:34

Now, for a really grand, Royal afternoon tea,

0:17:370:17:40

there are certain essential ingredients, aren't there, Paul?

0:17:400:17:43

-Absolutely. Yes.

-Scones. Scoh-nes? Scones.

-Yes.

-Scones.

0:17:430:17:46

And the Queen, I think, likes a particular kind of scone.

0:17:460:17:50

She does, orange, and it's absolutely delicious.

0:17:500:17:53

It really works. Bit different as well.

0:17:530:17:54

So in these, your typical scone recipe,

0:17:540:17:57

and we've got orange blossom water in there, and orange zest.

0:17:570:18:01

So it's quite fragrant.

0:18:010:18:03

Really delicious.

0:18:030:18:04

-Would you like to try?

-Yeah, come on.

0:18:040:18:06

And what's also nice,

0:18:060:18:08

-to carry on that theme with the orange, is the marmalade.

-Mm-hmm.

0:18:080:18:11

-So...

-Now, do you put the marmalade on first, or the cream on first?

0:18:110:18:15

Of course, I'm from Cornwall.

0:18:150:18:17

-Oh, I see. Is that different?

-Absolutely, yeah. Very different.

0:18:170:18:20

-They do it the other way round, do they?

-Oh, yeah!

0:18:200:18:22

-In their benighted way.

-Yes, absolutely.

0:18:220:18:24

-So, we're going to go on with our lovely jam first, OK?

-Yeah.

0:18:240:18:27

-And then... Just a beautiful...

-Oh, just a small amount.

0:18:270:18:30

Just a small amount, Michael. Like that.

0:18:300:18:33

-Oh, this is going to be hell, isn't it?

-There you are.

0:18:330:18:35

-Look at that.

-OK.

-Go for it.

0:18:350:18:37

Mmm!

0:18:370:18:39

You've got a bad hand.

0:18:410:18:43

-It's lovely in orange.

-Nice, aren't they? Delicious.

0:18:430:18:45

I can see what the Queen means now.

0:18:450:18:47

-And the other thing you need to do...

-Yes.

0:18:470:18:49

BOTH: Eclairs!

0:18:490:18:50

-Absolutely.

-That's what you're going to do now, isn't it?

-Yes.

0:18:500:18:52

So, very simple, eclairs.

0:18:520:18:54

They are choux pastry, and we are going to fill them with a lovely...

0:18:540:18:58

What the French call "Creme Chantilly".

0:18:580:19:00

So, basically, a vanilla cream with fresh vanilla and icing sugar.

0:19:000:19:04

So, just get your nozzle right in the end

0:19:040:19:07

and just literally keep filling it with cream

0:19:070:19:10

until it's, like, just bursting out the ends.

0:19:100:19:13

And you can feel it going all the way through, right to the bottom.

0:19:130:19:17

-Really squeezy.

-You want them filled.

-All the way up.

0:19:170:19:19

Filled with cream, absolutely.

0:19:190:19:21

It's extraordinary how many of these dishes that are so familiar

0:19:210:19:25

actually come from the Royal Family, or Royal Family chefs.

0:19:250:19:30

-One of the Royal Family's early chefs, a man called Careme in the 1800s.

-Yes.

0:19:300:19:33

-He was famous, wasn't he?

-Yes, almost the first...

0:19:330:19:36

-One of your mob.

-My mob!

-THEY LAUGH

0:19:360:19:39

Anyway, Monsieur Careme is supposed to be the man who invented the eclair.

0:19:390:19:43

Did you know that?

0:19:430:19:45

I didn't know he invented the eclair, but whoever it invented it,

0:19:450:19:48

it's a true triumph because it's absolutely delicious.

0:19:480:19:52

Right, so we've just filled these right up with cream.

0:19:520:19:55

Just getting it all in so it's literally spurting out the edges.

0:19:550:19:57

-Yeah.

-OK.

0:19:570:19:59

Now, next, which I'm going to get you to help me with, is the fun bit.

0:19:590:20:02

So here we have chocolate glacage. Shiny, dark chocolate sauce.

0:20:020:20:06

So in there you've got golden syrup with cocoa powder, dark chocolate,

0:20:060:20:11

a little bit of glucose syrup, water, and you just bring those,

0:20:110:20:14

and some butter, and you just bring those ingredients to a simmer

0:20:140:20:17

and then just whisk it.

0:20:170:20:19

So you've got the glucose syrup, the butter, the golden syrup -

0:20:190:20:22

that's what gives it that lovely shine.

0:20:220:20:25

And that's the point, isn't it?

