Bury New Road, Whitefield
Another week, another
afternoon tea.
I recently wrote about how
much I enjoyed a quirky take on the traditional afternoon tea when I visited
One88 for a ‘Gentleman’s’ alternative, complete with pork pies, sausage rolls
and fish goujons.
Last week, I hopped across the
road to the local Willy Wonka emporium that is Slattery’s, the magical and
mystical chocolatier that never fails to bring a touch of magic to your day.
I’ve previously had the
Lancashire Afternoon Tea, served daily from 10:30am in the Masons Dining Room,
but I’ve long since wanted to try their ‘luxury’ chocolate version. It’s not
far removed from your traditional afternoon tea: it’s still sandwiches, scones
and cakes but with the emphasis firmly on their creamy blend of chocolate.
Served on a traditional
three-tiered cake stand, it’s beautifully presented and looks every bit as
decadent as you’d expect. There are simple but tasty finger sandwiches: ham and
cheddar cheese, poached salmon and cucumber, turkey and stuffing and coronation
chicken. Classic, quintessentially British flavours which you just can’t really
go wrong with. The sandwiches were fresh, the bread was soft and there was
plenty of filling. There was also a savoury cheese and onion tartlet: a mix of
grated cheese, onion and mayonnaise scooped inside a mini shortcrust pastry
case.
On the middle tier was a
homemade chocolate chip scone, served with butter, raspberry preserve and
clotted cream. I wasn’t sure a chocolate chip scone would entirely work: the
juicy sultanas are normally the selling point of a scone for me. And then there
was the question of whether or not the jam and cream would work with the
chocolate chips? Surprisingly, it actually works very well.
The scones weren’t the best
I’ve ever tasted, which was quite a shock, as, ordinarily, nobody does cakes
quite like Slattery’s. However, they were packed full of tasty chocolate chips.
I failed to exercise any form of self-control with the clotted cream and
scooped heaps of it onto each half of my scone (but always jam first).
The top tier, the piece de resistance
of an afternoon tea, was literally choc-full of deliciousness. There was a
profiterole, half-dipped in milk chocolate, a strawberries and cream pot, which
was a pot of white chocolate filled with strawberry jam and whipped cream, a
decadent slice of rich Baileys gateaux and one of Slattery’s signature
chocolate pots filled with melted chocolate, accompanied by fresh strawberries
for dipping.
I went straight in with the
chocolate and strawberries so I could devour the liquid chocolate whilst it was
still warm, then left the remains to crystallise, making for a delicious thick
layer of chocolate upon chocolate to finish on a high. The strawberries and
cream pot was disappointing, as it was essentially just a white chocolate pot
filled with whipped cream and a minuscule amount of jam. I was expecting
something a little more exciting.
After the clotted cream on the
scone and the cream inside the profiterole, additional cream was certainly not
necessary. My favourite Slattery’s desert, the Wicked Chocolate Sampler,
consists of four mini chocolate cakes, including a Millionaire’s shortbread and
a chocolate orange brownie, so they’re certainly not short of chocolate
miniatures. It would have been much better to include something like this, with
more texture, taste and substance, than another round of chocolate and cream.
The Baileys slice only served to emphasise these thoughts further, as it was
delicious and certainly the most enjoyable of the sweet treats. Given the vast
array of chocolate cakes that Slattery produce on a daily basis, more
miniatures are definitely needed on this afternoon tea.
For £19.50 per person, the
afternoon tea comes with a choice of hot chocolate, milkshake or pot of tea.
It’s not expensive but it’s not the best value for money when you consider how
much you’d pay for a lunchtime sandwich, all of which are generously portioned
with plenty of fresh salad. The Wicked Chocolate Sampler is more satisfying and
only £6.95.
It pains me to find fault with
anything about Slattery’s. It’s my adopted second home and I absolutely love
dining here. To say it was disappointing would be unfair, as it was perfectly
enjoyable and deliciously indulgent.
Any fellow chocaholic should
give the Chocolate Afternoon Tea a try.
Unusually, you don’t have to
pre-order the afternoon tea in advance, you can simply select it from the menu
on the day. However, booking a table is absolutely necessary.
Email: mgfoodie100@gmail.com
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