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The Claire Byrne Show

What makes a good afternoon tea?

23 Jun 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

1.87 - 6.236 Claire Byrne

The Clare Byrne Show on Newstalk. With Aviva Insurance.

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9.101 - 21.118 Clare Byrne

Back here in Leish, we're all tucking into some lovely tasty treats provided by Shane Smith, author of Loaf Tin Bakes and Chef. Shane, you're very welcome. Thank you for having me. To lovely Leish.

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21.539 - 23.141 Shane Smith

I'm ready to move down, I think, at this point.

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23.582 - 26.626 Clare Byrne

We let him in from Cavan. We're being very generous and open today.

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Chapter 2: What are the essential elements of a good afternoon tea?

26.666 - 39.212 Clare Byrne

The Cavan man giving away all these scones. I don't know what's wrong. Are you all right? Is the heat getting to you? So we're talking afternoon tea today, which is what we're all enjoying here. Where would you like to start with this beautiful tray of goodies?

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39.272 - 55.726 Shane Smith

I love afternoon tea. It's such a celebration. I think especially this time of year when the sun is shining and you're having friends over, it's nice to kind of pop on the table and everyone can kind of help themselves. where all the kitchens that I've worked in, we've always went with the scones or scones, depending on where you come from. Scones in Leash, isn't it? We're scones in Cavan.

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55.746 - 56.948 Clare Byrne

Scones, yeah, oh yeah, we're scones.

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56.968 - 70.092 Shane Smith

I find my people, it's fine, it's good. So we start off with the scones on top and then pastries on the middle tier and then your nice savoury sandwiches then on the bottom. So starting off strong, I think I can see lots. Is there people nodding? Are we all good? Yes, great.

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70.452 - 71.955 Clare Byrne

Scones are lovely, aren't they?

71.935 - 95.158 Shane Smith

yeah it's a lovely light scone shane yeah pass me over one they're as light as angels you would have to do all the talking here shane while i enjoy this is it fresh cream it is fresh cream and a fresh strawberry on top so keep the fresh cream fresh now it is so i literally just kind of whipped it up and had an ice box with me and kept it cold because it does turn very very quickly so whenever i'm making scones i always use plain flour and baking powder i find that if you use self-raising which is completely fine you can do

95.138 - 112.523 Shane Smith

depending on the brand of flour you're using, you can't judge how much self-raising or baking powder is in there. So I like to make it with plain flour and I put in my own baking powder so I can control that a little bit better. I suppose common myth growing up was you don't touch the scone too much or overwork it because you'd be left with a kind of like a heavier scone.

112.503 - 123.758 Shane Smith

So for me, and in the last couple of years, what I've been doing is giving the scone dough a light little knead, because there's nothing worse than when you go out and you get a scone, you cut it, it turns to dust in your hand, it just breaks. You want to be able to spread on the butter and jam.

123.798 - 137.998 Shane Smith

So if you give it a light knead and then cut out your scones and then rest them for maybe 10, 15 minutes before you bake them. After you cut them out? After you cut them out, pop them on the tray and then let them rest. And that gives the gluten time to rest in the scone. So you're left with what we have today, a kind of a scone that's nice and light.

Chapter 3: How does Shane Smith prepare the perfect scone?

161.887 - 162.688 Shane Smith

We're good. We're good today.

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162.788 - 164.65 Clare Byrne

He can't put cream and jam on.

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164.63 - 179.063 Shane Smith

Well, some people put cream and then put a dollop of jam on top of the cream, which is very... No, you're making life hard for yourself, I think, if you do that. 100%. So I'm always spread the jam on and then put a nice dollop of cream on top. And then something simple like a fresh strawberry, really, really nice on top.

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179.303 - 191.193 Shane Smith

But again, play around with whatever jam you like, whether it's a raspberry, strawberry, even lemon curd is actually lovely. And that's a nice little transition into the middle tier here. We have two pastries, very simple to make. One is like a Viennese swirl.