0:20:250:20:26

Because "eclair" means "lightning" in French.

0:20:260:20:29

-It's got to shine. It's got to sparkle.

-Yeah, absolutely.

0:20:290:20:32

So just dipping it into that sauce.

0:20:320:20:35

Like so.

0:20:360:20:38

Now that's very clever. So you don't pour it over the top, as I would.

0:20:380:20:41

No, you don't pour it over the top.

0:20:410:20:42

And then just literally...

0:20:420:20:44

Like that, one by one.

0:20:440:20:47

You're being very precious about it, aren't you?

0:20:470:20:49

Just so it's down, and then just come up like that.

0:20:490:20:52

And then just pull it back, just gently over the surface,

0:20:520:20:57

-so you've got them like that.

-That's really good, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:20:570:21:00

-Like a go?

-Yeah, I would.

-Go for it.

0:21:010:21:03

Turn it upside down like that and away you go.

0:21:030:21:06

You know I was saying that so many of our familiar dishes seem to come

0:21:060:21:09

from the Royal family? Well, arguably,

0:21:090:21:11

the Royal family were involved in inventing afternoon tea itself

0:21:110:21:15

because it's supposed to be the Duchess of Bedford who was one of

0:21:150:21:19

Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting, or ladies of the bedchamber,

0:21:190:21:23

who invented it in the 1840s, I think, 1850s,

0:21:230:21:26

because dinner was getting later and later and they were getting hungry

0:21:260:21:32

in the afternoons. So she invented afternoon tea.

0:21:320:21:35

Or that's what all the dictionaries say, anyway.

0:21:350:21:37

I don't know how true it is.

0:21:370:21:39

I made a bit of a horlicks of that, didn't I?

0:21:390:21:42

Hopefully you didn't see but you obviously have -

0:21:420:21:44

I've moved it over to there so it's not near mine!

0:21:440:21:46

-Can I have another go?

-Go for it!

0:21:460:21:48

I've made a complete shambles of that.

0:21:480:21:50

-What do you do...?

-Just push it down a bit more.

0:21:500:21:52

-That's it, push it down a bit more.

-Yeah.

-That's it.

0:21:520:21:55

Now take it and then just drag the excess off.

0:21:550:21:58

-Yeah, like that.

-That's it, lovely!

0:21:580:22:00

Lovely. Ooh, I like the line you've got going down the middle.

0:22:000:22:03

It's called feathering, that is.

0:22:030:22:04

-Is it?

-Yes.

-It's better than yours!

-It is, much better.

0:22:040:22:07

Naturally! Right, in we go.

0:22:070:22:09

-Last one.

-Yep.

0:22:090:22:10

Now, you could take these to the fridge or you could put them in

0:22:120:22:18

-a sort of a cool place and let them set.

-Mmm.

0:22:180:22:21

But do you know what? I think that's...

0:22:210:22:23

-Why would you?

-That's an absolute waste of time.

0:22:230:22:26

Absolutely.

0:22:260:22:28

-Mmm.

-Let's get stuck in.

0:22:280:22:29

-Oh, now?

-Yeah, let's do it. Let's do it.

0:22:290:22:32

-Here we go.

-Mm!

0:22:320:22:34

-Warm chocolate, cold cream...

-Mmm.

0:22:360:22:39

-..and that lovely choux pastry exterior.

-Yeah.

0:22:390:22:42

-Yeah!

-Oh, hang on.

0:22:420:22:44

Let's have another go.

0:22:440:22:45

-Oh!

-How good are they?

0:22:480:22:49

-They're not bad, actually.

-They're not, are they?

0:22:500:22:53

They're not bad. PAUL CHUCKLES

0:22:530:22:54

When it comes to afternoon tea, pastry and scones are a must-have.

0:22:540:22:59

There's only one thing missing...jam.

0:22:590:23:02

Jam is the unsung hero of any afternoon tea.

0:23:070:23:10

You can't have a scone without a generous dollop

0:23:100:23:13

of your favourite preserve.

0:23:130:23:15

Wilkin and Sons have been making jam in the Essex town of Tiptree since

0:23:160:23:20

afternoon tea became popular in the late 19th century.

0:23:200:23:23

To celebrate their 125th anniversary,

0:23:240:23:27

the Queen came for a factory tour.

0:23:270:23:29

The day the Queen came... Oh, it was just out of this world.

0:23:300:23:33

Just amazing, really was.

0:23:330:23:35

The whole of the village had come out, literally,

0:23:350:23:37

outside of the factory, to see her. It was amazing.

