And an infinity of pleasure from Jack and Beyond’s cakes and award-winning mince pies
A very short light-year from Parson’s Green tube is Jack & Beyond, a cake shop and café which only opened at the end of 2019, but whose cakes and mince pies have already created a bit of a buzz.
(OK – that’s enough Toy Story. Ed.)
Anyway, this bright, airy café is open seven days a week for breakfast, brunch – and since 1 October – for their special afternoon tea. This consists of a great selection of savoury and sweet treats, all expertly handmade and all excellent, smartly presented on a futuristic-looking two-tier cake stand.
The top line of savouries includes a square of warm and tasty leek and potato quiche and delicately puffed Cheddar palmiers, while a crouton provides the base for a mouthful of fresh, smooth avocado and mild feta. The profiteroles have a nice, salty/cheesy flavour.
Moving to tier two, the sweets look as good as they taste. The mini Bakewell tart (the only gluten-free item) is delicious with just the right amount of almond, the brownie has the right amount of squidge and comes with a lovely, soft white chocolate and Oreo topping. The oblongs of millionaire’s shortbread are just the right amount of sweet caramel and the fun-size jammy dodgers are softly crisp and tastily jammy, just right.
The mini tarts are full of fruity mango, crunchy pomegranate seeds, raspberry and grape pieces. To finish off, there are plain and pretty red velvet scones, crisp on the outside, light on the inside, served with jam and cream Devon-style, Cornwall-style or freestyle, as you prefer.
All this is washed down with a generous glass of rather good Prosecco and as much coffee or tea as you like (the teacups are Mad Hatter-large) from Jack & Beyond’s selection. Teas range from Earl Grey, Mao Feng green tea to Rooibos and spicy Chai (all from Teapigs), coffee includes house speciality lattes like Ceremonial Grade Matcha, Pink Flamingo (with beetroot and orange peel) or Sweet Turmeric.
In addition to a fab afternoon tea, founder Fulop Gabor, previously of the highly regarded Konditor in Borough Market, and his expert team of pastry chefs have come up with some excellent, award-winning mince pies.
Their melt-in-the-mouth butter pastry, fragrant and fruity homemade vegetarian mincemeat recently won Two Stars in the prestigious Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards and were praised by the judges as being ‘’generously filled with an immediate aroma of Christmas.”
These delicious mince pies are not just restricted to we poor Londoners but can be delivered anywhere in the UK in boxes of eight with your own personalised message – and they would make a superb Christmas present
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There’s also chocolate mince pies or event peanut butter and chocolate if you’d like something out of the ordinary. Jack & Beyond’s range of smooth gooey brownies would also make a luxury Christmas gift. Made with Callebaut chocolate (some of Belgium’s finest), the range includes white chocolate and pistachio, red velvet and vegan chocolate and raspberry. All these can be delivered anywhere in the UK.
Also very much out of the ordinary are the spectacular celebration cakes which Jack & Beyond also create. There are classics like coffee & walnut and lemon cake to the more unusual chai layer cake or vegan coconut chocolate cake. These can be fully tailor-made for Christmas, a birthday or any other occasion but can only be collected or delivered in London.
As well as their Afternoon Tea, Jack & Beyond offer Bottomless Cake & Fizz – all the cake you can eat (vegan and wheat-free options available) and drink (Prosecco, white wine or beer), and Bottomless Brunch with Cake (brunch main dish, a slice of cake or brownie, drinks as above).
Everything can be booked or ordered online and browsing Jack & Beyond’s website is actually great fun in itself. Not only are the cakes beautiful, but you also come across some of their quirkier items – like the cookies made into the heads of celebs and politicians, already decorated or to decorate yourself. Another great present…
So if you’re looking for a great afternoon tea experience or some inspired Christmas gift ideas, there’s no need to go to infinity or even the back of beyond, just go to Jack & Beyond!
Jack and Beyond
606 Fulham Road
London
SW6 5RP
Tel: 07593 310545
Looking for afternoon tea in town? Check out our round-up of top afternoon teas in London and beyond
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