Afternoon Tea Sandwiches (Cucumber, Egg and Cress, Smoked Salmon)
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5.0
36 reviews
Excellent
Afternoon Tea Sandwiches (Cucumber, Egg and Cress, Smoked Salmon)
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You'll definitely want an variety of tea sandwiches in order to enjoy a proper afternoon tea experience! This assortment of afternoon tea sandwiches is classically British.
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Ingredients
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches:
- ½ an English (hothouse/seedless) cucumber
- salt
- 75 grams (2.6 ounces / 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) salted butter, at room temperature (if using unsalted butter add a pinch of salt)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs such as basil, chives, dill, or thyme (use your favorite combination or just pick one)
- ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 8 lices white sandwich bread
Egg and Cress Tea Sandwiches:
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped/mashed
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard OR curry powder (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 lices white sandwich bread, lightly buttered on one side with soft salted or unsalted butter (about 3 to 4 tablespoons)
- 1 cup watercress, baby mustard cress, or garden cress (leaves picked off the stems, stems discarded)
Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches:
- 150 grams (5 ½ ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 8 lices whole wheat (wholemeal) sandwich bread or pumpernickel bread
- 200 grams (7 ounces) sliced smoked salmon (preferably Scottish style)
Instructions
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches:
- Peel and thinly slice the cucumber using a mandoline or sharp knife (or leave the skin on if you prefer). You’ll need 36 slices. Place cucumber slices on a paper towel, lightly salt the cucumber, and top with another paper towel. Let stand for about 20 minutes to allow excess moisture from the cucumbers to be absorbed.
- In a small bowl combine soft butter, herbs, and lemon zest until smooth.
- Spread a thin layer of lemon herb butter on all 8 slices of bread. Top 4 slices of buttered bread with 9 cucumber slices each in even rows. Top with the remaining slices of bread, buttered side down.
- Use a serrated knife to cut off the crusts and then cut the sandwiches into 4 squares/quarters, 3 rectangles/fingers, or diagonally into 2 triangles/halves.
Egg and Cress Tea Sandwiches:
- Mix/mash together the egg, mayonnaise, mustard or curry powder if using, and salt and pepper. Divide the mixture over 4 slices of buttered bread. Top with cress and the 4 remaining slices of bread, buttered side down.
- Use a serrated knife to cut off the crusts and then cut the sandwiches into 4 squares/quarters, 3 rectangles/fingers, or diagonally into 2 triangles/halves.
Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches:
- Combine the soft cream cheese with the onion, capers, and lemon juice and zest until smooth. Spread a thin layer of the onion-caper cream cheese on all 8 slices of bread. Top 4 slices of bread with sliced salmon, then cover with the remaining slices of bread, cream cheese side down.
- Use a serrated knife to cut off the crusts and then cut the sandwiches into 4 squares/quarters, 3 rectangles/fingers, or diagonally into 2 triangles/halves.
Notes
- The number of servings for this recipe assumes one is making all 3 tea sandwich varieties. You will yield 24 triangles (or more pieces if you cut your sandwiches into fingers or squares), which would be 4 triangles per person. If you make only 2 of the varieties, they would serve 4 people.
- The nutritional information is based on an average of making all the sandwiches, removing the crusts, and then dividing them into 6 servings.
- As you work, cover your assembled sandwiches with a clean tea towel or damp paper towel to keep them from drying out as you assemble the remaining sandwiches.
- If you really want to make next level tea sandwiches, use European-style salted butter. I recommend Irish butter such as Kerrygold, although Aldi sells a great version at a very reasonable price.
- For the Cucumber: Try using a vegetable peeler to peel alternating stripes of skin off the cucumber to give it a different appearance. As a variation, replace the butter with double the amount of room temperature cream cheese, and double the lemon zest and herbs to make cucumber cream cheese tea sandwiches.
- For the Egg and Cress: The mustard will provide a mild flavor but yield a very classic tasting egg salad. Meanwhile, the curry powder (which is very British in its own right) will transform it into a curried egg salad, a truly delicious concoction for anyone who loves curry! I love both varieties but the curried version may be my favorite of the two.
To make tea sandwiches in advance: Use this trick for storage and they will taste freshly made even the next day!
Take a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and crumple it up into a ball. Hold it under the faucet and soak it with water. Gently shake it out (water will splatter), and repeat under the faucet with more water. Shake it out again and then place your assembled afternoon tea sandwiches on the damp parchment. Fold the parchment over to enclose the sandwiches (you can stack them if needed) and then tuck the sides underneath. Transfer the parcel of wrapped sandwiches to the refrigerator. I suggest placing it in an airtight container first, especially if you plan to store it in the fridge for many hours or overnight. If you have a lot of tea party sandwiches you may wrap a few smaller parcels instead of one big one to make them easier to wrap and store.
- Take a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and crumple it up into a ball.
- Hold it under the faucet and soak it with water. Gently shake it out (water will splatter), and repeat under the faucet with more water.
- Shake it out again and then place your assembled afternoon tea sandwiches on the damp parchment. Fold the parchment over to enclose the sandwiches (you can stack them if needed) and then tuck the sides underneath.
- Transfer the parcel of wrapped sandwiches to the refrigerator. I suggest placing it in an airtight container first, especially if you plan to store it in the fridge for many hours or overnight.
- If you have a lot of tea party sandwiches you may wrap a few smaller parcels instead of one big one to make them easier to wrap and store.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
615kcal
(31%)
Carbohydrates
45g
(15%)
Protein
20g
(40%)
Fat
40g
(62%)
Saturated Fat
18g
(90%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
6g
Monounsaturated Fat
11g
Cholesterol
212mg
(71%)
Sodium
700mg
(29%)
Potassium
87mg
(2%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 615 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 615kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 45g | 15% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 40g | 62% |
| Saturated Fat | 18g | 90% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 212mg | 71% |
| Sodium | 700mg | 29% |
| Potassium | 87mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
36 reviews
Excellent
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