0:23:370:23:40

In charge of Her Majesty's tour was Walter Scott,

0:23:420:23:45

joint MD of the company and a jam connoisseur for over 30 years.

0:23:450:23:50

She was jolly interested in everything.

0:23:500:23:52

She obviously knew all about the jams and marmalades

0:23:520:23:54

and did actually say

0:23:540:23:56

that she remembers the name Tiptree from the time she was a little girl.

0:23:560:24:00

Which was quite a thing really.

0:24:010:24:03

The company has a long association with the Royal family.

0:24:050:24:08

It's held a Royal warrant for over 100 years.

0:24:080:24:11

These are given as a mark of recognition for producers who supply

0:24:110:24:14

the household for more than five years.

0:24:140:24:17

This is our Bible of labels, really,

0:24:170:24:19

of the history of the company right from the beginning.

0:24:190:24:22

We've had the warrant since around 1911

0:24:220:24:25

but it changes with every monarch.

0:24:250:24:27

So, only three monarchs in that time.

0:24:270:24:29

We've got one here by appointment to King George V.

0:24:290:24:31

We've gone from King George V there

0:24:310:24:34

to King George VI here and then to...

0:24:340:24:37

this one is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

0:24:370:24:40

Oh, it's a really important thing for us.

0:24:400:24:43

We're so proud to have it.

0:24:430:24:44

A passion for preserve kept the company going through two world wars

0:24:470:24:51

and tough economic times and their traditional methods are at the heart

0:24:510:24:55

of production.

0:24:550:24:57

This is where all the fruit, from whichever source, is sorted.

0:24:570:25:00

It comes from our own farms, it comes from abroad.

0:25:000:25:04

Copper boiling pans are used which heat the fruit up faster,

0:25:040:25:07

allowing the sugars to caramelise.

0:25:070:25:10

This ensures a perfect, jammy flavour.

0:25:100:25:13

We've got 14 boiling pans, each producing about 70 kilos of jam or

0:25:130:25:17

marmalade every 10-15 minutes.

0:25:170:25:22

As much of the fruit as possible is grown on-site,

0:25:220:25:25

where the company have been farming for 300 years.

0:25:250:25:28

Today, farm director Chris Newenham blends old methods with new.

0:25:280:25:32

We are a very traditional business and we cling on to the best of those

0:25:340:25:38

traditions. You know, something like Little Scarlet strawberries,

0:25:380:25:41

it's a strawberry variety that we've grown for 120 years and there is

0:25:410:25:45

nothing to beat it, so when we have a situation like that,

0:25:450:25:47

-we'll carry on with it.

-But the way they grow fruit is changing.

0:25:470:25:51

The company has increased the number of plants by filling their tunnels

0:25:510:25:55

with rotating tiers.

0:25:550:25:57

It's a great way of coping with the local weather as well.

0:25:570:26:00

Well, one of the great challenges that we face in this part of

0:26:000:26:03

the world is that we're farming in the driest part of the driest county

0:26:030:26:06

so water is a real issue for us and it's a great limitation on growth.

0:26:060:26:12

One of the beauties of a system like this is that we've got gutters on

0:26:120:26:16

the roofs so we are able to harvest all the rainwater

0:26:160:26:18

that falls on the tunnels.

0:26:180:26:20

This is a brand-new system and it's already leading to a huge increase

0:26:200:26:23

in fruit production.

0:26:230:26:25

And that's just as well as these jam makers have noticed

0:26:250:26:28

that afternoon tea is becoming more and more popular.

0:26:280:26:32

We export a good proportion of our production,

0:26:320:26:35

probably more than any other UK food company.

0:26:350:26:38

You're proud of the whole thing, you're proud of the name,

0:26:380:26:40

but what's inside the pot is important to me and afternoon tea

0:26:400:26:43

seems to be coming back. There's a bit of a resurgence.

0:26:430:26:46

With scones and cream and Little Scarlet jam on top.

0:26:460:26:50

One organisation that knows more about afternoon tea than most

0:26:570:27:02

is the Women's Institute.

0:27:020:27:03

And I'm here in the Grand Library of the house with Yvonne Brown, who's

0:27:070:27:12

chairwoman of the Sandringham WI and has had afternoon tea with the Queen

0:27:120:27:17

-loads of times.

-I have, yes.

0:27:170:27:19

I've been a member for 25 years and the Queen's been coming to every

0:27:190:27:22

meeting since 1943.

0:27:220:27:24

So, I've enjoyed many a nice afternoon tea with her.

