Power up your minimotos and get out your nitrous oxide boost bottles. Minimoto season is upon us. Here is your schedule for following and participating in this trilling motor sport.

1. The Tea Rooms (The Tea Rooms, 155 Stoke Newington Church St, N16 0UH )   No Frills, but budget friendly. Reserved for the weekends, you will be provided with high quality tea selection and homemade jam. From just £10 per person.

2. National Dining Rooms (The National Dining Rooms, Sainsbury Wing, The National Gallery, WC2N 5DN) The grandeur of the location adds to the experience. A must to try is the Millionaire’s shortbread. From £14.50 per person.

3.  The Wallace (The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, W1U 3BN  www.thewallacerestaurant.com) The quintisential British tea done with a French twist. Hey they cook! Enjoy traditional cakes and tarts along with fromage frais and homemade pâtés. From £21.50 per person.

4. The Lanesborough (1 Lanesborough Place, SW1X 7TA www.lanesborough.com). This is the place for proper tea connoisseurs, as they employ a  tea ‘sommelier’. Cakes are traditional, and gluten free cakes are available on prior request. From £33 per person

5. The Ritz (150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR http://www.theritzlondon.com/tea/london-,default-en.html). You knew it was coming. With a variety of 17 different teas and a champagne option as well, this is english afternoon tea at its best. From £40 per person.

Dust off that cream whipper and load it with fresh cream chargers and get back to baking. Summer is still a long way a way, so cheer up those gloomey afternoons with a homemade cream tea inspired by the greatest of what |London has to offer.

Happy New Year from the team at www.directcream.co.uk

1. Get to know the parts of your whipped cream dispencer

Your cream whipper is made up of a bottle, a screw on headpiece, and pipping tip. Wash these throughly before use. You may need to buy the cream charger (nitrous oxide bulb) separate.

2. Insert the cream charger (cream cartridge/nitrous oxide bulb)

The cream charger goes into the cartridge holder which is opposite the handle. This piece screws off and the bulb fits perfectly inside. The round end goes in first as the tip will be punctured when screwed back on. This releases the gas into the cream to produce the whipped effect. You will need to replace your cream charger after every use, as typically they only hold enough nitrous to produce 1 liter of cream.

3. Add your cream

Pour your cream into the bottle. How much cream you pour in depends on what size cream dispencer you purchased. For this we will say 1 pint of cream and 2 tablespoons of confectioner’s sugar. At this time also add and flavouring syrup or vanilla extract.

4. Put it all together

Place the headpiece on the bottle and tighten. Also replace the cartridge holder on the headpiece and tighten quickly so that no gas escapes.

5. Shake Shake Shake

Now the best part. Shake the bottle so that the cream and sugar can mix, usually for 1-2 minutes. Now turn the cream whipper vertically and squeeze the handle. Immediatly fluffy whipped cream will be produced to garnish your favourite cakes, fruits, and coffee’s.

Raspberry Lemon Cream Slice: Roll prepackaged grocery store pastery out and cut into 8 rectangles. Put pastry rectanges on baking sheet.

Prick with fork, brush with milk, and put into fridge until pastry is firm.

Follow cooking instructions on packaging. Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing each rectange in half.

Prepare whipped cream in your Liss cream whipper dispencer following manufacturer’s instructions, include lemon zest in your cream making.

Spread cream on pastry, followed by scattering raspberries on top.

Finish with sugar icing.  Enjoy!

Whipped Cream Slice

Europe was where the nitrous oxide cream charger was originated. European manufacturers have high standards and regulations for health and safety and quality of the product. This includes repeated cleaning to remove machinery oil from the chargers. As with most areas of manufacturing some production has moved to china. It is true that the Chineses standards of production has not been proven to be lower standards, but past studies show that Europe has higher standards for consumable goods.  The UK has been bombarded with lower quality Chinese cream chargers. The price may be lower, but is the standard there?  EZ Whip is an Austrian manufacturer whose product is the leading retail seller in the American market. Liss is the second most popular European manufacturer and uses recycled metal to make the nos canisters. Isi  and Best Whip are the third and fourth most popular cream supplies manufacturers. Mosa rounds out the top 5 European manufacturers and tends to focus on medical grade N20.  No matter which brand of cream supplies you use, always use the product by following the manufacturer’s instructions.  For a UK retailer of Liss check out www.directcream.co.uk