Modern Tea Party Recipes by Carla Hall

B

ridgerton

Inspired Modern Tea Party

Dearest Readers We welcome you to join us for a Bridgerton inspired afternoon tea.

While we won’t have the pleasure of dining alongside you (or watching our favorite series with you!), we do hope you will enjoy it with your own companions and share your delightful day with us (be sure to tag us in your photos on Instagram!)

Savouries Zucchini, Asparagus & Roasted Tomato Slab Quiche Cucumber & Pimento Cheese Sandwiches

Scones Sour Cherry Scones Sweet Lemon Pepper Whipped Ricotta Strawberry Thyme Jam

Sweet Chocolate Chai Sandwich Cookies

Tea Hibiscus Ginger Sweet Tea Soda Yours Truly, Chef Carla Hall

A BRIDGERTON INSPIRED AFTERNOON TEA WITH CARLA HALL The table of

CONTENTS ZUCCHINI, ASPARAGUS & ROASTED TOMATO SLAB QUICHE

4

CUCUMBER & PIMENTO CHEESE SANDWICHES

6

SOUR CHERRY SCONES

8

SWEET LEMON PEPPER WHIPPED RICOTTA

10

STRAWBERRY THYME JAM

11

CHOCOLATE CHAI SANDWICH COOKIES

12

HIBISCUS GINGER SWEET TEA SODA

15

Savouries

Savouries

Zucchini, Asparagus & Roasted Tomato Slab Quiche INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

-1 cup zucchini, medium dice, center

Make the pie dough and chill.

seed strip removed

In a medium bowl add chopped zucchini, asparagus and olive oil.

-1 cup asparagus, sliced ¼ inch pieces

Heat a large sauté pan to medium high heat. In small batches, add zucchini and asparagus. Cook for 3 minutes until lightly browned and slightly soft. Place in single layer on a plate and continue until all the vegetables are cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Add in tomatoes and roasted garlic. Let cool.

-½ cup roasted tomatoes, finely chopped -1 tablespoon roasted garlic, finely chopped

Mix eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Add herbs.

-1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped -1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out the dough ⅛” thick into a 10x14” rectangle.

This is 1½ inches larger than the inside of the baking sheet. Carefully place dough in the pan and press well, especially in the corners. Dock the crust with a fork all over the bottom. Cover with parchment paper and fill with baking weights. Rice or dry beans work well too.

Bake for 15 minutes or until dough is opaque. Remove weights and parchment paper. Bake for another 5 minutes to brown slightly. Remove from oven and cool.

-1 tablespoon olive oil -¾ cup swiss cheese, grated -5 eggs -¾ cup heavy cream -Salt and pepper to taste -1 recipe pie dough -9x13 sheet pan

Put together the quiche.

Spread the vegetables into the prepared pie crust.

Add cheese, then pour egg mixture over. Press the vegetables to make sure they are covered by the egg mixture.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until eggs are set.

Let cool. Cut in desired size. Enjoy the delicious layers of flavor.

SERVING MAKES ONE 9 X 12” QUICHE

TIP: Add the olive oil to your vegetables before you cook them. This is a great way to control the amount of oil so your vegetables do not get over-saturated.

Pimento Cheese & Cucumber Sandwiches

My Pimento Cheese and Cucumber Sandwich is a modern, Southern take on the traditional cucumber sandwich. This well known English teatime snack is made slightly heartier with a twist of spice thanks to the addition of the pimento cheese.

“Please don’t touch the cucumber sandwiches.

They are ordered especially for Aunt Augusta.

-Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Ernest

INGREDIENTS TEA SANDWICHES

-4 slices pumpernickel bread -1 recipe pimento cheese, room temp (see below) -1 European cucumber, cut in half, sliced thin lengthwise (use a mandolin if you have one) -Dill sprigs

PIMENTO CHEESE

-2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature -1 ounce mayo 1- clove garlic -Pinch cayenne -½ teaspoon salt -⅓ cup chopped roasted red pepper -4 ounces sharp cheddar, grated -4 ounces Monterey Jack, grated

DIRECTIONS In a medium deep bowl, combine cream cheese, mayo, garlic, cayenne and salt with a stiff rubber spatula or a wooden spoon. Mix until thoroughly blended. Add the roasted red peppers and continue to mix until well incorporated. Gradually stir in the shredded cheeses until well blended, not stringy. Place mixture in an airtight container. Chill.

Scones

Sour Cherry Scones DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Toss the grated butter into the flour mixture and toss until all of the pieces are coated. With your fingertips, quickly press the butter into the flour to flatten and cut it into the flour.

Toss the cherries into the butter-flour mixture, making sure to separate them. In a medium bowl or pyrex measuring cup, whisk together the cream, milk, extract and eggs until well blended.

Pour into the flour mixture and mix just until combined. There shouldn’t be any bits of flour left, but avoid overmixing.

Lightly coat your work surface with nonstick cooking spray, then flour. (The spray keeps the flour in place.) Transfer the dough to the prepared surface and gently pat it into a 3/4-inch thick long rectangle. With a clean and floured knife, cut the rectangle in half lengthwise to create two thinner rectangles. Then, cut each smaller rectangle into eight equal pieces by making four cuts crosswise.

