What is the Coronation Big Lunch?

Join us in celebrating the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort with the Coronation Big Lunch from 6-8 May! It's the perfect opportunity to bring your community together and enjoy good food, great company, and a whole lot of fun (and hopefully some sunshine too). In addition to The King and The Queen Consort's Coronation Quiche recipe, we hope you enjoy making these delicious recipes.

For more than a decade now, The Big Lunch has been bringing people together to celebrate their connections and make new friends. With long trestle tables, mismatched chairs, and plenty of bunting, a BIG Coronation lunch is the perfect opportunity to get to know your local community a little bit better.

A treat from our Commonwealth family member, indulge in this classic Australian dessert - Lamingtons! These delicious treats are filled with cream and jam, coated in a rich chocolate icing and finished with a sprinkle of coconut. Pair them with a hot cup of tea for the ultimate snacking experience.

Makes 18. 

Ingredients:

• 125g salted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin
• 250g golden caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 250g self-raising flour
• 3 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp salt
• 250ml double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 200g raspberry jam
• 350g desiccated coconut
  
  For the icing:
• 80g unsalted butter, melted
• 250ml milk
• 50g cocoa powder
• 400g icing sugar 

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Butter and line a 20 x 30cm rectangle tin.
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a free-standing mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well. Beat through the flour, milk and salt until fully combined, then spoon into the tin. Bake in the oven for 25 mins or until golden and firm to the touch. Set aside to cool completely.
3. Slice the sponge horizontally to create two halves. Trim the edges to make perfect corners. Cut the sponge into 18 squares. Lightly whip the cream with the icing sugar until it reaches soft peaks. Spread a little of the jam on half of the sponge squares then pipe or spread over a little of the cream. Sandwich each one with a second square of sponge then set aside in the fridge to chill.
4. To make the icing, whisk together the melted butter and milk in a bowl. Sieve the cocoa powder and icing sugar together in a seperate bowl. Gradually add the cocoa and sugar to the butter and milk mixture, whisking continuously to ensure there are no lumps. If it gets lumpy, whizz with a hand blender until smooth.
5. Divide the coconut between three shallow bowls (this keeps it from getting coated in too much chocolate whilst you’re dipping).
6. Dip each lamington in the icing until completely covered. Roll in the coconut and set on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining sponges. Chill for a minimum of 1 hr.

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Indulge in a delightful chocolate traybake that is sure to impress any chocolate lover. This recipe is perfect for sharing at your Coronation celebration. For the little ones, decorate with Smarties or sweets, or create a more sophisticated version topped with chopped hazelnuts or chocolate coffee beans. 

Makes 20 servings.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 250 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
• 175 g self-raising flour
• 75 g cocoa powder
• 250 g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp. milk

For the frosting:

• 100 g unsalted butter, chopped
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 75 g cocoa powder
• 200 g icing sugar 

To decorate: sugar sprinkles, chocolate buttons or Smarties.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan) mark 3. Lightly grease and line a 20.5 x 30.5cm (8 x 12in) rectangular roasting tin with baking parchment. Put all the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat with a handheld electric whisk until combined and smooth, about 30sec.
2. Scrape into prepared tin, smoothing to level. Bake for 45-50min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in tin for 10min, then lift on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 
3. Meanwhile make the frosting. Heat butter, milk, vanilla and 1tbsp water in a pan over low heat, stirring until butter melts. Sift in cocoa powder and icing sugar, and heat gently, stirring until glossy and smooth. Remove from heat and leave to cool for 30-45min or until thick enough to spread and just hold its shape.
4. Transfer cake to a serving board, peeling off baking parchment. Beat frosting briefly so it’s smooth (add a few drops of boiling water if it’s too thick). Spread over top of cake. Decorate with sugar sprinkles, chocolate buttons or Smarties. Leave to set for 20min before serving.

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A savoury British classic, the cheese scone is delicious served warm from the oven or the next day, toasted and buttered. You could try a yummy topping such as poached eggs, brie and fig jam or Ploughman's pickle and cold ham!

Ingredients:

• 60g butter, straight from the fridge, diced
• 270g flour, plus extra to dust
• 1¼ tbsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 210g buttermilk, plus extra for glazing
• 80g mature cheddar, diced
• 30g mature cheddar, coarsely grated

You'll also need a medium-sized cookie cutter.

Method:

1. Give your food processor a whirl and blitz together the butter, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar for a speedy 10-15 seconds.
2. Pour the buttermilk into a mixing bowl, add the flour mixture and gently mix with a metal spoon.
3. Mix the cheeses together and add to the dough. Take care not to overwork as it will make the scones tough.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough until it’s 2½ cm thick. Starting from the outside of the dough, cut out the scones. Press straight down, don’t twist the cutter.
5. Heat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas 6½. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden on top.

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Don't forget to tag us in your creations!