Traditional “Afternoon Tea” for Mother’s Day

SANDWICHES:
One main component in a traditional “Afternoon Tea” is Tea Sandwiches. Here are some of my favorite combinations. (Presentation note: once a sandwich is assembled, cut off the crust and cut sandwiches into rectangular, triangular or small square shapes.)

Cucumber
White bread, plain cream cheese, peeled and sliced cucumber, salt

Turkey Cranberry
Wheat bread, plain cream cheese chopped and mashed with dried cranberries, turkey slices, arugula

Egg Salad
White bread, egg salad
Ingredients: 8 hard boiled eggs, ¼ cup Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise, ½-1 TBL mustard, salt & pepper to taste. Directions: Peel and dice eggs. Add to bowl with other ingredients and toss. Adjust seasonings to taste. Yields about 2 cups.

Chicken Salad
French baguette sliced, topped with chicken salad
Ingredients: 2 cooked chicken breasts diced, 1 cup sliced red grapes, ½ cup diced apples, ½ cup diced celery, ¼ cup pecan pieces, 2 TBL sliced scallions, 2-4 TBL Miracle Whip, salt & pepper to taste. Directions: Add ingredients to bowl and toss. Adjust seasonings to taste. Yields about 3-4 cups chicken salad.

SWEETS:

Along with tea sandwiches, a traditional “Afternoon Tea” serves small portions of beautifully decadent desserts and scones. Here are two of my favorites:

Vanilla Scones:

Ingredients:

½ cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 cups all-purpose flour, fluff then measure (10oz.)

1/3 cup sugar

1 TBL baking powder

½ tsp Kosher salt

6 TBL cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Directions:

• Pour cream into liquid measuring cup. Stir in vanilla and egg.
• In separate larger bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
• Cut butter into flour mixture using stand-mixer, hand mixer, pastry cutter, or two knives until butter is the size of small peas.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and mix to combine. Fold dough over itself and compress it repeatedly until excess flour is incorporated.
• Dump onto a floured surface and roll dough out until it is ½” – 1” tall.
• Cut into even circles (1-1.5” in diameter) and freeze until you are ready to bake.
• TO BAKE: Preheat oven to 375°F (or 350°F convection) and bake FROZEN scone dough for 15-20 minutes. Scones will look golden/brown on edges and tops when it is time to take them out. Once you remove them from the oven, let them sit on the hot cookie sheet for 10 minutes to finish cooking.

Tartlets

Fill these tartlet shells with whipped cream, pastry cream, lemon curd, chocolate ganache, or anything your heart desires! Top with fresh fruit and voila…you are ready for your Afternoon Tea!

Ingredients:

8 TBL (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, (fluff and then measure, 9oz.)

1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add vanilla and mix. Add flour and salt and mix on low speed until dough starts to come together.
• Place 1 TBL dough into each cup of a mini-cupcake pan. Press dough flat inside pan. Bake for 8 minutes.
• Remove from oven and using a wooden dowel (or the back of a large wooden spoon or rolling pin handle), press into center of dough while slightly turning the dowel to shape the dough into tartlets.
• Bake for an additional 8-12 minutes. Remove from oven and re-shape using the same method outlined above.
• Allow to cool in pan for only 5 minutes before twisting and removing tartlets from the pan. Let them cool completely on a wire rack. Store in sealed container until ready to fill. Once filled, store covered in refrigerator.