Want to satisfy your sweet tooth? Craving something deliciously sweet and sugary? There are many tempting desserts and sweet treats to tempt you on your travels around England!
Whilst you will find tasty sweets and desserts from all over the globe in the many multicultural dining establishments across the country, there are some home-grown delights that are sure to make you want more, and more, and more!
Here are some of the best desserts and sweets to try when in England:
Scones: a quintessential English favourite (from USD 201)
Although scones became a well-established part of English afternoon tea in the 1700s, they are thought to have originated just over the border in the UK’s Scotland. Now a firmly-entrenched part of the British culinary scene, scones are small bread-like pastries. Although you can find savoury scones, such as cheese or potato scones, the best type, arguably, are those that are lightly sweet and enjoyed with lusciously thick clotted cream and fruity jams.
Whilst plain scones, with a light dusting of fine powdered sugar on top, are tasty, fruit scones are especially highly recommended. Dried fruit, such as sultanas and raisins, are added to the mixture before being baked, adding even more flavour and texture to the popular treats.
From bakeries and cafes to more upmarket establishments that serve afternoon tea, such as Thornton Hall Hotel in Thornton Hough on the Wirral, you can find scones in many places across the UK.
Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa
Address: Neston Road, Thornton Hough,
4.3 km (2.7 mi) from Hadlow Road Railway Station
Eton mess: a sweet summer delight
Probably my all-time favourite English dessert, Eton mess was traditionally enjoyed at the yearly cricket game between the two prestigious public schools of Eton College and Harrow School. Its popularity spread around the country, and is today a quintessential summer sweet.
Fresh strawberries are mixed with chunks of meringue and lashings of fresh, thick whipped cream. The cream binds everything together to create a deliciously soft and saccharine treat for your taste buds. It really is good enough to make your mouth water!
This picture was taken at the Bunbury Arms in Stoak.
Banoffee pie: a modern dessert bursting with flavour
A relative new-comer to English dessert menus, banoffee pie (sometimes also spelt as banoffi pie) was created in a restaurant in East Sussex. The name comes from the merging of banana and toffee, the two main flavours in this yummy dessert.
Fresh banana and soft toffee, made with condensed milk, are added to cream, and the resulting mixture is slathered on a crumbly base. The base may be either made from biscuit or pastry. The distinctive flavours simultaneously complement each other whilst screaming for individual attention, and the contrasting textures between the base and the topping are sure to induce a foodgasm!
This is another great dessert to try at the Bunbury Arms in Stoak.
You might be interested in these Airbnbs!
Bakewell tart: a fine creation from the Midlands
Bakewell tart is named after the English town of Bakewell, located in Derbyshire in the Midlands. Created in the 20th century, it is a variant of the older Bakewell pudding.
You can buy small, individual-sized Bakewell tarts if you don’t want to fight over the last slice, or alternatively large tarts, designed to be shared, are also available. Step into almost any English bakery that sells pastries and sweets and you’ll find Bakewell tarts just waiting to be devoured.
A flaky shortcrust pastry case is filled with layers of tangy cherry jam and frangipane (a cream or paste flavoured with almonds). Topped with almond flakes, and sometimes candied cherries, you’re sure to relish every bite!
Knickerbocker glory: an attention-grabbing sundae
You have to love knickerbocker glory, even if only for its unusual and whimsical name! A popular dessert in the warmer months, sit outside on a hot summer’s day and take your time enjoying a delicious knickerbocker glory.
A type of ice-cream sundae, a knickerbocker glory is traditionally served in a tall, thin glass and eaten with a long spoon. Many places today, however, prepare their knickerbocker glories in regular sundae dishes.
When done well, a knickerbocker glory is both a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. With colourful chunks of fresh fruit layered with various flavours of ice cream and cream, the multi-coloured layers can be seen clearly through the glass. The delectable dessert is often topped with a generous helping of fluffy whipped cream and drizzled with a sugary syrup. Small pieces of nuts, chocolate flakes, sugar sprinkles (also known as hundreds-and-thousands), wafers, and candied cherries may sit on top of your mountain of cream.
This mouth-watering image was taken at the Stanney Oaks, close to Ellesmere Port.
Other delightful English desserts and sweets
If you’re looking for a hearty pudding, jam roly poly, spotted dick, and sticky toffee pudding might be just what you are looking for. Each is usually served with hot, thick vanilla custard. Fruit crumble is another filling favourite, with baked fruits such as rhubarb, plum, apple, and gooseberry sitting beneath a layer of crumbled pastry.
Trifle is a much lighter option, comprising a soft layer of sponge, fresh fruit, a layer of cooled and set vanilla custard, and whipped cream. Some trifles also contain jelly.
The Victoria sponge, named after Queen Victoria, is one of the most traditional English cakes. It might also be referred to as a Victoria sandwich. A simple sponge cake, it has raspberry jam and cream sandwiched in the middle. The chequered pink and yellow Battenberg cake, with its tasty marzipan outer, is also recommended when trying English sweets.
Make sure you save some room after dinner to enjoy the many gorgeous desserts and sweets when visiting England!
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
Create an account to