Afternoon Tea is a tradition that is still observed at many grand hotels such as the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa and The Empress Hotel in Victoria, B.C. Traditional Afternoon Tea involves serving “fancy” sandwiches, followed by freshly made scones (see our non-dairy version below) along with tiny pastries or delicious little cookies—and tea of course! Make several pots of tea in various varieties like Earl Grey, English Breakfast and Mint or Herbal Tea. Set several card tables with white linen tablecloths, your best china plates and cups and saucers or mugs. At each table place a tiered cake plate or cake plates with Fancy Sandwiches, followed by scones and optional pastries and cookies.
How to make “Fancy Sandwiches”
Cut the crusts off two slices of whole wheat or gluten-free bread, spread with TOFUTTI BETTER THAN CREAM CHEESE®.
Add two or three baby Gherkin pickles, baby dills or spears of cooked asparagus along one edge of the bread and roll up. Use a dab of cream cheese to seal or use a toothpick if necessary to hold the sandwich together as you cut the sandwich “roll” into thin round slices. Remove toothpick and wrap the sandwich slices in waxed paper or plastic wrap to keep them fresh until serving time.
Flavour variations;
Smoked Salmon and “Cream Cheese”
TOFUTTI BETTER THAN CREAM CHEESE®. French Onion or Garlic & Herbs with slices of smoked salmon
Chicken and “Cream Cheese”
Finely chop 2 cups of cooked chicken with 1 cup finely diced celery, 1 tsp of curry powder and 1 container of TOFUTTI BETTER THAN CREAM CHEESE®.
Homemade Scones, Fresh Strawberries and Strawberry Preserves
2 cups unbleached white flour
3 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup non-dairy margarine
1 whole egg
1 egg, divided
2 cups (for serving) TOFUTTI BETTER THAN CREAM CHEESE®
In large bowl of food processor (or using a fork or pastry blender), mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and non-dairy margarine until mixture is crumbly.
In separate bowl, mix together l whole egg plus one egg yolk and add to the dry mixture until the mixture forms a soft ball. (Place the egg white in a cup or bowl and reserve). Place the dough onto a floured board and roll dough until about 2 inches thick. Using a round cookie cutter (or a drinking glass that has been dipped in flour), cut the dough into about 12 to 14 round discs. Place parchment paper on to a cookie sheet. Place discs onto parchment paper. Using a fork, lightly whip the egg white. Take a pastry brush and gently brush the egg white over top each scone. Bake scones in a 425 degree F oven for 12 minutes or until scones are lightly browned.
At serving time, take a bread knife and cut each scone in half horizontally. Spread each scone with a generous portion of TOFUTTI BETTER THAN CREAM CHEESE®. Top with fresh strawberries and a dab of Strawberry preserves and place the other half of the scone on top and serve.