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191.293 - 193.475 Clare Byrne

I don't believe that they're simple to make.

193.495 - 212.884 Shane Smith

I just don't believe it. I have to stop saying that. Maybe they're the next tier of challenging to make, but the Viennese world biscuits are those lovely kind of buttery biscuits. So the secret of that is as well, is plenty of corn flour in the plain flour. So when you're mixing it in, just lowers the amount of gluten that's in there. So you get more of a crumblier, lighter biscuit.

213.125 - 216.129 Shane Smith

And I've just sandwiched those together with a vanilla buttercream and jam.

216.39 - 218.693 Clare Byrne

Did you pipe those? Is that how you make the shape?

218.713 - 241.258 Shane Smith

So you have a lovely little star nozzle and you kind of pipe that on. Otherwise, it looks like a bit of a poo emoji. If you use the round piping nozzle, it just doesn't look that nice. So a star nozzle for life. If there's one thing that you invest in today, sun cream and a star nozzle. So yeah, star nozzle just gives it a nice little kind of a design on the top as well. But very simple.

Chapter 4: What is the best way to serve scones with cream and jam?

425.981 - 428.105 Clare Byrne

Some people really object to the raisins in a sandwich.

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428.165 - 431.511 Shane Smith

I know. I've upset people before. Now we're putting a raisin in a scone.

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431.677 - 451.221 Shane Smith

so that you're in your experience carnation chicken is the most popular is it absolutely love it i think the simplicity of it i just basically made i bought the wrap and put the filling in the middle and rolled it out and just cut it into bite-sized pieces so i know we're talking about afternoon tea today but this is absolutely lovely for lunch boxes or if you're bringing it to work with you or if you're going for a picnic or something

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451.201 - 467.775 Shane Smith

um it's it's a really really lovely one just again to be careful with eating outdoors and especially this temperature as well if you are bringing chicken somewhere with you whether it's out for a picnic or opportunity just make sure that you're keeping everything cold uh because the last thing you want to do is bring chicken out and leave it sitting out somewhere warm for a few hours last thing you want yes is to be

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467.755 - 493.982 Shane Smith

unwell in this kind of weather exactly so this is a perfect for this time of the year as well because we don't really want the heavy meals and the big dinners kind of more grazing food picky bits picky bits I love picky bits so even in the evening time but this is a lovely one and again that family style of everyone just coming dropping and doesn't have to be on these little stands it can just be on nice platters and everyone can kind of help themselves but I think it's a lovely way to engage and talk to people while you're sharing that while you're not sitting down to your own full turkey and ham dinner

493.962 - 501.294 Shane Smith

You can actually enjoy these little bits. And again, as I said, this time of year, it's really lovely. But all these flavours kind of play around with them and put what you like on them as well. It's important.

501.314 - 522.408 Clare Byrne

Well, Shane, I'm delighted to see you in Leash and I think we'll hang on to you. But also from all of us here, a huge thank you for all of the work that you put into making the lovely snacks for us today. We've all enjoyed them so much. Someone who's brave enough to put the oven on in this heat deserves that round of applause, Shane. So thank you so much.

522.448 - 539.967 Clare Byrne

We're coming close to the end of the program. I just want to say congratulations to Deirdre Toomey, who correctly told us that the Sleave Bloom Mountains is the name of the famous mountain range in County Leash. And Deirdre has a two-night stay at the Heritage Hotel with breakfast each morning and dinner on an evening of your choice. So well done to you.

539.947 - 563.203 Clare Byrne

We have had a wonderful time here in Ballykilkavan Farm and Brewery this morning with thanks to the ESB, Ireland's largest EV charging network, and a massive thank you to David Walsh-Chemis and all the staff for looking after us here. Can we say thank you? Is he here? Is David here? He was here a minute ago. Let's give him a round of applause anyway to David Walsh-Chemis and all of the staff.

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