Your Perfect Afternoon Tea

What makes the perfect afternoon tea? Well traditionally an afternoon tea consists of finger sandwiches, followed by scones with jam and cream, then cakes, and obviously all accompanied with a pot of tea. But now, afternoon tea can be with anything you like, sausage rolls, muffins, biscuits and also with a side of champagne (my personal preference!) instead of tea.

I’ve created a menu with bakes to impress, you can prepare most ahead of time and then just sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour with family and friends. One thing not to overlook is serving with the perfect drink, perhaps start with a prosecco or champagne, then on to a traditional tea (tea leaves are best) and then finish with a fresh mint tea after all that food! All the individual recipes are linked in the menu below.

THE MENU

Finger Sandwiches

Cucumber

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese

Egg & Mayonnaise

Scones

Plain scones with clotted cream and blueberry compote

Cakes & Biscuits

Lemon & White Chocolate Cupcakes

Strawberry & Mascarpone Eclairs

Chocolate & Pistachio Viennese Whirls

ENJOY! If you opt for Your Perfect Afternoon Tea, please do share a picture!

Chocolate & Pistachio Viennese Whirls

Makes 10 – Part of “Your Perfect Afternoon Tea”

INGREDIENTS

150g unsalted butter
35g icing sugar
150g plain flour
35g cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract

To decorate
130g milk chocolate, melted
25g pistachios, shelled and finely chopped

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees fan and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper

2. In a stand mixer (or electric hand mixer) beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract until pale and light

3. Beat in the flour and the cornflour until fully combined

4. Spoon the dough into a piping bag and pipe swirls on to the baking tray (these can be any shape you want). Leave some space between each one on the tray

5. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. When you remove from the oven place the tray on to a wire rack and leave them there to cool as they will harden as they do so

6. Once completely cooled place a wire rack on to a piece of greaseproof paper and pop all the individual biscuits on to the rack. Spoon the melted milk chocolate over half of the biscuits and then scatter with the chopped pistachios. Leave the chocolate to set completely before removing.

ENJOY! If you opt for Chocolate & Pistachio Viennese Whirls, please do share a picture!

Strawberry & Mascarpone Eclairs

Makes 10 – Part of “Your Perfect Afternoon Tea”

INGREDIENTS

Eclairs
150g plain flour
20g golden caster sugar
75g unsalted butter
75ml milk
125ml water
3 eggs
1 egg yolk

Filling
150g mascarpone
100g double cream
100g icing sugar
10-12 sliced strawberries

Topping
250g icing sugar
50g white chocolate
4 strawberries, chopped

Optional to decorate
Freeze dried strawberries

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 160 degree fan. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper

2. Combine in a saucepan the sugar, butter, milk and water and bring to the boil. Remove the pan from the hear and tip in the flour, beat the mixture (I use a wooden spoon until a dough is formed)

3. Tip into a food processor and pulse for a couple of minutes to cool

4. Add the whole eggs gradually, pulsing in between

5. Once it is fully combined to a smooth dough, pop the mixture into a piping bag (a 1.5cm nozzle) and pipe on to the greaseproof paper. Pipe each éclair about 10cm in length, then re-pipe another layer on top the same length, this makes it much easier once they are baked to cut into halves and keeps them light

6. Beat the yolk and the brush over the top of each éclair before popping in the oven

7. Bake for 50 minutes, the eclairs will be golden brown and dry. Place on to a wire rack to cool completely before filling

8. Whilst they cool prepare the filling. In a stand mixer or electric hand mix combine all the ingredients (except the sliced strawberries) and then beat until a stiff but pipeable mixture is formed

9. Next create the topping, using either a stand mixer or electric hand mix beat all the ingredients until a stiff mixture is formed

10. To assemble, slice the cooled eclairs in half horizontally, lay the sliced strawberries on the bottom half, then spread or pipe the filling on top. Put the top half of the éclair back on, then spread the topping over the top. Optional: sprinkle freeze dried strawberries on top.

ENJOY! If you opt for Strawberry & Mascarpone Eclairs, please do share a picture!

Lemon & White Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 12 – Part of “Your Perfect Afternoon Tea”

INGREDIENTS

Muffin
200g caster sugar
200g unsalted butter
3 eggs
200g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp lemon curd (shop bought)
1tsp vanilla extract

Icing
200g salted butter
300g icing sugar
200g white chocolate, melted
100g mascarpone
4 tbsp lemon curd (shop bought)

METHOD

1. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake cases and preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan
2. Beat together your unsalted butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined
3. Add flour, baking powder and beat again until smooth. Finally, add the lemon curd and beat again
4. Spoon equal amounts into each cupcake case and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean
5. Remove from oven, leave in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
6. To make the white chocolate and lemon icing, beat the butter until pale and fluffy, then add the icing sugar, melted white chocolate, lemon curd and mascarpone and beat again until soft and creamy
7. Either pipe or spoon onto the cooled cupcakes

ENJOY! If you opt for Lemon & White Chocolate Cupcakes, please do share a picture!

Plain scones with clotted cream and blueberry compote

Makes 10 small – Part of “Your Perfect Afternoon Tea”

INGREDIENTS

Scone
350g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
85g unsalted butter
50g caster sugar
100g milk
75g yoghurt
1tsp vanilla extract
Beaten egg to glaze

Blueberry Compote
300g blueberries
½ lemon zested and juiced
30g golden caster sugar

To Serve
Clotted cream

METHOD

1. Heat your oven to 220 degrees, line a large baking tray

2. Using a food processer (I use a Magimix, but you can use any and I guarantee they come out perfect every time with absolute minimal effort!) combine the flour, salt, baking powder butter and sugar, pulse until a fine crumb is formed

3. In a jug combine the milk, yoghurt, and vanilla extract

4. Pour the milk mixture into the food processor slowly, pulsing each time until a dough is formed

5. Turn out on to a floured surface and work with your hands a little, add more flour on to the surface if it is too sticky

6. Roll out until about 3-4 cm thick, then use a 5cm cutter to press out your scones

7. Pop on to the baking tray and brush the tops with the beaten egg

8. Bake for 10 mins until they are risen and golden brown on top

9. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack

10. Whilst they are cooling make the blueberry compote

11. Combine all the ingredients for the compote in a saucepan, cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes stirring every so often. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before serving (note, this can be made in advance and left in the fridge)

12. To assemble, slice the scones in half, add a dollop of the clotted cream to one half, top with the blueberry compote and pop the top back on

13. This should be displayed on the very top of the cake stand if you are using one

ENJOY! If you opt for Plain scones with clotted cream and blueberry compote, please do share a picture!

Finger Sandwiches

Serves 2 – Part of “Your Perfect Afternoon Tea”

INGREDIENTS

Pre sliced brown bread 2 slices
Pre sliced white bread 4 slices
¼ cucumber cut into slices
2 eggs hard boiled (8 minutes), cooled and sliced
50g smoked salmon
25g full fat cream cheese
25g mayonnaise
Spreadable butter

METHOD

1. Remove all crusts from the bread and butter each slice

2. On two white slices spread mayonnaise

3. On two white slices spread cream cheese

4. Cut each slice into half to create your “fingers”

5. Add the sliced cucumber into the buttered brown bread

6. Add the sliced egg into the mayonnaise white bread

7. Add the smoked salmon to the cream cheese white bread

8. Arrange on the lowest plate if using a cake stand

ENJOY! If you opt for Finger Sandwiches, please do share a picture!