Taking place from August 12th - 18th, Afternoon Tea Week is a typically-English celebration of the joys of getting together with friends and family for a hot drink, a bite to eat and a good old chat
Originally designed to promote afternoon tea by encouraging cafes, restaurants and hotels to offer discounts and special offers to entice as many people as possible to join in the fun, Afternoon Tea Week has since morphed into something even larger, with many people choosing to throw their own events.
So if you fancy playing host this year, what should you serve? Read on to find out!
What should I serve?
Once you've set a date and time and sent invitations to your nearest and dearest, it's time to decide what to serve.
While the beauty of being the host is that you can serve whatever you want, you probably won't want to stray too far from a traditional afternoon tea menu, so offer your guests a selection of teas for starters. English breakfast is a must-have but you should also consider Earl Grey, camomile, chai and fruit teas as well. Coffee options are certain to be well received too, while having some hot chocolate available for those with a sweet tooth won't hurt either.
Aside from remembering to stock up on milk and sugar, and ensuring your mugs/cups/fine china is all clean, the only other thing you need to worry about now is what treats to serve. Scones and Victoria sponge cake are your classic options here… so here's how to make them!
Fruit scones.
Served with jam and clotted cream, these babies go perfectly with any and all hot drinks!
Ingredients.
To make eight fruit scones, you will need:
350g self-raising flour, plus more for dusting
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
85g butter, cut into cubes
3 tbsp caster sugar
175ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
squeeze of lemon juice
100g sultanas
beaten egg to glaze
jam and clotted cream, to serve
Begin by heating your oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Next, tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix. Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar.
Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, then set aside for a moment. Put a baking sheet in the oven.
Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and sultanas and combine with a cutlery knife, then scatter some flour onto a work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over two or three times until smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep.
Take a 5cm cutter and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. You may need to press what’s left of the dough back into a round to cut out four more.
Brush the tops with beaten egg, then carefully place onto the hot baking tray. Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Serve warm with jam, clotted cream and a hot drink!
Victoria Sponge Cake.
Delicious, traditional and easy to make, Victoria sponges are an afternoon tea staple!
Ingredients.
To make a Victoria sponge cake, you will need:
200g caster sugar
200g softened butter
4 eggs, beaten
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milk
For the filling, you will need:
100g butter, softened
140g icing sugar, sifted
vanilla extract
half a 340g jar good-quality strawberry jam
icing sugar, to decorate
Heat your oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper.
In a large bowl, beat 200g caster sugar, 200g softened butter, 4 beaten eggs, 200g self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 2 tbsp milk together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
Divide the mixture between the tins, then smooth the surfaces with a spatula. Bake for about 20 mins until golden and the cake springs back when pressed, then turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
To make the filling, beat the 100g softened butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually beat in 140g sifted icing sugar and a drop of vanilla extract. Spread the buttercream over the bottom of one of the sponges. Top it with 170g strawberry jam and sandwich the second sponge on top. Dust with a little icing sugar, then serve.
We can help you throw a tea party to remember!
If you'd like some top quality coffee to go with your tea party bakes, contact your local Cafe2U van here and we'll deliver some straight to your door!