HOW TO MAKE TREATS LIKE A MONARCH

HER MAJESTY’S PANCAKES

1 free-range egg

2 tablespoons unrefined caster sugar

1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted

250ml full-fat milk

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

240g plain flour

2.5 teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons cream of tartar 100g clarified unsalted butter In a bowl, sieve flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and sugar. Add milk and egg, whisk until smooth then add warm melted butter. Pass through a sieve to remove lumps. If necessary, thin with more milk. It should be a dropping consistency, thick enough to retain shape on a griddle. Heat griddle (or non-stick frying pan) over medium heat, and grease with clarified butter. Using a spoon or ladle, pour batter on griddle. Cook one side then flip with a palette knife to cook the other. Do not let them over-cook. Serve warm with butter and preserves.

PALACE’S PERFECT VICTORIA SPONGE

Two, 20cm/8in cake tins

3 free-range eggs

150g unrefined caster sugar

150g unsalted butter, softened

150g self-raising flour, sieved

½ teaspoon of vanilla essence For the buttercream:

150g unsalted butter, softened

220g icing sugar, sieved

¹/³ split vanilla pod Preheat oven to 180C (350F, gas mark 4). Grease tins with butter and line bottom with baking paper. In a bowl, cream sugar, vanilla essence and butter until light and fluffy. Add beaten eggs, a little at a time to avoid curdling. Fold sieved flour until combined. Divide the mix evenly between tins and smooth. Place on the middle shelf of oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and skewer comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool slightly before turning out on a wire rack. For the buttercream, cream butter with sugar and seeds from split vanilla pod until pale and fluffy. Once cakes have cooled, spread a layer of buttercream on top of the first cake, then add a thick layer of jam, before placing second cake on top of jam. Press down gently and dust top with icing sugar.