I remember my first afternoon tea. My mother, sister, and I went to the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans with several other mothers and daughters. I was 10 years old and wore my blue cotton-sateen Easter dress with pink embroidered rosebuds on the white lace-edged collar. It was such a wonderful affair to dress up and be served treats on a tiered server with pretty flowers. I have enjoyed many teas since that time with many friends and family members from London, Paris, and the Empress in Victoria, British Columbia, as well as many wonderful tea rooms all over America. Precious memories are always made at afternoon tea!
The custom of afternoon tea was introduced in England by Anna Maria, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in 1840 when she got hungry around four o’clock in the afternoon. As the evening meal was served around eight o’clock, the Duchess would need a little tea, a few sandwiches, and a sweet to sustain her until dinner. Thus, having tea in the afternoon with savory small sandwiches, scones, jam, and cream, and delectable desserts began. And it is a delightful tradition that continues today.
For afternoon tea, brewing tea is very important. To brew the perfect cup of tea, use a good quality tea and a china teapot, rinsed with very hot water to temper. Add 1 teaspoon tea leaves or 1 tea bag per person plus 1 teaspoon tea leaves or 1 tea bag for the pot. Pour almost boiling water over the tea: cover, and steep tea for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir the tea just before pouring or straining into the cups. Serve tea with milk and sugar or honey. You may add a little spice to tea by adding cinnamon, cloves, lemon, tangerine or orange slices, raspberries, mint leaves, or apple juice.
Afternoon tea is usually served in three courses—savories, scones with jam and cream, and sweets. Savories and tea sandwiches are the first course for afternoon tea. Tea sandwiches come in all shapes and sizes, with simple and elaborate fillings served on a variety of breads. Crusts are usually removed, and edges may be dipped in mayonnaise with parsley or finely chopped nuts. Once prepared, sandwiches should be stored in airtight containers layered between cool, damp paper towels. Serve sandwiches in layers of lettuce leaves to retain freshness.
The second course in a proper afternoon tea is a selection of scones, muffins, and fruit breads. Scones are served with thick cream, jam, and lemon curd.
The final course of afternoon tea is sweets. It consists of a selection of cookies, cakes, pastries, tarts, meringues, cupcakes, and mousses.
This is the perfect afternoon tea for a few special friends to enjoy as they visit, share stories, and make memories.
SAVORY:
Cucumber Sandwiches
Tomato Tarts
Chicken Salad on Apple Slices
Asparagus Roll-ups
Scones
Cream Scones with Jam and Cream
SWEETS:
Chocolate Mousse Cups
Flower Butter Cookies
Lemon Cream Cupcakes
Mini Almond Tortes
Cucumber Sandwiches
½ stick butter
10 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced into thin rounds, lightly salted, and well-drained
For garnish: fresh dill
Spread butter on bread slices. In a bowl, stir together cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Spread mixture over butter layer. Cut into small round sandwiches. Top with a few cucumbers. Sprinkle with fresh dill.
Yield: 20 tea sandwiches
Tomato Tarts
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, well-drained
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (3-ounce) package real bacon bits
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
3 (1.9-ounce) packages mini filo shells
For garnish: sliced cherry tomatoes and fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, stir together tomatoes, mayonnaise, bacon bits, and cheese. Fill shells, and bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in greased mini muffin tins for 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish each tart with a cherry tomato slice and fresh parsley.
Yield: 45 mini tartlets
Chicken Salad on Apple Slice
4 cups boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ cup diced celery
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon each: salt, black pepper, and white pepper
2 large apples, sliced
In a bowl, mix together chicken, celery, pecans, cranberries, mayonnaise, salt, and peppers. If desired, Add additional mayonnaise for a creamier texture. Serve a scoop on each apple slice.
Yield: 8-10 servings
Asparagus Roll-Ups
12 small fresh asparagus spears, trimmed to 6-inches long
12 slices white bread, crusts removed
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup blue cheese crumbled
Salt, black pepper, and white pepper to taste
1 stick salted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Flatten bread between waxed paper with a rolling pin. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, blue cheese, salt, and peppers together. Spread a layer onto each bread slice. Place an asparagus spear on each piece of bread; then roll up and press ends down. Dip each sandwich in melted butter. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
Yield: 12 sandwiches
SCONES
Cream Scones with Jam and Cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
4 tablespoons butter
¾ cup whipping cream, plus extra from brushing
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add sugar. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until crumbly. Make a well in center, add cream, and blend well. Dough will be sticky. On a floured surface, knead dough for 30 seconds. Roll out dough to ½ inch thick, and cut rounds with a 2-inch cutter. Place scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops of scones with whipping cream, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 minutes.
