Royally excited – that describes the mood at A Taste of Britain in Wayne just days away from when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot.
“Watching the wedding I think is going to be such a fun time, seeing an American joining this royal family,” said owner Debbie Heth, who’s hosting a viewing party along with WHYY. “I’m expecting quite a lot of the guests to have their fascinators, get in the spirit with gloves and hats and everything.”
Her pastry chef even designed a cake modeled after the couple’s own, featuring lemon and elderflower.
Planning a party at home? “We carry an elderflower cordial here in our retail area,” which “would blend into a buttercream nicely,” Heth suggested. “You could also use an elderflower liqueur.”
Round out the menu with a spinach and goat cheese frittata, “try tea instead of coffee that morning” and “instead of bagels, get scones,” she said. “A little mimosa to celebrate and toast I think is a fabulous touch.”
Or mark the occasion with “two extremely, extremely traditional desserts” – Bakewell tart and sticky toffee pudding.
“They remind me of home when I was growing up,” recalled English chef Tim Smith of Station Taproom in Downingtown. “Bakewell tart originates from the county of Derbyshire, the village of Bakewell in the Peak District.”
It’s a delicious combination of almonds and raspberry jam.
“Sticky toffee pudding is like a date sponge. It’s like a sponge cake. It has sugared dates in it,” he explained. “You serve that with a sticky toffee sauce.”
Back at A Taste of Britain, find flags, commemorative tea towels and wedding mugs for sale, along with a unique tea “in honor of Harry and Meghan.”
“It’s an herbal blend of hibiscus, lavender, peppermint and lemon myrtle,” Heth said. “It’s nice and refreshing. It’s great hot or iced. It’s kind of delicate and dainty, fitting for a new princess.”
Spinach and Goat Cheese Frittata
Ingredients8 eggs 2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk 1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
8 ounces crumbled goat cheese Salt and pepper
InstructionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk eggs, cream and milk together. Spray an 8-inch pie plate liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Crumble the spinach and goat cheese evenly in pie plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over the spinach and goat cheese, all the way to the top of the pan. You may have egg mixture left over. Bake for about 45 minutes, until egg is set in the middle. (It will still jiggle a little!) Let cool completely and then cut into 8 wedges. You can bake ahead, let the frittata set overnight in the refrigerator and then cut and reheat before serving. This recipe works with almost any fillings you can imagine!
RECIPE COURTESY OF A TASTE OF BRITAIN
Sticky Toffee PuddingIngredients
Cake:1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (plus more for the pan)
11/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for the pan)
11/2 cups chopped, pitted sugared dates
1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt1 cup sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggsSauce:11/4 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans1/4 cup bourbon, or to taste
InstructionsFor the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a Bundt pan, 9-by-13-inch pan or loaf pans. In a deep, tall, heavy saucepan, combine chopped dates and 11/4 cups water. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Stir in baking soda. Mixture will foam up. Let cool and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla. Add 1 of the eggs and beat. Add half of the date and water mixture. Mix until well combined. Repeat with second egg, date mixture and flour. Batter will be rather runny, not too thick. Pour into pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Leave in pan. Place on cooling rack and cool to room temperature before slicing. Can make one day in advance. Cake does not need refrigeration.
For the sauce: In a saucepan, add sugar, heavy cream and butter. Heat until boiling and combined. Then add bourbon and pecans. Mixture will bubble up. Pour warm sauce on cake and serve with whipped cream or ice cream. If making cake ahead, put sauce on cake and warm in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes.
RECIPE COURTESY OF CHEF TIM SMITH, STATION TAPROOM
Bakewell TartIngredientsPastry:
6 ounces all-purpose flour21/2 ounces unsalted butter, chilled
2 to 3 tablespoons ice-cold water
Filling:2 tablespoons raspberry jam
41/2 ounces unsalted butter41/2 ounces granulated sugar
41/2 ounces ground almonds or almond flour
1 egg1 teaspoon almond extract2 ounces flaked almonds
Equipment:10- or 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom
InstructionsTo make the pastry: Measure flour into a bowl and rub in butter with fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add water to form a soft dough. If too sticky, add more flour. If too firm, add more water. Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface. Grease tart pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Line tart pan with pastry and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove from refrigerator, line pastry case with foil and fill with pie weights or baking beans. Blind bake about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake another 5 minutes until golden.
Spread raspberry jam over bottom of pastry. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in sugar, ground almonds, egg and almond extract by hand with a spatula. Pour onto tart. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.
RECIPE COURTESY OF CHEF TIM SMITH, STATION TAPROOM
