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Tea Recipes A Victorian Easter Tea Recipes
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and very thinly sliced (about 32 slices) * Discard end slices. Freeze the bread before spreading and then cutting for easier handling. Place cucumber slices between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a small bowl, combine butter and cream cheese; spread on one side of each slice of bread. Lay cucumber slices onto the buttered side of 8 slices of bread. Sprinkle with salt. Top with the remaining slices of bread, buttered side down. Carefully cut the crusts from each sandwich with a long, sharp knife. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally and then cut in half again. Yields 32 sandwich quarters Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
8 hard-cooked eggs ¼ c. salted roasted sunflower kernels * Choose the highest quality white bread possible. Discard end slices. Freeze the bread before spreading and then cutting for easier handling. Peel eggs and place into a medium bowl. Slice eggs and then coarsely mash them with the back of a fork. Add mayonnaise, salt, pepper, dill, and sunflower kernels; stir until well blended. NOTE: This mixture can be refrigerated, covered, up to two days. Spread butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Spread the buttered side of 10 slices of bread with 2 tablespoons egg mixture. Top with remaining slices of bread, buttered side down. Carefully cut the crusts from sandwich with a long, sharp knife. Cut in half diagonally, then cut in half again. Yields 40 sandwich quarters Carrot Cake Tea Sandwiches
1 cup grated carrots * Choose the highest quality white bread possible. Discard end slices. Freeze the bread before spreading and then cutting for easier handling. In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots, cream cheese frosting, cream cheese, and chopped walnuts. Spread one side of each piece of bread with the carrot/frosting mixture (about 1/4-inch thick). Top with the remaining bread slices. Carefully cut the crusts from each sandwich with a long, harp knife. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally and then cut in half again. Yields 40 sandwich quarters.
Mock Devonshire Cream 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and salt; stir until well blended. Stir in whipping cream. With an electric mixer, beat mixture until stiff. Store in refrigerator. Sugar Fruit Tarts 1 Sugar Cookie Recipe (below) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare Sugar Cookie Recipe. On floured surface, working with half of dough at a time, roll to 1/4 inch thick. Cut 3-inch circles and place 2 inches apart on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly on sheet and then finish cooling on cooling racks.
Use hand mixer to completely combine sugar, vanilla and cream cheese. Spread 2 teaspoons of mixture on each sugar cookie. Top with prepared fruits. Refrigerate tarts until needed. Makes about 2 dozen tarts.
Quick Fruit Suggestions: Roll blueberries in sugar before putting them on the tarts. Make several slices in a strawberry at an angle from the bottom of the berry stopping short of the stem. This will allow for a fanning effect. Combine more than one type of fruit on the tart for variety. Sugar Cookie Recipe 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/3 cup shortening 2 eggs Early in the day or the day before: In a large bowl cream the shortening and the sugar. Add the eggs, extract, and milk. In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients with a wire whisk. Add the dry ingredients to the large bowl. Mix with mixer until well combined. With hands, shape dough into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Roll** half or 1/3 dough at a time, keep the rest refrigerated. For crisp cookies, roll dough, paper thin. For softer cookies, roll 1/8 " to 1/4" thick. With floured cookie cutter, cut into shapes. Re-roll trimmings and cut out. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake 8 minutes or until very light brown. Remove cookies to racks; cool. Makes about 6-dozen cookies. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Victorian Valentine's Day Tea Recipes:
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Crust 2 1/2 cups crushed pretzels 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 3/4 cup melted butter Filling 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 cup confectioners' sugar 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed Topping 1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin mix 1 1/2 cups boiling water 1 (16 ounce) package frozen strawberries 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed ¼ c. crushed peanuts or pecan pieces
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F In a medium bowl combine crushed pretzels, 3 tablespoons confectioner's (powdered) sugar and melted butter. Mix well and press into a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool. To make the filling, combine in a medium bowl the cream cheese and 1 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar; beat until smooth. Stir in whipped topping; spread mixture in crust and refrigerate. Meanwhile, combine gelatin mix and boiling water; add strawberries. Let gelatin mixture thicken slightly, and then pour over the crust and filling layers. Top with remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with crushed peanuts or pecan pieces. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Cream Scones 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. Baking powder Approximately 1 cup heavy cream Preheat oven to 425*F In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Gradually add enough of the cream to form a soft dough. Knead lightly on a floured board, handling the dough gently to retain the air needed to rise. Roll out to a ½” to ¾” thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds and arrange on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving a ½” space between each. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 pt. fresh strawberries with leaves
In a microwave-safe bowl, or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, cook chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth. Holding berries by the stem, dip each one in molten chocolate, about three-quarters of the way to the stem. Place, stem side down, on wire rack and chill in refrigerator until hardened.