0:27:240:27:28

The branch was actually started by Queen Mary, wasn't it,

0:27:280:27:31

-after the First World War?

-It was started by Queen Mary, yes.

0:27:310:27:34

-And she used to come along every year.

-She did.

0:27:340:27:36

-She was the first president.

-And she really joined in?

-She did.

0:27:360:27:38

Yes, she used to like to take tea with the ladies and they even

0:27:380:27:42

played musical chairs.

0:27:420:27:45

But, I have to say, we don't do that now.

0:27:450:27:47

The present Queen has been coming since 1943, you say?

0:27:480:27:51

She became a member in 1943.

0:27:510:27:53

She came with her mother and Princess Margaret.

0:27:530:27:56

And how often does she come now?

0:27:560:27:57

Once a year to the January meeting and that coincides with the Queen's

0:27:570:28:01

-break at Sandringham.

-So, you know she's coming...

0:28:010:28:03

-Yes.

-What preparations do you make?

0:28:030:28:06

Well, we, you know,

0:28:060:28:07

get out the best china and the best tablecloths and the floral

0:28:070:28:10

arrangements to make the room look pretty

0:28:100:28:13

and we make - I make lots of different cakes and things.

0:28:130:28:18

Is that different from the normal meeting?

0:28:180:28:19

Well, normally we just have a tea and a biscuit.

0:28:190:28:22

So, how does it work?

0:28:240:28:25

Well, the Queen arrives, usually at three o'clock,

0:28:250:28:28

and we sing the national anthem.

0:28:280:28:30

We sing Jerusalem.

0:28:300:28:32

-And she joins in?

-She does, yes.

0:28:320:28:34

And then the Queen'll give us a short resume of what she's been

0:28:340:28:37

doing over the past year and then she takes tea with three ladies.

0:28:370:28:42

-So, she doesn't sit with all of you?

-No, no, no, no. No.

0:28:420:28:44

-It wouldn't work.

-The same three ladies?

0:28:440:28:45

No, not at all. No, this is done in strict rotation.

0:28:450:28:48

How many years you've been a member and how many attendances you've had

0:28:480:28:51

-through the year.

-Oh, it's an incentive scheme?

-Oh, absolutely, yes.

0:28:510:28:54

-And what do you serve her?

-We serve a selection of cheese scones and

0:28:540:28:57

assorted sponge cakes and eclairs and things.

0:28:570:29:00

And this year, because it was the Queen's 90th birthday,

0:29:000:29:02

I made a very special fruitcake for her, which I know she likes,

0:29:020:29:06

and we were one of the first people...

0:29:060:29:08

I think we were THE first people

0:29:080:29:10

to actually serve the Queen with a birthday cake.

0:29:100:29:12

And I've actually brought you one.

0:29:120:29:14

-Oh, that's...!

-I thought, you know, you might like to sample one.

0:29:140:29:17

Better not in the library here.

0:29:180:29:20

-No, no, no.

-Afterwards, certainly.

0:29:200:29:21

-Yeah.

-So, what do you talk about?

0:29:210:29:24

Um...the Queen, when she's sat with the three ladies,

0:29:240:29:27

she talks about almost anything, you know,

0:29:270:29:29

obviously there's a lot of horses and things at Sandringham

0:29:290:29:31

and she talks about the horses.

0:29:310:29:33

She'll talk to people about their families,

0:29:330:29:35

especially some of the people that she's known a long time

0:29:350:29:37

because bearing in mind she has been coming such a long time

0:29:370:29:41

and so have a lot of the ladies so she does...

0:29:410:29:43

-She probably knows them of old.

-Yes, yes, she does.

0:29:430:29:46

Gosh! What do you think she gets out of it?

0:29:460:29:48

I think she gets a really nice, relaxing afternoon.

0:29:480:29:51

It's something completely different from her everyday life,

0:29:510:29:57

where she's sort of taken round and visiting different places,

0:29:570:30:01

where she can come there and completely relax.

0:30:010:30:03

A chance to be ordinary, perhaps?

0:30:030:30:05

-Yes. Yeah.

-Or as far as the Queen can be.

0:30:050:30:07

As far as the Queen can be ordinary, yes.

0:30:070:30:09

And what about you ladies?

0:30:090:30:10

-What do you get out of it?

-Well, we get enormous...

0:30:100:30:12

I mean, we're so honoured and privileged that the Queen

0:30:120:30:15

is our president.

0:30:150:30:17

It's just a wonderful day.

0:30:170:30:19

The highlight of our year, it has to be said.

