British Tea Time Recipes
For English Afternoon Tea

I recently had a wonderful blast down memory lane when my aunt served up some coconut macaroons! I immediately borrowed the recipe as they are so light and chewy. My kids enjoyed making them and we served them up as a retro snack when we had friends over.

As an added extra, I dipped them in melted milk chocolate, which took them from merely sublime to utterly ridiculous – try it!

To accompany them we went for a simple rhubarb fool, so easy to make but so rich, sweet and creamy. It reminds me of being at big family lunches in the summers of my childhood. I don’t think I’ve had it since! However, now it destined to be a favorite.

• Coconut Macaroons - First invented in Glasgow, these macaroons are light and chewy. Accompanied by melted milk chocolate, they are absolutely delicious.

• Rhubarb Fool - Rhubarb Fool has got to be one of those funny names that the English come up with for their food - a bit like Spotted Dick or Toad in the Hole. It sounds all very jolly and naughty.

A coconut macaroon is found in the United States, although invented in Govan, Glasgow, Scotland.

It is a conventional macaroon with a distinct coconut flavor and containing slices or strands of shredded dried coconut meat. They tend to be closer to a soft cookie than their meringue cousins, and about as sweet.

Prep time: 20 mins

Baking time: 20 mins

Equipment needed: Mixing bowl, wooden spoon, scales, grease-proof paper lined baking tray, wire cooling rack

250 g shredded coconut

2large egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

100g vanilla caster sugar

30 g ground almonds

1/8 teaspoon salt

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees/gas 3

Step 2. Beat the egg whites until foamy.

Step 3. Add the cream of tartar and keep beating to the soft peak stage.

Step 4. Add the sugar very gradually while whisking to the stiff peak stage – the mixture should be glossy.

Step 5. Add the almonds, coconut and salt, fold together.

Step 6. Shape into flattish balls (about the size of a lime).

Step7. Bake for 20 minutes or until they are lovely and golden.

Step 8. Cool on a wire rack (when cool, you can dip into melted chocolate for the ultimate luxury).

In former days, a common and affordable sweet for children in parts of the United Kingdom and Sweden was a tender stick of rhubarb, dipped in sugar.

In the UK the first rhubarb of the year is grown by candlelight in dark sheds dotted around the noted "Rhubarb Triangle" of Wakefield, Leeds and Morley, a practice that produces a sweeter, more tender stalk.

Rhubarb Fool has got to be one of those funny names that the English come up with for their food - a bit like Spotted Dick or Toad in the Hole. It sounds all very jolly and naughty.

Prep time: 30 mins

Baking time: none

Equipment needed: Mixing bowl, wooden spoon, scales, saucepan, milk pan, and whisk

1 lb rhubarb

200g sugar

¼ pint double cream

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

200 ml double cream

2 egg yolks

70 g sugar

Step 1. Chop the rhubarb into 2 cm chunks.

Step 2. Put it into a saucepan with 200g sugar and 100ml water.

Step 3. Put on a low heat to simmer gently until the rhubarb is disintegrating.

Step 4. While this is heating, put the cream and vanilla essence in a milk pan and heat until bubbles appear at the sides.

Step 5. Meanwhile, whisk up the egg yolks and 70g of sugar until smooth.

Step 6. Gradually add half of the bubbly cream mixture to the eggs and sugar and keep whisking. Then pour the remaining mixture back into the saucepan and whisk constantly.

Step 7. Keep cooking until the custard thickens.

Step 8. When the rhubarb is cooked, drain off any excess liquid and cool in the fridge.

Step 9. Cool the custard also.

Step 10. When you are ready to serve mix up the rhubarb and custard together and then whip the remaining double cream until really thick and fold in.

Step 11. Dollop into bowls and top with cream. Perfect for a sunny afternoon British tea time

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