England · Scotland · Wales · Ireland
British Isles Cuisine, Kitchen & Dining
The traditions behind the food: afternoon tea, British baking, the Sunday roast. Recipes that belong to them, tools to plan them, and honest guides to the kitchen and table that make them work.
New this week
Fresh from the kitchen
Recipe · 30 min
Classic British Scones
Tall, light scones for afternoon tea or a cream tea, ready in about 30 minutes.
Recipe · 1 hr 15 min
Victoria Sponge
The classic two-layer sponge with jam and buttercream, named after Queen Victoria.
Recipe · 1 hr 30 min
Lemon Drizzle Cake
A soft lemon loaf soaked with a crunchy sugar-and-lemon drizzle while still warm.
Recipe · 30 min
Cucumber Sandwiches
The essential afternoon tea sandwich: thin, crisp and never soggy.
Recipe · 1 hr 5 min
Scottish Shortbread
Three ingredients, one ratio: pale, crumbly, buttery shortbread.
Recipe · 40 min
Welsh Cakes
Currant-studded griddle cakes, cooked on a bakestone and dusted with sugar.
Cuisine
Explore the British Isles
English Food
Roasts, pies, puddings and regional bakes from Yorkshire to Cornwall.
Scottish Food
Shortbread, oats, smoked fish and the Burns supper.
Welsh Food
Welsh cakes, bara brith, lamb and leeks.
Irish Food
Soda bread, stews and the breads of the Irish kitchen.
Northern Irish Food
Griddle breads, the Ulster fry and home baking.
Kitchen
Bake & cook
Guides
Choose well
Buying guide
Best Cake Stands for Afternoon Tea
Two tiers or three, plate sizes, clearance and stability: choosing a stand that actually works.
Buying guide
Best Sandwich Tins for Victoria Sponge
Diameter, depth, loose bases and materials: how to choose the tins a Victoria sponge needs.
Buying guide
Best Tea Sets (UK): Bone China, Porcelain & Stoneware
What a full tea set includes, how many settings you need, and how material affects everyday use.
Recipes
Traditional bakes & classics
Recipe · 30 min
Classic British Scones
Tall, light scones for afternoon tea or a cream tea, ready in about 30 minutes.
Recipe · 40 min
Colcannon
Buttery mashed potato folded with kale or cabbage and spring onions, served with a well of melting butter.
Recipe · 2 hr 45 min
Cornish Pasty
Beef skirt, potato, swede and onion, baked raw inside a crimped pastry case: the traditional way.
Recipe · 25 min
Cranachan
Toasted oats, whisky-and-honey cream and fresh raspberries: the Scottish summer pudding that ends a Burns supper.
Recipe · 1 hr 25 min
Crispy Roast Potatoes
Fluffy inside and shatteringly crisp outside: the essential Sunday roast side.
Recipe · 30 min
Cucumber Sandwiches
The essential afternoon tea sandwich: thin, crisp and never soggy.
In season
Coming up
Tools