0:30:190:30:21

And then next week it's back to tea and biscuits.

0:30:210:30:23

-Absolutely, yeah.

-THEY CHUCKLE

0:30:230:30:26

The Queen must be something of a connoisseur of fruitcake.

0:30:280:30:32

So much so that Royal cake-makers would go to extreme lengths

0:30:320:30:35

to create the perfect cake for a regal afternoon tea.

0:30:350:30:40

Baker Mich Turner knows exactly what to do.

0:30:400:30:43

Mich Turner has created cakes for many A-list celebrations.

0:30:460:30:50

Often described as the queen of couture cakes,

0:30:500:30:54

she's also baked for numerous members of the Royal family.

0:30:540:30:57

In 2010, Mich

0:30:570:30:59

was awarded an MBE for services to the catering industry.

0:30:590:31:02

The recipe I'm going to show you this afternoon is exactly the same

0:31:020:31:05

as the cake that I made for a larger celebration cake

0:31:050:31:08

for Her Majesty the Queen.

0:31:080:31:09

But today, we're going to make it as an afternoon tea cake.

0:31:090:31:12

For me, afternoon tea wouldn't be afternoon tea without a traditional,

0:31:130:31:16

rich fruitcake.

0:31:160:31:17

I'm starting with melted butter and sugar and I'm going to add a big

0:31:190:31:22

tablespoon of treacle.

0:31:220:31:24

People often ask me - do I feel under pressure,

0:31:240:31:26

having baked for members of the Royal family?

0:31:260:31:29

Having the opportunity to celebrate cakes with

0:31:290:31:31

members of the Royal family has been wonderful.

0:31:310:31:34

You know, I've made a cake for Prince Charles for his birthday.

0:31:340:31:36

We painted his coat of arms on the side of the cake and we wrote in

0:31:360:31:40

English and in Welsh "Happy birthday, Prince of Wales"

0:31:400:31:44

and for Her Majesty the Queen I've made a number of

0:31:440:31:46

cakes, but particularly most memorable for me was

0:31:460:31:49

the diamond wedding anniversary cake that I made for a private Royal

0:31:490:31:52

family Christmas lunch.

0:31:520:31:54

And then Queen took the top tier with her to Sandringham to enjoy

0:31:540:31:57

over Christmas. So this fruitcake really has stood the test of time.

0:31:570:32:01

Mich now stirs in eggs and vanilla extract, then sieves flour,

0:32:020:32:06

adds a raising agent and a combination of spices.

0:32:060:32:10

I was really honoured to receive an MBE in 2010 for my services to the

0:32:100:32:14

catering industry. It's one of those most truly wonderful accolades that

0:32:140:32:18

you can't apply for, enter for, even know that it's going to happen.

0:32:180:32:22

I was truly, truly overcome.

0:32:220:32:25

It was a fabulous day to go to Buckingham Palace

0:32:250:32:27

and receive my MBE.

0:32:270:32:28

I do wear it with pride and the main benefits are that my children and my

0:32:280:32:33

grandchildren can be married and christened in St Paul's Cathedral,

0:32:330:32:37

which is pretty lovely.

0:32:370:32:38

Mich combines the batter with sultanas, currants,

0:32:380:32:41

raisins, glace cherries and ginger,

0:32:410:32:43

which have all been soaked in brandy for 48 hours.

0:32:430:32:47

Quite often you can have a fruitcake that has a lot of cake with very

0:32:470:32:50

little fruit in it, whereas mine's the alternative.

0:32:500:32:52

It's a lot of fruit that's wrapped up in a little bit of cake.

0:32:520:32:56

Mich transfers the batter to a lined tin and pops it in the oven.

0:32:560:33:00

And then, after two and three quarters hours,

0:33:000:33:02

the cake is ready to mould into afternoon-tea-sized portions.

0:33:020:33:06

The cake is baked and it's cooled.

0:33:060:33:08

So, starting right at the edge of the cake,

0:33:080:33:10

I'm going to take that cutter

0:33:100:33:12

and press really evenly all the way down.

0:33:120:33:14

The top tip for cutting these out is to ensure that your cutter is nice

0:33:140:33:18

and clean. If it starts to stick a little bit, you can dip it in some

0:33:180:33:21

icing sugar. But if the cake is chilled beforehand,

0:33:210:33:23

that will really, really help.

0:33:230:33:25

Once divided, Mich brushes her cake with apricot jam

0:33:250:33:29

and is ready to apply a base layer of marzipan.

0:33:290:33:32

Lay that over the surface.

