A slice of the Jubilee – pudding fun for The Queen
Are we, as a nation, capable of surpassing the Victoria Sponge? Is there a baker out there who can create a new dish that outwits and out-eats the brilliant layers of sponge, cream and jam? And is there a home cook who can best the brilliant Queen of Puddings, a magnificent and comforting concoction of fruit compote, cream and chewy meringue?
That’s the task that the nation has been set as we look forward to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. A remarkable achievement, it’s one that we can crown by making the best of the phrase: Let them eat cake.
If nothing else, it will distract our minds from the ongoing partygate scandal in Downing Street, though perhaps our elected leaders might like to make a contribution of their own in the battle to find the nation’s best, regal dessert.
Fortnum & Mason is behind the bid to come up with a Platinum Pudding.
We think they might come up with a fudge pudding, given all the hot air and dissembling that passes for governance in the Prime Minister’s office. We’re thinking that something like a Hot Fudge Pudding Cake would be right up Boris Johnson’s street, with a rich chocolate fudge sauce that forms underneath a chocolate cake while it bakes. The dessert is typically served with a melting vanilla ice cream and is the perfect antidote to cold winter days.
And yet the Jubilee weekend is from June 2 to 5 this summer and so perhaps something lighter would be more in order. There are endless variations of the popular Eton mess that chime with the season, most of which include strawberries, cream and meringue. They are the flavours of the English summer – and, with the exception of the meringue – of Wimbledon. And, let’s face it, with the country in a right old mess, it’s also a dessert that simultaneously passes social comment while helping us to celebrate in style by feasting on seasonal produce.
Two other desserts immediately spring to mind when considering the best Platinum Jubilee Pudding. They are summer trifle and drop scones.
Drop scones are important because they have historical value. Apparently, the Queen wrote to President Eisenhower in 1960 with her recipe for drop scones, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Drop scones, of course, are utterly delicious and are best made the Mary Berry way with maple syrup, orange, self-raising flour, baking powder, egg, milk and a little oil for greasing. Otherwise known as Scotch pancakes, they are the ultimate breakfast recipe and can be served with yoghurt and fruit – or, in celebration of President Eisenhower, with crisp bacon and even more maple syrup. A dish that combines international diplomacy with the flavours of summer, it may be a contender for the winning dish – particularly as head judge Mary Berry is a fan.
Trifles are the ultimate summery pudding, combining yet more lashings of cream alongside plenty of soft fruit. They can be tailored to suit personal preference and sponge fingers can be replaced with slices of Victoria Sponge in honour of the Queen. Fresh and sweet and evoking memories of a summer’s day, it’s the ultimate dish for a jubilee. And while we’re at it, it’s the sort of dessert that can be jazzed up to the nines. Instead of dousing in the traditional sherry, the layer of sponge can instead by laced with champagne or something else deliciously fizzy.
We could, of course, refer to recent history when creating the perfect dish to celebrate the platinum jubilee. Banana loaf has been the staple diet for many throughout lockdown as people have used up left-over fruit to make something nutritious and sweet in the past two years. Easy to make and easy to elevate, it’s a dish that is fit for the times and is a reminder of our recent history.
Perhaps it’s not recent history that people will look to but years gone past. The Queen Anne’s pudding and the King William’s posset, for instance, are both favourites. The most popular, however, is arguably a dish in honour of Queen Charlotte – the aptly named Apple Charlotte.
James Martin makes a beautiful Apple Charlotte that has a buttery, crunchy outside and a warm, appley inner. It makes use of cooking apples and slices of white bread and his secret ingredient is smooth apricot jam, which adds a hint of both sweetness and piquancy to the filling. The apricots are added to the apple filling when the fruit is being broken down and the dish is best served with custard.
Of course, puddings are not the only royal dishes that have been created down the years. ‘Poulet Reine Elizabeth’, more commonly known as coronation chicken, is believed to have been inspired by the ‘Jubilee Chicken’ created for George V’s silver jubilee in 1935. The coronation chicken recipe was widely published at the time so that it could be enjoyed at street parties across Britain. It is a combination of cold cooked chicken meat, herbs and spices, and a creamy mayonnaise-based sauce. It can be eaten as a salad or used to fill sandwiches.
Platinum puddings, however, are the order of the day in 2022 and perhaps a fruity flag traybake will be the ultimate winner. The dish comprises a fail-safe sponge with plenty of almonds and yoghurts to keep it moist. The topping is then suitably patriotic with a Union Flag made from strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and other soft fruits. A delicious sharing dish, it is one of many that people will feast on as they come together to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