Finally, cut each of the smaller rectangles diagonally to form small rectangular scones. If the dough starts to stick to your hands, lightly flour your hands. Make sure the dough is not sticking to the table. Flip the triangles over so that the smooth sides that were against the work surface face up and place on the prepared pan, spacing the rounds 2 inches apart. Gently gather the scraps, stack, pat to 3/4 inch, and cut again.

In a small bowl, make the egg wash. Beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of milk until blended. Brush the tops of the scones with the milk mixture and sprinkle with sugar for sweetness and crunch. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes on a wire rack and serve warm.

SERVING

MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN 3” TRIANGLES

THOUGHTFULLY MEASURED AERATE/FLUFF THE FLOUR BY WHISKING IT, THEN SPOON, DO NOT SCOOP, THE FLOUR INTO THE MEASURING CUP UNTIL IT IS OVERFILLED AND FINALLY LEVEL OFF THE TOP OF THE MEASURING WITH A STRAIGHT EDGE (KNIFE OR BENCH SCRAPER)

To make these ahead, prepare them just before eggwashing, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze. Uncover, brush with the milk mixture, and bake straight from the freezer.

They’ll take just a few minutes longer in the oven.

INGREDIENTS -4 cups all-purpose flour (240g) (thoughtfully measured*) plus more for shaping the dough -⅔ cup sugar (130g) -1 tablespoon baking powder -1½ teaspoons cream of tartar -1½ teaspoons salt -2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest -1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, grated -1½ cups dried sour cherries -1 cup heavy cream -2 tablespoons whole milk -1 teaspoon almond extract -2 large eggs Egg wash: 1 large egg yolk + 1 tablespoon whole milk Optional: coarse sugar for topping

Sweet Lemon Pepper Whipped Ricotta INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

-One 16 oz container ricotta

In your bullet or food processor add ricotta.

-Zest of 1 lemon -1 tablespoon honey -½ teaspoon black pepper -Salt to taste

Whip until creamy.

About 2 minutes.

Place into a bowl.

Fold in zest, black pepper and salt.

Mix well.

Strawberry Thyme Jam INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

-1 cup sugar

In a medium pot, combine the sugar, lemon juice and thyme.

Summer until the sugar dissolves.

-2 tablespoons lemon juice -5-6 fresh thyme sprigs, bundled -4 cups strawberries, about -2 pounds strawberries, quartered

Add the strawberries. Cook for 45 50 minutes or until the mixture thickens and sets on a very cold plate.

Remove bundle of thyme and pour mixture into two pint-size jars.

Store in fridge.

Sweet

Chocolate Chai Sandwich Cookies INGREDIENTS CHAI-SPICED CHOCOLATE GANACHE

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

-1 pint heavy cream

-2 cups all purpose flour,

-4 teaspoons -Chai-spiced tea

thoughtfully measured*

-2 cups dark or semi sweet

-2 tablespoons cocoa

chocolate, finely chopped

-½ teaspoon cinnamon -½ teaspoon salt -½ cup granulated sugar -6 oz butter (1½ sticks), slightly softened -1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 325°.

Prepare cookies: Combine flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamed well, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture. Mix until combined.

Wrap and chill dough for at least 30 minutes.

Roll dough out between two pieces of plastic wrap (or parchment paper) to 1/8” thick. (Tip: If dough gets too warm, pick the whole thing up and put it in the fridge.) Cut the cookies out using a 1¾” round cutter or a cutter of your choice. Place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Stack and reroll scraps.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until cookies are slightly golden around the edges, not brown. Let stand for two minutes. Place on a rack to cool completely.

Prepare ganache: In a small pot, bring cream just to a boil.

Add chai sachets and reduce heat to low. Allow tea to steep in cream for 5 minutes. Discard sachets.

Place chocolate in a stainless bowl, then pour warm chai infused cream over the chocolate.

Stir until the chocolate melts completely.

Add a pinch of salt. Let cool until spreadable.

Putting it all together: Line cookies up in pairs with the bottoms topside down.

Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of chocolate chai ganache on the bottom of each pair.

Place the tops on and squeeze gently (being careful not to break the cookie).

Set aside until the ganache firms up completely, about 30 minutes.

THOUGHTFULLY MEASURED Aerate/fluff the flour by whisking it, then spoon, do not scoop, the flour into the measuring cup until it is overfilled and finally level off the top of the measuring with a straight edge (knife or bench scraper)

SERVING MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN

1 3/4” COOKIES

Tea

Hibiscus tea, made from the dried petals, is known for its potential health benefits. It is rich in antioxidants, can help lower blood pressure, and may support liver health.

Tea

Hibiscus Ginger Sweet Tea Soda INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Simple Syrup

In a medium saucepan, heat the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.

-2 parts water -1 part sugar

Add the grated ginger and tea bags.

-2 tablespoons ginger, grated

Allow to steep for at least 30 minutes.

-4 bags hibiscus tea

Remove the tea bags and strain the syrup into a pitcher.

Tea

Refrigerate.

-1 part hibiscus simple syrup

When the syrup has chilled, in a large glass (or pitcher) combine 1 part of hibiscus syrup and 3 parts of soda water. Add desired amount of lemon juice to taste.

-3 parts soda water -Fresh lemon juice to taste -Fresh mint, garnish

Pour into a large glass full of ice and garnish with mint and lemon wheel.

SERVING MAKES 8 SERVINGS