0:33:320:33:34

The marzipan itself will help to lock in all the moisture inside the

0:33:340:33:37

cake. Cup it all the way around, down to the base.

0:33:370:33:41

Cut that out, pop it through

0:33:410:33:45

and that is the fruitcake ready to have its top coat of icing.

0:33:450:33:48

Brushing the cake with brandy before icing will not only add flavour,

0:33:500:33:54

it'll also create an antiseptic barrier that will help preserve the

0:33:540:33:57

-cake.

-So, that's brushed, lift the icing up

0:33:570:34:02

over the surface

0:34:020:34:04

and once I get right the way down to the base,

0:34:040:34:07

take the larger-sized cutter, press down.

0:34:070:34:10

And that's the cake.

0:34:130:34:14

You use smoothers around the edge and on the top to ensure that you've

0:34:150:34:19

got the perfect finish.

0:34:190:34:21

And then, at this stage,

0:34:210:34:22

I'm going to put it straight on to a little disc before decoration.

0:34:220:34:26

Now for the intricate process of decorating the teacakes.

0:34:280:34:32

I've made these little afternoon tea cool Britannias

0:34:320:34:36

for Her Majesty the Queen. As you can see, a labour of love,

0:34:360:34:41

but certainly worth the effort

0:34:410:34:43

to show that you've really thought about making that person feel

0:34:430:34:47

super special.

0:34:470:34:48

Making these individual crown cakes is so labour-intensive

0:34:480:34:52

that it can take Mich up to three days to produce 100.

0:34:520:34:56

I'm going to use this to pipe three leaves.

0:34:560:34:59

As I start piping the leaf,

0:34:590:35:01

I can give it a little wiggle to bring in the texture.

0:35:010:35:03

Release and lift up and that creates the first leaf.

0:35:030:35:08

Turn to pipe the second and then the third one here.

0:35:080:35:12

And what this will do is create three beautiful leaves

0:35:120:35:16

that cover where the candy stripes started.

0:35:160:35:19

But, most importantly,

0:35:190:35:21

give me the anchor so that I can bring my red rose into position

0:35:210:35:24

on to the top of the cake. And that is my afternoon tea crown cake.

0:35:240:35:30

The rich fruitcake I made for Her Majesty the Queen

0:35:300:35:32

on a perfect cool Britannia.

0:35:320:35:34

Fruitcake can be rich and sometimes a plainer bun goes down better in

0:35:400:35:44

the afternoon. At the time of Buckingham Palace kitchen maid

0:35:440:35:48

Mildred Nicholls, the Queen sent down a request to the kitchen.

0:35:480:35:51

It was a recipe for Bath buns.

0:35:510:35:54

100 years and more ago, our kitchen maid,

0:35:570:35:59

our Buckingham Palace kitchen maid, Mildred Nicholls,

0:35:590:36:02

seemed to spend most of her time doing puddings and desserts

0:36:020:36:05

if her recipe book is anything to go by.

0:36:050:36:07

And look at this, Paul. This is really fascinating because

0:36:070:36:10

a loose leaf in the recipe book is a recipe actually sent down

0:36:100:36:14

by the Queen to the kitchens -

0:36:140:36:16

-a recipe for Bath buns.

-So, the Queen sent this recipe down?

0:36:160:36:19

-Yep, to her.

-Wow!

-She's got it in here.

0:36:190:36:21

-Yeah.

-There's a recipe, though, for Bath buns.

0:36:210:36:23

It's a very simple recipe and actually, no disrespect,

0:36:230:36:26

quite a plain thing, a Bath bun.

0:36:260:36:28

It is a very simple recipe, as you've pointed out,

0:36:280:36:30

but what makes its special is this here.

0:36:300:36:32

And this is what we now know as a ferment, a starter,

0:36:320:36:35

when you're making bread. They would call it a sponge and in there,

0:36:350:36:38

Michael, is fresh yeast, milk, warmed - not to kill the yeast,

0:36:380:36:42

just warmed - sugar and flour and that there's like a really sour,

0:36:420:36:46

yoghurty kind of like... It's just fermenting.

0:36:460:36:49

It's really delicious.

0:36:490:36:51

And this is Mildred's recipe on the instructions from the Queen.

0:36:510:36:54

Absolutely. Absolutely, which is brilliant.

0:36:540:36:56

-It's quite a thought.

-So we've got our sugar, our eggs and some butter.

0:36:560:37:01

This is simply known as creaming.

0:37:010:37:04

So we're just going to pop that down there and start it off nice and

0:37:060:37:08

slowly. Once it starts coming together, we can just take

0:37:080:37:12

that speed up slightly.

