How to make a British cup of tea

Unless you have been living under a rock or avoiding the media furore, you probably would have seen a TikTok video of an American woman demonstrating how to make a cup of what she called “British tea” which went viral last week.

A microwave, a tonne of sugar, and a shocking order of doing things were all involved in the deed. Most of us weren’t quite sure if the video was a spoof, and plenty of Brits were left aghast. I must say, it’s one hell of a way to go viral.

After coming back down to earth through the sheer shock of it all, I actually felt deeply ashamed. The lady after all - lives in England, how dreadful that a British friend or neighbour hasn’t bothered to show her the way… Do your bit people!

We discussed this in our Facebook group, and many ladies asked for me to clarify a few things about how we make and drink tea - to an acceptable level at least - for our fellow countrymen. Don’t get me wrong, you can drink your tea any way you like, you just can’t call it British unless it follows the proper formula.

Join my Mum and I, as we explain and demonstrate how to make a proper British daily cup of tea, and I also share a few tricks and tips on tea etiquette along the way.

How to make a cup of tea, the British way

If you’d like to request to join our private ladies Facebook group ‘Traditional Housewives with The Darling Academy’, simply click here.

An example of a tea colour chart is found below. I prefer mine somewhere between an Action Man and Caramelised Parsnip - though Earl Grey does tend to give off a greyish hue to the whole affair. See, we told you it was complicated! If you want to make the least offensive cup of tea for all, aim for the Action Man.

Winnie’s easy fudge recipe

Serves: plenty!
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Shelf life: Will keep for up to a week in the fridge - if it lasts that long!

Basic Caramel Fudge Ingredients:

• 125g (1 stick) Butter
• 397g tin of Condensed Milk, or see how to make it from Evaporated Milk
• 2 tbsp of Golden Syrup
• 220g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) Brown Sugar
• 200g (1 cup) White Chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 tbsp Sea Salt to make “Salted Caramel” Fudge

How to make Caramel Fudge

1. Break your Chocolate into pieces and set aside.
2. Line a brownie tin (ideally 20cm x 20cm) with baking or greaseproof paper and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, add the Butter, Golden Syrup, Condensed Milk and Brown Sugar and melt together over a low heat for approximately 10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened slightly and turns golden brown.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, add the White Chocolate and stir to melt and combine.
5. Pour the fudge mixture into your prepared tin, and smooth the surface.
6. *If using Sea Salt, sprinkle over the top at this point.
7. Pop the tin into the fridge and leave for a minimum of 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
8. Once cooled and set, remove from the tin and cut with a sharp knife into even pieces. * A knife which has been warmed in hot water will make slicing neater and easier.

Mint Aero Fudge Recipe Ingredients:

• 500g (3 cups) Mint Aero Chocolate (or Mint Chocolate),
• *or 500g (3 cups) Milk Chocolate + 1 tsp Mint Essence
• 397g tin of Condensed Milk, or see how to make it from Evaporated Milk
• 200g (1 cup) Mint Aero Bubbles, or alternative Mint Chocolate for topping - broken, some pieces left larger or whole.

How to make Mint Chocolate Fudge

1. Break your Chocolate into pieces and set aside.
2. Line a brownie tin (ideally 20cm x 20cm) with baking or greaseproof paper and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, add Condensed Milk and 500g Mint Chocolate and melt together over a low heat for approximately 10 minutes..
4. Pour the fudge mixture into your prepared tin, and smooth the surface.
5. Sprinkle over the Aero bubbles over top. Some bubbles or pieces should be left whole, some crushed to provide different textures.
6. Pop the tin into the fridge and leave for a minimum of 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
7. Once cooled and set, remove from the tin and cut with a sharp knife into even pieces. * A knife which has been warmed in hot water will make slicing neater and easier.