British flavor for royal wedding parties

Throwing a watching party for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton doesn't have to be a royal pain.

But with the wedding scheduled for a 5 a.m. start here, you probably are going to find that plenty of coffee is, so to speak, your cup of tea.

Patra Wroten, who lives in the Washington, D.C., area and writes about parties and other occasions on her blog, I Do Declare, has found a workaround to the inconvenient timing -- a slumber party for some friends.

"We just love weddings," she said. "It really was just a great excuse to get a group of our girlfriends together, take off work and theme a party."

Ready to host your own wedding watching party? Here's a menu for early morning British eats:

This March 21, 2011 photo shows a fruit bismarck in Concord, N.H. Bismarcks are also known as Dutch babies and German pancakes. Though this oven pancake isn't commonly served as a breakfast item in England, its savory counterpart, known as Yorkshire pudding, is served for Sunday dinner with leftovers being served with jam for dessert. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

Fruit and Chocolate Scones

Classic to afternoon teas, scones are commonly baked plain or studded with currants, then accompanied with jam and clotted cream. You can make your version with any dried fruit, such as blueberries, cranberries or apricots. You also can add chopped nuts or chocolate chips.

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

This March 21, 2011 photo shows bubble and squeak in Concord, N.H. So named for the sound it makes while it's cooking, bubble and squeak is a breakfast hash of sorts designed to use leftovers from the previous nights' boiled dinners. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

1/4 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups dried fruit, nuts and/or chocolate bits

Coarse sugar, optional

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until well distributed. Add the cream, sour cream and vanilla. Mix until almost combined, then add the fruit and nuts and mix just until distributed.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough into a circle about 3/4 inch thick and 10 inches across. Cut the circle into 8 wedges, then transfer each wedge to the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate or freeze until chilled, 15 to 30 minutes.

While the scones chill, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle the tops of the scones with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Fruit Bismarcks

Though this oven pancake isn't commonly served as a breakfast item in England, its savory counterpart, known as a Yorkshire pudding, is served for Sunday dinner. Use any fruit you like for the filling.

1 cup milk

4 eggs

1 cup bread flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1 1/2 cups fresh fruit, such as sliced peaches, citrus segments or berries

Powdered sugar or whipped cream, to garnish, if desired

Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, flour, baking powder and salt until smooth.

Place the butter in a pie plate or oven-safe skillet. Set the pie plate or skillet in the oven. When the butter has melted, swirl the pan around to fully coat the bottom and sides. Pour the batter into the hot pan and immediately return to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375 F and continue to cook until browned and puffy, about another 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven. Heap the fruit in the center, then serve dusted with powdered sugar or topped with whipped cream, if desired.

Bubble and Squeak

Named for the sound it makes while it's cooking, bubble and squeak is a breakfast hash of sorts designed to use leftovers from the previous nights' boiled dinners. It generally is made from shredded boiled cabbage, mashed potatoes and whatever else is around. Our version assumes the vegetables are cooked, but if you don't have any leftover veggies, simply boil them until tender.

1 pound sausage meat

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 russet potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed

1 cup shredded, cooked cabbage

1/2 cup chopped cooked carrots

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high, cook the sausage meat until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the pan and reserve.

Add the onion to the sausage drippings in the skillet and cook until translucent and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the potatoes, cabbage and carrots, as well as the reserved sausage meat. Mix and cook until well browned, 15 to 20 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan occasionally and flipping the mixture over and about. Season with salt and pepper.