Master Pâtissier Eric Lanlard shares his top five essentials for afternoon tea

The celebrity chef gives his lowdown on the perfect afternoon tea

With so many places offering great afternoon tea, there is no doubt that people of all ages are potty over this delectable ritual. London alone has nearly 300 venues to choose from.

In the video above, afternoon tea aficionado and Master Pâtissier Eric Lanlard shares his top five afternoon tea essentials.

The first thing is to establish who you are going to share your afternoon tea experience with.

“Start with the people. It’s the best way to spend time with friends or family members, so pick them right,” said the author of Afternoon Tea.

The celebrity chef, who is internationally renowned for his superlative bakes and A-list clientele, says to try other types of teas: “Be a little bit adventurous and get away from the English Breakfasts and Earl Grey tea.”

“A proper British afternoon tea has to have some good scones,” added Lanlard, who runs Cake Boy, a destination café, cake emporium and cookery school based in London.

And if you’re making your own scones, you can jazz them up with bee pollen, orange blossom water, pistachio and rosewater. Obviously they’re best enjoyed fresh and straight out of the oven.

The best afternoon tea in London

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Then pair your scones with clotted cream.

“If you’re going to have scones, you must have clotted cream as well, not whipped cream, not butter. You have to have proper Devon clotted cream,” exclaimed the baking global ambassador who creates afternoon teas for luxury hotel and travel brands worldwide.

And, of course, topping his list is the pièce de résistance of all afternoon teas – the cakes.

Eric, twice winner of the prestigious Continental Patissier of the Year at the British Baking Awards, said: “Being a Master Pâtissier, of course it’s all about the cakes – you have to have very good cakes.”

Eric’s latest book, Afternoon Tea, is available to buy now (Mitchell Beazley, £20).

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