0:37:120:37:14

It's taking off.

0:37:140:37:15

Mildred, presumably, would've done this with elbow power.

0:37:170:37:19

-Yeah, absolutely.

-Would it have taken a lot longer?

0:37:190:37:22

-Yes.

-THEY LAUGH

0:37:220:37:24

-OK. Next bit...

-Yeah.

0:37:260:37:28

We are now just going to change our paddle for a dough hook

0:37:280:37:34

cos now we don't want to beat air into it, Michael,

0:37:340:37:36

-we just want to form a dough.

-Mm-hmm.

0:37:360:37:38

So I'm just going to pop that in there like that.

0:37:380:37:41

-In with our flour.

-Yeah.

0:37:410:37:42

OK? So just plain flour.

0:37:430:37:45

-Yeah.

-Now we're going to very gently...

0:37:450:37:48

You see it's just rising and rising in the basin?

0:37:480:37:51

-I'm just going to pop that in there and it's important to get all of this in.

-Mmm.

0:37:510:37:54

-Get all of that in.

-Yeah.

0:37:540:37:57

I don't know if you can smell it, it smells like beer.

0:37:570:37:59

Yeah, it does actually. Quite exciting.

0:37:590:38:01

OK, down... And this bit just gently...

0:38:010:38:04

What this is going to do now is knead.

0:38:040:38:06

Yeah.

0:38:060:38:08

That'll take a couple of minutes,

0:38:090:38:11

but what it will also do is work the gluten in the flour cos we don't

0:38:110:38:14

want to just bind it together, we now need to kind of slowly

0:38:140:38:18

knock it, what we call knocking it. We work that gluten.

0:38:180:38:21

It's quite interesting, the social history of all this

0:38:210:38:24

because this recipe came at a time when the Royal family

0:38:240:38:29

were getting a bit more austere, you know.

0:38:290:38:31

Some of the extravagance was being put behind them.

0:38:310:38:35

-Right.

-And Queen Mary, in particular,

0:38:350:38:38

she was a real stickler and she would measure out the tea leaves

0:38:380:38:43

for the cups of tea for her afternoon tea

0:38:430:38:45

and she'd insist on doing it herself.

0:38:450:38:47

Right.

0:38:470:38:48

And that, Michael, is our dough.

0:38:500:38:53

As Mildred would've made it.

0:38:530:38:54

-Absolutely.

-She must have spent, you know,

0:38:540:38:56

most of her working life doing afternoon tea for Queen Mary,

0:38:560:39:00

the wife of King George V.

0:39:000:39:02

She wasn't always appreciative, you know?

0:39:020:39:04

She was that stickler and we've actually got a note from her sent

0:39:040:39:09

down to the kitchens, not necessarily to Mildred,

0:39:090:39:11

and about Bath buns.

0:39:110:39:13

She says here, "The Bath buns were very good when sent to Windsor last

0:39:130:39:17

"Friday, but yesterday they were, again, not good.

0:39:170:39:22

"They tasted too much of brioche, not bread."

0:39:220:39:25

In other words, too fancy French and not enough plain English,

0:39:250:39:29

do you think? Not a very nice note for Mildred to get if it was aimed

0:39:290:39:33

-at her.

-No, absolutely.

0:39:330:39:36

Well, do you know what? I think it probably does resemble more towards

0:39:360:39:39

a brioche then it does a bread anyway.

0:39:390:39:41

You'd have got the same sort of note, would you?

0:39:410:39:42

I would've got the same note. I'm with Mildred.

0:39:420:39:45

Right, here we go. So we've got this.

0:39:450:39:47

So, we're just going to knead it now, just gently knead it,

0:39:470:39:50

like that, like so.

0:39:500:39:51

-Do that for about a couple of minutes.

-Yeah.

0:39:510:39:53

Into a nice circle.

0:39:540:39:55

-Straight into our bowl.

-Yeah.

0:39:570:39:59

And, over here...

0:39:590:40:00

-Tea towel or clingfilm over the top.

-Yeah.

0:40:010:40:03

And over here,

0:40:030:40:05

it's now doubled in size.

0:40:050:40:06

-It's risen.

-Absolutely.

-And how long does it take you to do that?

0:40:060:40:09

That will take about half an hour.

0:40:090:40:11

So you've just got this kind of

0:40:110:40:13

beautiful dough that's increased in size.

0:40:130:40:15

What we do is pull it out gently onto the board like that, OK?

0:40:150:40:19

And again, we knock it, what we call knocking it back, again.