Yield: 12 scones
Mock Clotted Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
With a mixer, beat cream in a chilled bowl until thick and creamy. Beat in cream cheese and sugar until a thick, creamy mixture is formed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Yield: 1½ cups
SWEETS
Chocolate Mousse Cups
Cream Cheese Tart Shells:
1 stick salted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
With a mixer, beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar until creamy. Gradually beat in flour and salt until blended. Shape dough into ¾-inch balls. Place on a baking sheet and chill for 1 hour. Place balls in greased mini or regular muffin tins. Press dough to form shells. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pans to wire racks and cool completely for 15 minutes. Remove shells. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Yield: about 2 dozen shells
Chocolate Mousse:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
For garnish: fresh raspberries
Place chocolate chips in a bowl; set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 cup of cream to a boil. Pour over chocolate chips, and let stand for 5 minutes to melt chocolate. With a wire whisk, stir until smooth and cool to room temperature; set aside. With mixer, beat remaining 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form. Fold cream into chocolate mixture until smooth. With a pastry bag and large tip, pipe into shells.
Yield: 2 dozen pastries
Flower Butter Cookies
Butter Cookies:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With a mixer, cream butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture in three additions. Shape into 3 balls. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour. Remove 1 ball at a time, and roll out on a floured wax paper surface. Sprinkle dough with a little flour, and place wax paper on top. Roll to 1/8 to ¼-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 9 minutes. Cookies should not brown. Cool on baking sheet. With small paint brush, tint cookies with color of choice Egg White Wash. Return to oven for 1 minute to set wash.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Egg White Wash:
(for layer flower cookies and leaves)
2 egg whites
Few drops of water
Food coloring
In a bowl with a wire whisk, combine egg whites and water. Divide egg white mixture among small bowls. Tint each bowl with a few drops of food coloring. Paint cookies with different shades and shadows to resemble dimensional flowers. Allow each color to dry before adding centers, stamens, or veins to flowers or leaves. Return cookies to oven for 1 minute to set egg white wash.
Hydrangeas
For each hydrangea, cut one small round for a base and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Add tiny flowers around the outside edge, then fill in the center by lightly pressing tiny flowers into place. Bake cookies according to directions. Cool on baking sheet, then paint with an Egg White Wash tinted pink, blue, lime green, or white. Return cookies to oven for 1 minute; remove cookies to wire rack to cool.
Pansies
For each pansy, cut 5 small hearts from dough. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, place 4 slightly overlapping hearts and lightly press into place. Place the 5th heart on top of the 4 hearts, and press an indention in the center with the end of a small paintbrush. Bake cookies according to directions. Cool on baking sheet, then paint with an Egg White Wash tinted pink, blue, yellow or lavender. When dry, add 3 thin lines of purple in centers. Return cookies to oven for 1 minute; remove cookies to wire rack to cool.
Lemon Cream Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
½ stick unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mini muffin pans with liners or nonstick baking spray; set aside. With mixer, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add cream and lemon juice. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat dry mixture into creamed mixture. Spoon into prepared mini muffin tins. Bake for 10 for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack over waxed paper. Brush glaze over cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with lemon zest.
Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes
Glaze:
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
For garnish: Zest of 1 lemon
In a bowl, whisk together sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
Mini Almond Tortes
1½ sticks unsalted butter, melted
1½ cups sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups self-rising flour
½ cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 36 mini muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with sugar; set aside. With a mixer, cream butter and 1½ cups sugar, and beat in eggs and flavorings. Beat in flour. Spoon into prepared muffin tins half full, and sprinkle tops with sugar and almonds. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately, while warm, with the back of a spoon, carefully press edges into each muffin cup, creating a smooth muffin top. Cool, run a knife around edges and remove to wire rack.
Yield: 36