Best 4 High Tea Recipes

VICTORIAN WATERCRESS TEA SANDWICHES FOR HIGH TEA AND PICNICS

Steps:

• Snip the stalks from the watercress and place the leafy ends on kitchen paper to absorb any water. Butter the bread generously, arrange the watercress over 4 slices and season. Top with the remaining bread, cut into triangles or fingers and serve.
• NB. (Don't discard the watercress stalks; they can be made into a soup. Soften a chopped onion in a pan with butter, add 250ml whole milk and bring to the boil. Add the stalks, cook for 1 minute then liquidise until smooth and foamy.).

ENGLISH HIGH TEA PRESERVED GINGER DRIZZLE CAKE

Steps:

• You will need a non-stick round cake tin measuring 8", at least 1"deep, and some silicone paper (parchment).
• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 180C/350F/gas4.
• First, prepare the cake tin by greasing lightly and lining it with the silicone paper: press it into the tin, folding the corners in to make it fit neatly - the paper should come up 1 inch above the edge.
• To make the cake, in a large pan, gently melt the butter with the sugar, golden syrup & black treacle over a low to medium heat.
• Cool briefly & stir in the milk.
• Beat the eggs into the mixture & add the chopped stem ginger - mix well.
• Sift in the flour into a bowl and combine thoroughly, then add the ground ginger, baking powder & freshly grated ginger root. Combine thoroughly.
• Pour the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin & spread the cake mixture evenly in the cake tin.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake is risen, springy and firm to touch in the centre.
• Take the cake out of the oven & prick all over with a skewer or a toothpick; pour the ginger syrup over the cake, making sure it all sinks down into the holes.
• Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 60 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and make sure it is absolutely cold before you attempt to ice it.
• For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix with enough of the lemon juice to make a consistency of thick cream - you might not need all the lemon juice.
• Now spread the icing over the top of the cake, and do not worry if it dribbles down the sides in places, as this looks quite attractive.
• Cut the remaining ginger into 12 pieces & arrange around the edge of the cake so that when you cut it you will have 12 slices, each with a piece of ginger in the centre.
• If you would like one or two of these cakes tucked away for a rainy day, they freeze beautifully - simply defrost and put the icing on half an hour before serving.

HIGH TEA LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest and vanilla extract, beat well.
• Add flour and cornstarch and mix well until thoroughly combined.
• Using your hands, roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until bottoms are light brown, remove and cool on wire cooling racks.
• Once cool, spread lemon frosting onto cookies.
• In a medium bowl combine butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and powdered sugar. Stir until well mixed. Additional lemon juice may be needed to get the frosting thin enough, then dip the cookie into the frosting.

HIGH TEA CAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit or Mark 3.
• Place the butter, syrup, fruit, lemon rind and milk in a saucepan and heat until the butter is melted. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring gently. Allow to cool.
• Sieve together the flour, salt and spices into a bowl and make a well in the center.
• Beat the eggs lightly together, pour into the well, but do not stir in just yet.
• Add the soda to the butter mixture; pour into the well over the eggs and mix thoroughly.
• Turn into a 7 or 8 inch cake tin lined with buttered greaseproof paper and smooth over the top.
• Bake for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, covering the top with kitchen foil if it appears to be browning too quickly.
• Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack.
• Remove the paper when the cake is cold.