11 Tasty Traditional British Desserts To Try

With the Queen celebrating her 94th birthday this year, what better excuse to try some of the best British desserts?

Fruity, sweet and always delicious, British baking is renowned for being hard to resist. From clotted cream and scones to spotted dick, we've put together a list of traditional ideas that the whole family will love!

This mini version of a well-loved classic dessert is perfect for kids, and can be dressed up or down (whipped cream anyone?).

Serves 12

For the crusts you will need:

250g flour

130g unsalted butter

A pinch of salt

50ml water

For the filling you will need:

150g caster sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

50g flour

30g unsalted butter

5 apples, peeled and chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.

2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt and butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add in a little water.

3. With your hands, mix and knead the 'dough' until well combined.

4. Flour a surface and roll out your mixture. Using a rolling pin roll it until it is just under 1cm thick.

5. Cut one circle per pie out of the dough- you might need to roll it out multiple times. Save the excess!

6. Put each circle of dough into a muffin tray and press it down.

7. Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl and spoon them into the dough bowls.

8. Use your excess dough to make any decorations you would like on top (such as little leaves, or a lattice!)

9. Bake for approx. 15-18 minutes.

10. Let cool, and enjoy with whipped cream or custard!

Roly-poly by name, easy peasy by nature - this British dessert is sticky, sweet and delicious!

Serves 8

You will need:

100g jam of your choice (raspberry works extra well)

250g self-raising flour

50g shredded suet

150ml milk

50g butter

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease parchment paper and place on a baking tray.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the butter, flour, suet and milk until the mixture is sticky.

3. Flour a surface and roll out dough into a square, about 20cm each side.

4. Cover in jam, and roll up lengthways. Loosely pinch the ends.

5. Carefully put your roll onto the baking tray, and bake for roughly 1 hour.

6. Once baked, let cool and unwrap.

7. Slice and serve with lashings of custard!

When it comes to British desserts, you just can't beat a sticky toffee pudding. The sponge cake base is fabulously satisfying, while the sweet toffee sauce is enough to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Serves 8

For the sponge you will need:

100g soft brown sugar

150g butter

4 eggs

280g self-raising flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

150g dates, stones removed and roughly chopped

For the sauce you will need:

150g brown soft sugar

50g unsalted butter

300ml double cream

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease 8 pudding moulds.

2. Put the dates in a sauce pan and pour over a little water. Heat until the dates are soft and have absorbed the water.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar, then slowly add the eggs and vanilla.

4. Add the flour and baking powder and gently fold in.

5. Mix in the dates, and pour into the moulds.

6. Bake for 25 minutes.

7. In a pan, heat the sugar, butter and half the cream, until dark and sticky.

8. Mix in the rest of the cream.

9. Remove the cakes from the oven, leave to cool then reheat the sauce and pour over. 
 

This British dessert can be enjoyed at any time of day, and is perfect with a good cup of tea.

Serves 8

You will need:

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

170ml milk

50g caster sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

Pinch of salt

350g self-raising flour

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder.

3. Add the butter and sugar, and rub together with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs.

4. Warm the milk, and add the vanilla extract.

5. Make a well in the bowl and add the milk mixture. Mix together quickly.

6. Flour a surface and pat down the dough with flour.

7. Roll the dough out until about 1.5 inches thick.

8. Use a round cutter or small bowl to make 8 circles.

9. Beat the egg, and use it to brush over the tops of the scones.

10. Bake for 10 minutes and enjoy with jam, clotted cream, and tea.

A very traditional English sweet, this dessert is fabulous with custard or cream.

Serves 6

You will need:

200ml milk

150g shredded suet

Zest of 1 lemon

75g caster sugar

100g currants

2 tsp. baking powder

300g plain flour

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix the currants, suet, sugar, lemon zest, flour and baking powder.

2. Slowly add in the milk and mix.

3. Spoon the mixture into a greased pudding mould.

4. Cover with greaseproof paper, then a damp tea towel. Secure with string.

5. Put the mould into a pan and fill halfway up with boiling water.

6. Simmer for an hour.

7. Once cooked, serve sliced with custard.
 

For some it might conjure up images of school dinners, but rice pudding is one of those english desserts that never gets old.

Serves 4

You will need:

100g pudding rice

700ml milk

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. caster sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.

2. Grease a shallow dish, and in it mix together the nutmeg, rice and sugar. Pour the milk on top and mix.

3. Bake for 1.5-2 hours until golden.

4. Serve with fruit or your choice of toppings!

The nation's favourite dessert, has a surprisingly simple recipe, and is a great way to use up apples!

Serves 6

You will need:

3 medium apples, peeled and chopped

130g caster sugar

170g plain flour

100g butter

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Mix the apples and 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and put into the bottom of a baking dish.

3. Mix the flour, sugar and butter in a bowl and mix with fingertips until the mix looks like breadcrumbs.

4. Pour the crumble over the fruit in the dish, and level out.

5. Bake for 40 minutes.

6. Leave to cool, and serve with custard!

A party classic, you can’t beat this incredibly simple and inexpensive dish- plus it’s always a hit with the kids!

Serves 8

You will need:

2 packets of jelly cubes, any flavour

1 tub of any ice cream (we love vanilla!):

Method:

1. Break up the jelly into cubes and place into a microwaveable bowl.

2. Add 200ml water

3. Heat for 1 minute.

4. Stir until the jelly is dissolved, then add a pint of cold water to the mixture.

5. Stir, and pour into your serving dish (or you could even get fancy and get a mould!)

6. Refrigerate until set, and serve with scoops of ice cream.

This dessert may exude grandeur, but is in fact very simple to make. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak some fruit into the kid’s desserts!

Serves 6

You will need:

Packet of pre-made meringues (about 6 meringues will do)

450g fresh strawberries

450ml double cream

Top tip: For an extra one of your five a day, try adding in some raspberries too!

Method:

1. Hull and roughly chop the strawberries.

2. In a mixing bowl, whip the double cream until it becomes thick and you can create soft peaks.

3. Crush the meringues into the bowl with the cream, and fold in the strawberries.

4. Dish up your servings (try serving in wine/cocktail glasses for a fancy twist!)

Invented in Britain in 1971, this retro creation is a truly English dessert.

Serves 6

You will need:

2 sliced bananas

300ml whipping cream (whipped)

400g caramel/ dulce de leche

250g digestive biscuits

100g butter

Method:

1. In a sandwich bag, crush the digestive biscuits by hitting with a rolling pin.

2. Melt the butter and mix with the digestives.

3. Grease a cake tin and press the mixture to line the bottom of the tin. Refrigerate till set.

4. Spoon the caramel on the base, then bananas, then the cream. Set in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. Serve!

It's simple, it's tasty, and it's usually reserved for Easter - but we think this should be a year-round dessert!

Serves 10-12

You will need:

100g milk chocolate

100 cornflakes or rice puffs

Cupcake cases

Optional decorations like Smarties, a crushed-up chocolate bar or honeycomb pieces

Method:

1. Put your milk chocolate into a heatproof glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water.

2. Stir continuously until the chocolate has melted.

3. Carefully get an adult to pour the chocolate into a separate mixing bowl and add the cornflakes.

4. Stir until every cornflake is coated in chocolate and then divide the mixture evenly into 10-12 cupcake cases.

5. Add your optional extras if using any and then refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened and the cakes are cool. Enjoy!