The Perfect Sweet Treats For An Afternoon Tea

If you live in the UK or you have been to visit before, then it is highly likely that you will have enjoyed an afternoon tea here. Whether you have travelled into the city and experienced afternoon tea at The Ritz or you’ve been made one by family/friends, it goes without saying that this mid-afternoon treat is very British. After all, the main features of an afternoon tea are cake and tea, it doesn’t get much more British than that. 

When wanting to recreate a traditional afternoon tea yourself, it can be difficult to know which British sweet treats to include. There is no denying that you have lots of incredible options to decide between and being able to purchase many British brands online these days means that you won’t be limited for choice either. So, to help anyone who wants to create a traditional British afternoon tea for some guests, wherever you may be in the world, below is a list of the perfect sweet treats for you to include. 

Scones

An essential part of a traditional afternoon tea is a scone and whilst you can get savoury scones, for this occasion, sweet scones are a must. It is often best to bake your own scones, if possible, but if you’re wanting a British sweet treat to have with them, then purchasing a local jam is a brilliant choice. Something like Tiptree strawberry conserve is perfect and if you’re having a champagne afternoon tea, why not try Tiptree strawberry & champagne conserve. 

Mini cakes and tartlets

If you have never had an afternoon tea in the UK before, you will notice when simply looking at pictures of the platters that are typically provided that usually mini cakes and tartlets are used. Usually, smaller treats are given so that you can enjoy a little bit of everything without the afternoon tea becoming too sickly sweet. When creating your afternoon tea you may want to look at classic Mr Kipling French fancies or other types of chocolate tartlets too. 

Macarons or macaroons

These days, it is becoming increasingly common for macarons, sweet meringue-based treats, to be provided during an afternoon tea. However, if you’re unable to get these, macaroons, mounded cookies made with coconut, can be a good alternative. Whilst these two are very different from one another, they are both quite unique and will be a nice addition to the other traditional British sweet treats that you serve to your guests. 

Viennese biscuits

More often than not, you will have some form of a biscuity treat on your afternoon tea platter and these will be easy to provide your guests. Both fruit and cream Viennese whirls and chocolate Viennese biscuits are perfect for an afternoon tea. Not only do these biscuits look amazing but they also taste incredible too and if your guests have a sweet tooth, then you can guarantee that they will love them. 

Slices of cake 

Depending on how many people you’re making an afternoon tea for, you may want to consider baking a big cake that can be shared amongst your guests too. It isn’t uncommon for smaller cafes in the UK to give a slice of cake with their afternoon tea platters and whether this is a classic vanilla sponge or something a little bit different like a lemon cake, it always goes down well. When making a cake at home, you can always rely on Betty Crocker. 

Creating an afternoon tea with British sweet treats 

Hopefully, this list of classic British sweet treats will give you some inspiration when creating your traditional afternoon tea. You can trust that if you include any of the cakes and biscuits mentioned above, your guests will absolutely love everything that you put in front of them. If they have never had a British afternoon tea before, with these sweet treats you can ensure that it is a brilliant first experience for them. 

When searching for somewhere to purchase these British sweets online, be sure to visit the British Essentials website today. We have a vast range of bakery products, biscuits and also jams and spreads that will be beneficial to you when planning your British afternoon tea. Think of our site as an online British supermarket, no matter what you’re looking for, you can trust that we will be able to supply it. As one of the best British import stores, you can always rely on us for all of your British sweet treats.