Afternoon Tea

Cream Tea: Scones with butter, jam and clotted cream
Cream Tea: Scones with butter, jam and clotted cream

Clotted cream (sometimes called clouted cream or Devonshire cream) is a thick cream
made by indirectly heating full-cream cow's milk using steam or a water bath and
then leaving it in shallow pans to cool slowly. During this time,
the cream content rises to the surface and forms 'clots' or 'clouts'.

The tradition of mid-afternoon tea has been observed by the British for centuries. Afternoon tea was introduced in the 19th century and became a fashionable social event for the upper classes where people would meet up and chat. It would have been an important part of society in many parts of the British Empire back in the day.

Afternoon tea refers to the meal which would be taken towards the end of the afternoon which would keep you going until supper or dinner at around 8 o’clock. Afternoon tea time is normally around 4 o’clock. Afternoon tea would typically consist of sandwiches, cakes, pastries, scones with jam and cream and, of course, tea.

This is no longer the case in the workplace, and is rarer in the home than it once was, except for special occasions. A formal teatime meal is now often an accompaniment to tourism, particularly in Devon and neighbouring counties, where comestibles may include scones or crumpets with jam and clotted cream (together known as a Cream Tea). There are also butterfly cakes, simple small sponge cakes which can be iced or eaten plain. Nationwide, assorted biscuits and sandwiches, such as watercress sandwiches, are eaten. Generally, however, the teatime meal has been replaced by snacking, or simply dispensed with.

 

Tea consists of three courses:

Tea Sandwich: A tea sandwich is a small prepared sandwich meant to be eaten at afternoon teatime to stave off hunger until the main meal.

The tea sandwich may take a number of different forms, but should be easy to handle, and should be capable of being eaten in two bites. It may be a long, narrow sandwich, a triangular half-sandwich, or a small biscuit. It may also be cut into other decorative shapes with a cookie cutter.

The bread is traditionally white, thinly sliced, and buttered. The bread crust is cut away cleanly from the sandwich after the sandwich has been prepared but before serving. Modern bread variations might include wheat, pumpernickel, sour dough or rye bread.

Fillings are light, and are "dainty" or "delicate" in proportion to the amount of bread. Spreads might include cream cheese or mayonnaise mixtures, and the sandwiches often feature fresh vegetables such as radishes, cucumber, asparagus, or watercress. The cucumber tea sandwich in particular is considered the quintessential tea sandwich, along with egg salad with cress and smoked salmon with cream cheese. Other popular tea sandwich fillings include pimento cheese, fruit jam, and curried chicken.

An Afternoon Tea at Connaught Hotel in London
from http://www.donutstodelirium.com/2010/07/afternoon-tea-at-the-connaught-london/

Afternoon Tea at Connaught Tea Sandwich Course

The sandwiches were memorable. Tea sandwiches have a tendency to be quite insipid. Even the most basic sandwich, the ubiquitous cucumber sandwich, was special. What was special about it? The freshness.

When you bit into it, the paper thin slices of cucumber were refreshing and surprisingly crunchy. There was one particular sandwich, the smoked salmon and wasabi cream tea sandwich. Now that was spectacular. Everybody does a salmon and cream cheese sandwich, but this one was really special. The salmon was of a superb quality, and the cream cheese has that special little something that only a bit of wasabi can give.

Like all great afternoon tea places, they keep asking if you want your sandwich plate refilled.

Afternoon Tea at Connaught Scone Course

Next came the warm and delicious scones. Some were plain and some were studded with pieces of apricot. They were lovely. These are served with a very special selection of artisanal jams from Christine Ferber. There was a delicate melon and vanilla jam, a fruity raspberry and violet jam, a divinely delicious peach jam, and a rose petal jam. These were served with clotted cream.

Afternoon Tea at Connaught Dessert Course

Dessert: was a 3 tiered tower of georgous confections. On the top, there is an upside down baby blueberry cake, a baba in an orange and passion fruit jelly, and a simply adorable poppy and strawberry "choux" (I am not sure why, but it reminds me of a cute little Teletubby). On the bottom you can see the intensely chocolatey hazelnut dacquoise with chocolate ganache, a salty caramel mousse and a raspberry and pistachio tart.

Traditional Tea Choices

Earl Grey, Earl Grey is the world's most popular black tea.
Darjeeling. Darjeelings are teas from Darjeeling, India.
Herb Teas such as Chamomile and Mint.

Scones

Irish Scones
Scone Butters
Clotted Cream

How to Make Tea Sandwiches

Tea sandwiches are tiny and made with thinly sliced breads with crusts. First spread on a thin coat of mayonnaise, butter, or cream cheese to keep the bread from getting soggy. Next add the filling, which can be anything you like (see suggestions below). Cut off the crusts using a serrated knife. Sandwiches are easier to cut into shapes when they are cold, so wrap them carefully and chill in refrigerator first. Then they can be cut into squares, triangles, long strips or cut into fun shapes using small cookie cutters.

Standard Tea Sandwich Recipe

Use any prepared spread, such as egg salad, tuna salad, ham salad or chicken salad. Use any fresh or marinated sliced vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers. Use tender rye or white bread and spread with the prepared salad of choice. Add slices of vegetables. You can also incorporate sliced meat or hard boiled egg. Cut sandwiches into triangles and serve.

Tea Sandwiches

Smoked Salmon Sandwiches

1 cup soft cream cheese (with dill?)
20 slices bread, your choice (pumpernickel or rye are good choices)
1/2 cup capers
12 ounces thin-sliced smoked salmon
Juice of 1 lemon
Black pepper

Spread the cream cheese on 1 side of each slice of bread [meaning 10 slices]. Dot with capers. Arrange the smoked salmon on 10 of the bread slices and brush with lemon juice. Pepper generously. Top with the other 10 slices spread thinly with butter, remove the crusts and cut. Makes 40 tea sandwiches [by cutting into 4ths] or 30 fingers [by cutting into 3rds].

Watercress Tea Sandwich

Spread cream cheese on prepared slices of bread [all pieces]. Rinse and dry watercress and lay between slices of bread.

Almond Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Spread: Combine

3/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
pinch of salt
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves or 2 tablespoons dried basil.

Filling:

1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken meat
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Salt and pepper to taste

20 slices bread, your choice

Combine the filling ingredients. Spread each slice of bread with a thin layer of the butter mixture. Add the filling to half the bread slices and top with the other half, buttered sides in. Remove the crusts and cut the sandwiches as desired. Makes 40 tea sandwiches.

Onion Tea Sandwich

Butter bread on both sides, very thin slices of sweet onion, lots of salt and pepper.

Cranberry and Turkey Tea Sandwich

Use 1 part prepared turkey salad spread and 1/2 part fresh cranberry relish. Spread toasted bread with mayonnaise, layer turkey salad and cranberry relish. Especially nice for a Thanksgiving or Christmas tea.

High Tea Sandwich

1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and form a spread. Serve on rye or pumpernickel bread with mayonnaise.

Tea Sandwiches

Pineapple Nut Tea Sandwich

2 cups crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped nuts
One 8-ounce package cream cheese
milk or mayonnaise

In saucepan combine pineapple and sugar. Bring to boil. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. Stir in nuts. Soften and mash cheese with enough milk or mayonnaise to make a good spreading consistency. Combine with pineapple mixture. Spread on thin bread, top as sandwich. Trim and cut into squares.

Makes: About 4 cups.

Other Sandwiches

Desserts