How to make afternoon tea cakes

Afternoon tea cakes can be fiddly to make, but they don’t have to be. These two recipes for afternoon tea cakes are simple and straightforward, using the same filling for both, but look really, really impressive. These recipes are by The Langham London’s Executive Pastry Chef, Andrew Gravett. The Langham London is famed as the birthplace of the afternoon tea, and serve up delicious afternoon tea cakes just like these. We’ve split our two how to videos up into separate instructions, to make them easier to follow.

Ingredients

For the vanilla mousseline

  • 500g milk
  • 25g plain flour
  • 90g caster sugar
  • 90g egg yolks
  • 130g butter
  • 50g mascarpone

For the choux buns

  • 125g milk
  • 125g water
  • 7g caster sugar
  • 7g salt
  • 112g butter
  • 140g plain flour
  • 250g whole eggs
  • Cherry jam, to fill the buns with
  • Cherries, to decorate

For the Japanese roll cake

  • 280g milk
  • 45g butter
  • 1g salt
  • 90g egg yolks
  • 35g caster sugar
  • 45g plain flour
  • 135g egg whites
  • 50g sugar
  • Strawberries and marmalade, to fill
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For the vanilla mousseline cream: Step 1

Bring to boil the milk with a vanilla pod. Let it infuse for 10 min and sieve.

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For the vanilla mousseline cream: Step 2

Meanwhile mix with a whisk in a bowl flour, caster sugar and egg yolk.

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For the vanilla mousseline cream: Step 3

When the liquid boils, temper the egg mix and add it to the pan with the rest of the milk. Boil for 1 minutes.

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For the vanilla mousseline cream: Step 4

Let it cool down to 40C and add the butter cut in small pieces. Blend to smooth texture and keep it refrigerated.

Before using it, add the mascarpone and mix with a whisk to a smooth texture.

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For the choux buns: Step 1

Preheat the oven to 175C.

Boil together the water, milk, salt, sugar and butter.

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For the choux buns: Step 2

Make sure the butter is completely melted before adding the flour. Once the flour is been added, mix well over the heat for 2 minutes.

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For the choux buns: Step 3

Let it cool down before start adding the eggs.

Add the eggs one by one until the dough is homogeneous.

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For the choux buns: Step 4

Pipe onto a tray and bake for 175C for 30 min. Once the choux is cooked turn off the oven and keep the door ajar to let them dry.

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For the choux buns: Step 5

Fill with cherry jam and the vanilla mousseline.

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For the choux buns: Step 6

Top with a cherry.

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For the Japanese sponge cake: Step 1

Preheat the oven at 160C.

Mix egg yolk, sugar and flour in a bowl with a whisk.

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For the Japanese sponge cake: Step 2

Meanwhile whip the egg whites with the sugar to form a meringue. Mix into the egg yolk mixture to get a soft sponge batter.

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For the Japanese sponge cake: Step 3

Once you've folded the cream into the meringue and spread onto a baking tray.

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For the Japanese sponge cake: Step 4

Bake at 160C for 35 min.

Trim to desired size.

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For the Japanese sponge cake: Step 5

Cover the sponge with a thin layer of vanilla mousseline.

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For the Japanese sponge cake: Step 6

Pipe on thin lines of marmalade, and fill with quartered strawberries.

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For the Japanese sponge cake: Step 7

Roll from the long side, over once.

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For the Japanese sponge cake: Step 8

Slice to desired size.

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For the Japanese sponge cake: Step 9

Serve and enjoy!