Afternoon Tea at Bramble Cafe

Combining comforting recipes, local ingredients and a bit of baking magic, Mat Follas presents an irresistible collection of tea time treats.

Let Mat transport you to a sunny table adorned with fine china, the sound of birdsong, and the smell of the sea, for his ultimate collection of recipes from his latest book, Afternoon Tea at Bramble Cafe. Here, Mat has honed his unique experience and his passion for food. Recipes for Cakes and Scones include a classic Victoria Sandwich and a local Dorset Apple Cake. Slices and Tarts feature a Bakewell Slice, Individual Treacle Tarts, Bramble Cheesecake, and Raspberry Meringue Kisses. Delicious Cookies range from Lavender Shortbread and Rose Thins to Anzac Biscuits inspired by his Kiwi roots. Try Mat’s specialty Dainties and Patisserie such as Marshmallow Tea Cakes, and Camp Coffee and Caramel Eclairs. For the quintessentially British Afternoon Tea try Savories and Sandwiches including Classic Finger Sandwiches—Cucumber and Mint, Smoked Salmon and Dill, and Egg and Cress—Welsh Rarebit, Crab on Toast, or Cheese Choux. Finally, making the most of the ripest fruit, are recipes for irresistible Preserves and Cordials—a Bramble and Rose Jelly, Orange and Whiskey Marmalade, Lemon and Mandarin Curd, Apple and Pear Cordial, and Mat’s Elderflower Fizz.

In 2016, Mat opened Bramble Cafe & Deli in Poundbury, Dorset, with his wife Amanda and their business partner Kate. Winner of MasterChef UK (BBC) in 2009, Mat often judges food competitions and events and is a regular judge for BBC MasterChef, The Great Taste Awards and The World Cheese Awards. Mat regularly runs cooking courses as well as courses on foraging and wild plants and his recipes are published in a variety of magazines including BBC GoodFood, Olive and Delicious. He has written two books for Ryland Peters & Small, Fish in 2015, followed by Vegetable Perfection in 2016. Mat lives in Dorset with his family.