There is such a rich history of baking in London and the rest of the UK that I can’t possibly fit it all in here. Instead, I want to look at a few key moments that have defined British baking. We all know the story of the Great Fire of London starting at Thomas Farriner’s bakery in the aptly named Pudding Lane in 1666, so I had to name this chapter after that. Although back then, ‘pudding’ referred to the offal that would fall off the carts on their way to the docks, instead of the delicious bakes we eat as puddings these days.

Also in 1666, Cliveden House was built just outside London. One of the UK’s finest country houses, it serves a fantastic afternoon tea. I used to work in the kitchens at Cliveden so wanted to venture back there to take a look at some of the classic cakes they serve today. For afternoon tea you can expect to enjoy an array of finger sandwiches, a variety of cakes from Victoria sponge to lemon drizzle (see here and here) and the classic scone – the hero of the British cream tea. My recipe here provides three different flavours: plain, walnut and fruit.

Also at the top end of the spectrum for an afternoon tea is the iconic food emporium Fortnum & Mason, which now has a top-floor tea room – elegant and steeped in tradition. A sanctuary away from the crowds on Piccadilly below, the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon is definitely worth a visit. My recipe for iced cherry finger buns here is a tribute to it.

There are so many exciting things happening in London on the food scene right now. Borough Market has long been showcasing new producers and products and a recent addition there is Bread Ahead, run by Matt Jones and Justin Gellatly. It has taken them 10 years to perfect their sourdough bread, which is one of the best I’ve ever tasted. I enjoyed an afternoon of baking with Matt and you can too, as they run an on-site bakery course that is open to the public. Every day their fresh loaves and signature doughnuts are sold across the road at their Bread Ahead stall in the market building.

From the upper-class tea rooms of the West End, to the foodie heartbeat of Borough, I then travelled to the East End – perfect pie and pint territory. It’s definitely worth checking out the Marksman pub on Hackney Road, run by Jon Rotherham, who has a pie of the day on his seasonal menu. I like to keep things classic, so the recipe I’ve given you here is for my favourite steak and kidney pie.