British Desserts

Regarded as close cousins of pies, crumbles are simple and hearty baked creations made with sweet or savory ingredients. The sweet varieties usually consist of fruit that is placed on the bottom of the tray and topped with a crumbly mixture of but... READ MORE

Pound cake is a British dessert consisting of one pound of each of the following ingredients: flour, butter, sugar, and eggs, hence the name. There is no leavening agent used in the preparation, except the air that is whipped into the batter. It d... READ MORE

Trifle is a classic British dessert made by layering pieces of sponge cake, fruit jams or fruit purée, and egg custard. The sponge is usually soaked in fortified wine or brandy such as sherry, port, or Marsala, an... READ MORE

Flapjack is a blend of porridge oats, golden syrup, sugar, and melted butter that is baked, and then usually cut up into squares or rectangles. A touch of salt and ground ginger are often added to the oat mixture for extra flavor, while white corn... READ MORE

Lemon drizzle cake is a traditional cake and a staple of afternoon tea. Although not much is known about its origin, it is believed that the first lemon drizzle was made by a Jewish woman named Evelyn Rose in 1967. This simple sponge cake is usual... READ MORE

Plum pudding has roots in medieval English sausages when fruits, spices, and fat used to be combined with grains, meats, and vegetables, then packed into animal intestines in order to keep as long as possible. First records of plum puddings can be... READ MORE

Banoffee pie is an English dessert made with cream, bananas, and toffee on top of a pastry shell or on top of a base made with crumbled biscuits. The name of the dish is a combination of the words banana and toffee. The sweet pie... READ MORE

Mince pie is a staple Christmas snack in England, consisting of a crumbly pastry shell filled with dried fruits and spices (often called mincemeat). Originally, the pies contained both sweet and savory ingredients such as ground meat, lar... READ MORE

Victoria sponge is an English layer cake filled with fruit jam (and sometimes, whipped cream). It was invented by Queen Victoria's cooks in the 19th century, when it was one of the main stars at the Queen's tea parties, along with sandwiches and s... READ MORE

Millionaire's shortbread or caramel shortbread is a classic Scottish dessert and one of the country's favorite treats whose main appeal lies in its different textures: the crumbly shortcake base, soft caramel in the middle, and the crisp chocolate... READ MORE

Christmas pudding is a staple dessert at every British Christmas dinner ever since its introduction by Prince Albert. Early versions contained meat such as beef or mutton, along with wine, onions, dried fruits, and warming spices. Today, Christmas... READ MORE

Bakewell tart is a traditional dessert consisting of shortcrust pastry filled with fruit jam and a combination of sugar, eggs, ground almonds, and butter. The tart is baked so that it remains light and moist, and it is usually served warm, with a ... READ MORE

Steamed pudding is a variety of English pudding with a long tradition in the British cuisine, basically consisting of a combination of ingredients that are steamed inside either a special pudding basin or another similar vessel suitable for steami... READ MORE

Eton mess is a popular English dessert made by combining fresh strawberries, meringue, and cream. The dessert was invented in the 1930s at the English Eton College, when it was traditionally served at the school's prize-giving celebration, held an... READ MORE

Sticky toffee pudding is a rich, moist sponge cake filled with dates, covered in a sticky toffee sauce. The dessert is traditionally served with custard or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Its origins are quite murky as some claim it orig... READ MORE

Bread and butter pudding is an inexpensive, traditional British dish consisting of slices of stale, buttered bread combined with raisins, custard, and spices such as vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The whole concoction is baked in an oven until it ... READ MORE

A fruit scone is essentially a scone with added bits of juicy sultanas and currants. Although those are the traditional additions for a fruit scone, these sweet treats can also be made with any other dried fruits. It is recommended to serve them s... READ MORE

Cherry Bakewell or Bakewell cake is a traditional version of Bakewell tart originating from Bakewell in Derbyshire. It’s essentially a traditional Bakewell tart that’s iced on top and adorned with a cherry. The pastry is made with a co... READ MORE

Even though it remains unclear exactly how long this traditional English sponge cake has been around for, one of the earliest known recipes for Madeira cake was found in Elizabeth Acton's Modern Cookery for Private Families, published in ... READ MORE

Consisting of merely sugar, condensed milk and butter, tablet is a centuries-old Scottish treat similar to fudge, but with a crumblier consistency. An early record of it was found in The Household Book, an 18th century account of what dom... READ MORE

Eggy bread is the British version of French toast. Also known as Poor Knights of Windsor, the dish is usually prepared with a combination of crustless sandwich bread, milk, icing sugar, eggs, butter, cinnamon, and often a bit of sherry and strawbe... READ MORE