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Tea Sandwiches: Choose the best-quality white or wheat bread as possible. Never serve end slices. Freezing the bread before cutting and then spreading makes for easier handling. Bread slices should be lightly buttered not matter what the filling. Unsalted butter should always be used. Butter should be at room temperature before spreading. Sandwiches will not become limp and soggy as readily if you spread the butter to the edge of the bread. Cut the crusts off the bread with a long, sharp knife after the sandwiches are filled. This keeps everything neater. Since tea sandwiches should be delicate, cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal or into thirds or fourths before serving. Decorative shapes can be made with cookie cutters. Making Sandwiches Ahead of Time: Cream Cheese Walnut Tea Sandwich
1 1/2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup ground toasted walnuts 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley 1 tablespoon finely minced green bell pepper 1 tablespoon finely minced onion 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg (or more to taste) Salt and white pepper to taste 24 slices best-quality white bread 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, walnuts, parsley, and bell pepper. Add onion, lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; stir until well blended.
Spread one side of each piece of bread lightly with butter. Top the buttered side of 12 slices of bread with some of the cream cheese mixture and top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side down.
Carefully cut the crusts from each sandwich with a sharp knife. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally and then cut in half again.
Yields 12 whole sandwiches or 24 halves or 48 fourths.
Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches 8 hard-cooked eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 20 slices best-quality white bread Peel eggs and place into a medium bowl. Slice eggs and then coarsely mash them with the back of a fork. Add mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and dill; stir until well blended. NOTE: This mixture can be refrigerated, covered, up to two days.
Spread butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Spread the buttered side of 10 slices of bread with 2 tablespoons egg mixture. Top with remaining slices of bread, buttered side down.
Carefully cut the crusts from sandwich with a sharp knife. Cut in half diagonally, then cut in half again.
Yields 10 whole sandwiches or 20 halves or 40 fourths.
Wonderful Scones
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces 1 cup raisins 3 eggs, divided 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk, divided Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with vegetable-oil cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until particles are the size of small peas; stir in raisins. In a medium bowl, beat 2 eggs lightly with 1 cup milk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until mixed. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough gently. Pat or roll out the dough into a circle 1/2-inch thick. Using a lightly greased and floured 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut into rounds, cutting close together to generate as few scraps as possible. Dip cutter into flour as often as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Push scraps of dough together so that edges join; firmly pinch edges with fingertips to make a partial seal. Pat this remaining dough to 1/2-inch thick; continue to cut 3-inch rounds. Space 1-inch apart onto prepared baking sheet. NOTE: When making scones, work the dough quickly and do not over mix. In a small bowl, combine 1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk; brush onto scones. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve warm. Yields 12 to 14 scones.
Mock Devonshire Cream 1 cup whipping cream
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened ½ cup powdered sugar 1 8 oz. carton dairy sour cream In medium mixing bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. In separate bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and sour cream. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 12-14 servings.
Cranberry Scones
1½ cups flour
¼ cup sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons butter 1 egg ¼ cup cream ¼ cup milk ¼ cup dried sweetened cranberries Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir. Cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly. In another bowl, mix egg, cream and milk. Add flour mixture. Mix together until a smooth dough is formed. Gently stir in cranberries. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each half to a 5-inch diameter circle. Brush tops with cream and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Cut each circle into four wedges. Place wedges one inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 8 scones. Easy Strawberry Tarts 24 cream cheese tart shells (see recipe below) 1 jar Smucker’s Simply Fruit Strawberry Jam Cream Cheese Topping (see recipe below) Fill each thoroughly cooled tart shell with 1 heaping tablespoon of Smuckers Simply Fruit Strawberry Jam. Use cake decorating tube with star tip to top each tart with a cream cheese star. Recipe for Cream Cheese Tart Shells 3 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup all-purpose flour
Blend cream cheese and butter or margarine. Stir in flour just until blended. Chill about 1 hour. This can be made ahead and chilled for up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Shape dough into 24 one-inch balls and press into ungreased 1 1/2 inch muffin cups (mini-muffin size) to make a shallow shell. Fill with your favorite filling and bake for 20 minutes, or until light brown. Recipe For Cream Cheese Topping 1/2 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1 cup heavy cream
Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak. Cinnamon Scones 2 c. flour 1/4 tsp. cinnamon additional sugar and cinnamon Sift together flour, powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; then cut in butter; set aside. In another bowl combine egg, milk, vanilla and raisins; then stir into flour mixture to create dough. Knead dough lightly on floured board. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with biscuit cutter. (Cut biscuit shape in half and re-shape each piece into a triangle shape, if desired.) Place scones on greased cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-12 minutes.
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