Get the Royal Yacht Britannia’s Official Scone Recipe and Have Afternoon Tea Like the Queen
January 26, 2018It doesn’t get much more English — or more royal — than sitting down for afternoon tea.
And of course, tea isn’t complete without a scone (or two!). We’ve got a peek at a royal-approved recipe for the classic treat, straight from one of Queen Elizabeth‘s former residences: the Royal Yacht Britannia.
First launched by Queen Elizabeth herself in 1953, Britannia is the only new royal residence to be introduced during her reign. It has been everywhere from the Mediterranean to Australia, and transported royals like Prince Charles and Princess Diana and Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones on their honeymoons.
The ship was formally decommissioned in 1997 after plans to create a new royal yacht were scrapped, mostly for financial reasons. The Queen was even pictured wiping away a tear during the emotional decommissioning ceremony. She hasn’t been on board the boat since.
Queen Elizabeth in 1997
Tim Graham/Getty Images
Today, the Royal Yacht Britannia is a tourist destination that royal fans can visit in Edinburgh, Scotland. With the transition from royal residence to public site came the addition of the Royal Deck Tea Room, where guests can take a break from the tour to indulge in tea and scones. Once used as a space for the royal family to hold cocktail parties and receptions, it has become a popular part of the Britannia experience: In 2016 alone, the eatery served 48,953 cups of tea and 46,390 scones to visitors.
But if you can’t get to Edinburgh, you can still get a taste of their delicious scones, which they make daily (both plain and fruit!) in the royal galley. Check out the official Britannia scone recipe below!
The Royal Yacht Britannia scones
Royal Yacht Britannia
The Royal Yacht Britannia scones
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of self-raising flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 tablespoon of caster sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup of diced room-temperature butter
2/3 cup of milk
Directions
Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl.
Add sugar and salt.
Rub in the butter, then add the milk slowly.
Mix with a knife and then combine gently with floured hands (the dough should be soft, not quite sticky). The secret is not to over work the mixture.
Pat out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 2.5cm.
Cut with fluted cutters then place on a buttered baking sheet. Brush with milk.
Bake near the top of a pre-heated oven (450F) for 14-15 minutes until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack.
Eat warm with cream and jam or butter.
Raisins (currants) or grated cheese can be added to the recipe, when combining.
To learn more about the Royal Yacht Britannia, visit their official website.