0:40:200:40:23

What's that for? What are you biffing it around for?

0:40:230:40:25

You're taking the air out so it's basically rising

0:40:250:40:28

again, rising again.

0:40:280:40:29

OK? Now, if you just grab about that much...

0:40:290:40:33

-Yeah.

-..and then roll that into a little...

0:40:330:40:35

-Like this?

-Absolutely.

0:40:350:40:37

Just perfectly like that, just nice and round.

0:40:370:40:39

Keep it nice and tight in your palm.

0:40:390:40:42

Queen Mary would like mine.

0:40:420:40:44

Not sure about yours. Oh, look!

0:40:440:40:46

She wasn't that fussy, was she?

0:40:460:40:47

Look, mine's so much better than yours.

0:40:470:40:49

-Right.

-You put them on here?

-Pop them onto the tray.

0:40:490:40:51

-There we go.

-OK.

0:40:510:40:53

No, a bit more space apart because they're going to prove again.

0:40:530:40:56

-Oh, they're going to expand.

-And the reason we do that, Michael,

0:40:560:40:59

is so that the dough isn't chewy.

0:40:590:41:02

OK. So this will go into the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees.

0:41:020:41:06

-Quite hot.

-Quite a hot heat so they bake quickly.

0:41:060:41:08

Yep.

0:41:080:41:11

-Oh, wow!

-Then...you have these.

0:41:110:41:14

-Look at those!

-Look how they've puffed up.

0:41:140:41:16

Light, sweet, delicious.

0:41:160:41:18

-They're ready to serve now?

-No, we just need to glaze them now.

0:41:180:41:22

So over here we have some golden syrup that we've just let down

0:41:220:41:25

with a little bit of water.

0:41:250:41:27

It's a Mildred recipe! THEY CHUCKLE

0:41:270:41:29

-So, literally, Michael, just dab it over...

-Just dab it on the top.

0:41:290:41:33

Absolutely, yeah. All over our buns, like so.

0:41:330:41:36

-Bit of shine on the top of the thing.

-Absolutely.

-And it also...

0:41:360:41:39

I was about to say spice up,

0:41:390:41:41

but sweetens up what is otherwise a relatively plain...

0:41:410:41:45

It is quite plain but, like I say,

0:41:450:41:47

the secret is in that lovely ferment that's in these buns and that...

0:41:470:41:51

Almost that kind of sweet-sour note with the yeast.

0:41:510:41:55

Delicious.

0:41:550:41:56

Really good for a lighter afternoon tea.

0:41:560:41:59

I think, like you say, it's interesting, isn't it,

0:41:590:42:01

how the tastes kind of almost got simpler or not so extravagant

0:42:010:42:05

-as time went on.

-Yeah.

0:42:050:42:07

-So we've got out last one here.

-There we go.

0:42:070:42:10

-They look rather marvellous, don't they?

-They do, don't they?

0:42:100:42:12

They look absolutely gorgeous.

0:42:120:42:14

-Right.

-So what's next?

-Pearl sugar.

0:42:140:42:16

-Basically like little crunchy icing sugar.

-Mm-hmm.

0:42:160:42:19

And then straight on like that.

0:42:190:42:20

-Don't they look fabulous?

-They do.

0:42:200:42:23

Also gives a nice texture because you've got that nice soft bun...

0:42:230:42:26

Yes, because everything else is soft and this'll be a crispy crust to it.

0:42:260:42:30

Absolutely. That lovely sticky glaze.

0:42:300:42:32

-Mmm. Yeah.

-All right?

-Lovely!

0:42:320:42:34

Right, can we now...

0:42:340:42:36

-Look at those!

-..have an afternoon nibble?

0:42:360:42:38

-Yes.

-Go for it. Get stuck in.

0:42:380:42:40

-No, after you this time.

-Go on, then.

0:42:400:42:42

All right. Which one? This one here?

0:42:420:42:43

-Yeah, OK, I'll take this one to keep it neat.

-Look at that.

0:42:430:42:46

-There we go.

-Oh, yes!

0:42:460:42:48

I'm going to...

0:42:500:42:52

Mmm!

0:42:520:42:53

-MICHAEL CHUCKLES

-How good are those?

0:42:550:43:00

Hang on, you've got a moustache!

0:43:000:43:01

Thank you, Paul. Another fine mess you've got me into.

0:43:040:43:11

That's all from our celebration of afternoon tea.

0:43:110:43:15

See you next time.

0:43:150:43:16

I'm going to have another go.

0:43:170:43:19

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