Peach Melba is an elegant dessert consisting of vanilla ice cream that's topped with poached peaches and raspberry coulis. The dessert was created by Auguste Escoffier at the Savoy in London in 1892 for Dame Nellie Melba and her Covent Ga... READ MORE

Cherries jubilee is a decadent dessert made with a combination of dark cherries and Kirschwasser liqueur that's flambéed before being served as a sauce over scoops of vanilla ice cream. It was invented by Auguste Escoffier, who prepared the... READ MORE

Treacle tart is a traditional dessert consisting of a shortcrust pastry filled with sugar syrup, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, and spices such as ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Originally, treacle was the most inexpensive sweetener, so food historians ... READ MORE

The dainty petticoat tails gained their peculiar name and distinctive shape by resembling the pieces of fabric used to create the elaborate 16th-century petticoats, including that of Mary Queen of Scots, who was reputed to have been particularly f... READ MORE

Battenberg cake is a light dessert consisting of alternating, colored squares of genoise sponge coated with an exterior of apricot jam and almond paste. It is believed that the cake was invented in order to celebrate the 1884 wedding of P... READ MORE

Deep-fried Mars bar is a famous Scottish delicacy and a champion of the jokingly-called Scottish Diet, where the rule is that sugar, fat, and alcohol must each account for at least 30% of a person's daily caloric intake. The unusual snack... READ MORE

Griddle-baked Welsh cakes are a traditional delicacy made with a simple base of flour, lard or butter, sugar, and eggs. They come in different regional varieties that often include spices, lemon zest, raisins, currants, and various types of flour.... READ MORE

Knickerbocker glory is a classic British dessert that is simple to prepare, yet seriously impressive when served. It is made by layering ice cream, whipped cream, and fruit (usually berries) in a large, tall glass. The dessert is traditionally top... READ MORE

Spotted dick is a traditional sponge pudding made from a suet (mutton fat) pastry which is then sprinkled with a variety of dried fruits such as raisins or currants. Its flavor is slightly sweet since it is only flavored with a small amount of lem... READ MORE

Summer pudding is an uncooked English dessert that is essentially a bread pudding made from slices of white bread, sugar, and mixed fruits such as blackberries, raspberries, and currants. Traditionally, it is prepared in a bowl that is turned upsi... READ MORE

Eccles cake is a specialty of the eponymous city in the Greater Manchester region. The dish consists of a crispy puff pastry filled with cinnamon, raisins or currants, and brown sugar, the whole concoction glazed with honey to develop its characte... READ MORE

Originally a harvest festival version of a much simpler oatmeal gruel, cranachan is a traditional cream cheese dessert that became prominent in the late 20th century. It is made with the addition of local soft cheese and often fresh fruits such as... READ MORE

One of Scotland’s teatime staples, melting moments are traditional vanilla-flavored oat biscuits or cookies that are typically made by combining butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, and oatmeal. The mixture is s... READ MORE

Rock cakes are traditional English cookies with a crumbly and light consistency, often served as a part of afternoon tea. The cookies are usually made with a combination of flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and drie... READ MORE

It is believed that this classic English dessert was invented at the London's Chelsea Bun House in the 18th century. The bun is made with a rich egg-based yeast dough flavored with lemon peel, and either cinnamon or mixed spice. Before baking, the... READ MORE

Bakewell pudding is a traditional dessert consisting of a pastry base that is filled with fruit jam and a paste made from ground almonds, butter, and eggs. The first Bakewell pudding was created by accident at a local inn around 1860. It is recomm... READ MORE

Drop scones, also known as Scotch pancakes, are small, thick pancakes, made by dropping spoonfuls of batter onto a hot griddle or a frying pan. Originally invented in Scotland, these fluffy treats quickly spread throughout the British Isles - Quee... READ MORE

The traditional Scottish almond-studded fruitcake with sultanas and candied peel, known as Dundee cake originated in the city of Dundee while its name appears to have been first recorded in the late 19th century. Interestingly, the cake is said to... READ MORE

Parkin or perkin is a sticky cake originating from Northern England, although it is mostly associated with Yorkshire. It consists of flour, oatmeal, black treacle, and either lard or butter. Many cooks like to spice it up with a hefty dos... READ MORE

Jam roly-poly is a traditional dessert consisting of a rolled-up suet pudding spread with fruit jam. It can be baked, boiled, or steamed, and it is usually served with custard. The dessert originates from the 19th century, when it was known as READ MORE