Afternoon tea was introduced in England by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in 1840 for the simple reason that she would get hungry by 4pm. So, she was always served bread, butter and cake with her tea. This became a habit of hers. She then started inviting her friends for tea, which then became more and more lavish. In time, afternoon tea became a fashionable social event. During the 1880s, upper-class and society women would change into long gowns, gloves and hats for their afternoon tea gatherings, which would usually be held in the host’s drawing room between 4pm and 5.30pm.
The traditional afternoon tea consists of a selection of dainty sandwiches (including, of course, thinly sliced cucumber sandwiches), scones served with clotted cream and preserves, cakes, pastries and dainty tarts. And, of course, a good selection of tea.
This custom travelled wherever the British ruled. In England, the quintessential afternoon tea is still served in hotels like Claridges, Savoy, The Ritz, and so on. In Calcutta, clubs like Tollygunge Club, Calcutta Club, Bengal Club and The Saturday Club were famous for serving a full afternoon tea. So were some iconic city restaurants like Firpos and Skyroom.
Typically, afternoon tea is served on a three-tier porcelain tray. The lowest tier has sandwiches, the middle one tarts and cakes, and the top tier scones with clotted cream and jam. Afternoon tea etiquette is to eat the sandwiches, then the tarts, cakes, and then come to the topmost tier for the scones.
Here, I have shown a variety of sandwiches and sweet treats which were served in those early years of the full afternoon tea.
CUCUMBER SANDWICHES
INGREDIENTS
Cucumber: Thinly sliced
Salt: To sprinkle over cucumber
Cream cheese: Some
Mayonnaise: A dash
Worcestershire sauce: A dash
Garlic powder: ¼tsp
Salt: A dash or to taste
Watercress: A little
Sandwich bread slices
METHOD
Slice the cucumber as thinly as possible. Sprinkle a little salt over it and place in a colander between two paper napkins for removing the excess moisture.
Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl till smooth. Spread evenly on two slices of bread.
Spread the cucumber slices, as many as you like. Sprinkle some watercress. Then cover with the other slice.
Cut the crust of the bread with a sharp knife. You can cut the bread into four triangles or finger shape.
SMOKED SALMON SANDWICHES
INGREDIENTS
Smoked salmon: Thin slices
Cream cheese
Sandwich bread.
METHOD
Evenly spread the cream cheese onto the bread slice.
Place the salmon slices as many as you want.
Cover with the other slice of bread.
Cut the bread in the shape of long broad fingers, or whatever shape you desire.
CHICKEN MAYONNAISE AND LETTUCE LEAVES SANDWICH
INGREDIENTS
Chicken breast, boiled and shredded
Mayonnaise thinned down by adding 2tbsp of milk or as required
Dijon mustard: About 1tsp or to taste
Black pepper: To taste
Salt: To taste
Caster sugar: 1tsp
Lettuce leaves shredded
Bread slices
Butter
METHOD
Butter the bread slices.
Mix the rest of the ingredients.
Check for seasoning and sweetness.
Spread the mixture on the buttered slice.
Cover with the other slice.
Cut the crusts of the bread on all four sides.
Cut into triangle shape.
EGG SANDWICHES
INGREDIENTS
Eggs: Boiled and grated
Mayonnaise: Just enough to coat the eggs
Lettuce leaves: Cut according to the size of the bread
Butter
Salt: To taste
Pepper: To taste
METHOD
Spread butter on 2 slices of bread.
Mix eggs, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
Place a lettuce leaf on the bread slice. Then spread the egg mixture. Cover with the second slice.
Cut into dainty squares or four triangles.
LEMON TARTS
INGREDIENTS
#For the tart shells
Plain flour: 175g
Butter: 100g chilled and cut into cubes
Icing sugar: 25g
Egg yolk: 1
Cold water: 1tbsp
#For the filling
Lemon zest: 1tbsp
Eggs: 2
Egg yolks: 2
Sugar: 150g
Butter: 80g
Lemon juice: Of 2 lemons
METHOD
#For the tart shells
Put the flour, butter and icing sugar into a food processor. (In case you do not have one you can put in a bowl and use a stick blender.)
Pulse briefly till the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
Add the yolk and water. Pulse again until the mixture sticks together like clumps.
Now tip the whole thing onto your worktop and gather it into a ball with your hands.
Knead the pastry just 2 or 3 times to make it smooth.
Wrap in cling foil and chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Roll the pastry. It should not be very thin.
With a cookie cutter cut into roundels and place in individual.
Cucumber Sandwich
greased tart moulds. The pastry should come right up to the rim.
Prick the base of the tart with a fork lightly. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes at 180°C. It should be a pale golden colour.
#For the filling
In a saucepan add lemon zest, egg yolks, eggs, sugar and lemon juice. Whisk until well combined.
Put the pan on medium heat and keep whisking until the mixture thickens.
Then add butter and cook for 2 minutes.
When cool, fill in the tart shells. Put in the fridge to set.
CUPCAKES WITH FROSTING
INGREDIENTS
#For the cupcake
Flour: 1½ cups
Baking soda: ½tsp
Baking powder: 1tsp
Salt: ¼tsp
Butter: 125g
Eggs: 2
Vanilla essence: ¼tsp
Milk: ¾ cup
Caster sugar: 1 cup
#For the frosting
Heavy whipping cream: 1½ cups
Cream cheese: 200g
Caster sugar: 2 cups
Vanilla essence (optional): ¼tsp
METHOD
#For the cupcake
In a bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Add butter and mix well.
Add sugar and mix.
In a separate bowl whisk the eggs.
Add vanilla essence.
Add half the flour and mix on low speed.
Add the milk and whisk again.
Add the rest of the flour and mix and combine with a spatula.
Line the cupcake pan with a cupcake paper.
Fill the mixture into the paper cups.
Bake in a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes at 180°C.
#For the frosting
Pour the cream into a large bowl and with your hand-blender beat the cream till fluffy. It will take about 1.5 to 2 minutes.
In a second bowl add cream cheese and sugar. Whisk on low speed. Then increase to medium high, scraping the bowl as needed. It should be nice and creamy.
Blend vanilla essence if using. Blend for a second or two.
Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula. Combine it well. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes. You can decorate with multicoloured sprinklers if you wish. Or you can leave it plain.
Durri Bhalla is a cookery expert and author of Indian Bohra Cuisine and Inner Truth To Good Health And Weight Loss. You can find her @durribhallakitchen on Instagram, @ Durribhallakitchen on Facebook and Durri Bhalla on YouTube
