Afternoon Tea Sandwiches
A classic selection of afternoon tea sandwiches
The perfect afternoon tea sandwich is nothing too complicated but made well it is a thing of delicate joy and made badly it is hideous. So there are rules. I am not a gate keeper so here are my thoughts on the perfect afternoon tea sandwich which should be easy to hold, eaten in two or three bites, flavourful and yet not overfilled. They should always be made on supermarket medium sliced bread.
My top fillings for the sandwiches:
elegant chicken and herb sandwiches
regal coronation chicken sandwiches
traditional cucumber sandwiches
classic egg mayonnaise sandwiches
You can adapt your fillings accordingly however the size and method of making the sandwiches should remain the same.
You can make tea sandwiches ahead, lightly wet some kitchen towel with water, it should just be damp, not wet. Then cover the sandwiches with the damp kitchen towel and cover, to seal the plate with cling film, or store in an airtight container. Refridgerate. The sandwiches will stay perfectly fresh and not dry out, ready for tea time.
Chicken and Herb Tea Sandwiches
My family love this tea sandwich and it works beautifully as a slightly more satisfying filling at a traditional English afternoon tea. It should be light to eat and well seasoned for excellent flavour. I recommend poaching the chicken so they meat remains tender and doesn’t dry out.
Chicken and Herb Mayonnaise Tea Sandwiches
ingredients
1 poached chicken breast, cooled and shredded (method)
1 heaped tablespoon good quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
sea salt
black pepper
6 slices of medium sliced white bread
unsalted butter, room temperature
method
Place the cooked poached chicken breast in a blender and shred (the easiest way to do this and a new discovery). Remove from the blender and add to a bowl with the mayonnaise, herbs and season well. Gently combine.
Lay out the 6 slices of bread: thinly butter 3 slices of bread, and thinly cover the remaining 3 in light layer of mayonnaise. Add a tablespoon of the filling to 3 sides of bread and spread evenly to the corners. Cover with the remaining 3 slices of bread. You should have 3 complete sandwiches.
Using a serrated knife cut off the crusts and discard. Cut the sandwich in half and then each half in half again, so you have 4 evenly sized sandwiches from each sandwich. You should have 12 sandwiches. Serve on a china plate and enjoy.
Coronation Chicken Tea Sandwiches
One of my best friend Samantha’s requests as she remembered my Mum making this for us, when we were children. In 1989 my parents rented a cottage on the Ashton estate in Northamptonshire and we spent many happy weekends, holidays and Summers there. They were perhaps some of Mum’s happiest times and she would host large family lunches, BBQs and dinners mostly at the drop of a hat and in the warmer months these would always be in the garden. These parties would involve multiple tables joined together to accommodate all the guests, hidden under a collection of blue and white tablecloths. There would always be a children’s table and plenty of food. This Coronation chicken was a favourite served with a wild rice salad, here I am using it as a filling for tea sandwiches.
Coronation Chicken Tea Sandwiches
ingredients
2.2kg diced chicken
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion
1 tbsp curry paste, medium or mild heat
1 tbsp tomato pureé
100ml red wine, or water
1 bay leaf
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 apricots (canned), or 10 dried apricots rehydrated with 150ml boiling water
300ml mayonnaise
100ml whipping cream
medium sliced brown bread
butter, for the bread
method
In a small saucepan, heat the oil, then add onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add curry paste, tomato pureé, water, lemon juice, and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until well-reduced, then cool.
If using dried apricots rehydrate in boiling water for 15 minutes. Then pureé the apricots into the curry base/ sauce. Whip the cream and fold it into the cool mixture, then the mayonnaise. Taste the sauce and adjust, it’s not as sweet as shop bought ones, so you can add sugar. Stir in the cooked chicken pieces.
If making sandwiches butter bread, add the chicken filling. Remove crusts and cut into tea sandwiches.
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
My favourite tea sandwich and very traditional at any proper English afternoon tea. I’m sharing my fail safe method for making an excellent one. If you have never tried a cucumber tea sandwich I hope this will inspire you to try one. They are truly a taste of my childhood and remind of all our family birthdays and tea parties.
ingredients
1/2 cucumber, peeled
sea salt
black pepper
6 slices of medium sliced white bread
mayonnaise
Take the peeled cucumber and using a box grater thinly slice the cucumber on the side of the grater. Lay the slices into kitchen towel and scatter with sea salt, to help draw out the liquid. Cover with kitchen paper also and leave for 20 minutes so the kitchen paper absorbs the excess liquid.
Lay out the 6 slices of bread: thinly spread all 6b slices with a light layer of mayonnaise. Cover with the thinly sliced cucumber and season with pepper.
Using a serrated knife cut off the crusts and discard. Cut the sandwich in half and then each half in half again, so you have 4 evenly sized sandwiches from each sandwich. You should have 12 sandwiches. Serve on a china plate and enjoy.
Traditional Cucumber Afternoon Tea Sandwiches
Egg Mayonnaise Tea Sandwiches
The original tea sandwich and very traditionally served at a good English afternoon tea: I fear if a simple egg mayonnaise sandwich wasn’t included it would be wildly missed.
A platter of egg mayonnaise tea sandwiches ready for tea!
ingredients
3 organic eggs, boiled for 7-8 minutes
1 tablespoon good quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
sea salt
black pepper
6 slices of medium sliced white bread
unsalted butter, room temperature
Peel the boiled eggs and place in a bowl break up the egg with a fork. Then add the mayonnaise, paprika, chives and season well. Gently combine.
Lay out the 6 slices of bread: thinly butter 3 slices of bread, and thinly cover the remaining 3 in light layer of mayonnaise. Add a tablespoon of the filling to 3 sides of bread and spread evenly to the corners. Cover with the remaining 3 slices of bread. You should have 3 complete sandwiches.
Using a serrated knife cut off the crusts and discard. Cut the sandwich in half and then each half in half again, so you have 4 evenly sized sandwiches from each sandwich. You should have 12 sandwiches. Serve on a china plate and enjoy.