Afternoon tea

Can we all come?

Scones without butter, no need for butter when having clotted cream and jam,as I have just tasted in Cornwall, soo delicious, oh dont forget, the jam goes on first in Cornwall!

But the cream goes on first in Devon!

Thanks Maggiemaybe have noted pinwheel sandwich details for future use - I bet DGD will love them (& we're taking her for a picnic on Weds)

You're welcome, henbane. I just popped back to say that I'd forgotten what might well be a crucial step. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes before slicing. And cream cheese as part of the filling helps keep it all together.

Pinwheel sandwiches! I'd forgotten all about those. Used to make them once upon a time. That's a good idea.

All welcome, 3.30 on Friday!

I can remember reading something about making dainty sandwiches. You should use a rolling pin to flatten each slice before buttering and filling the sandwich. No one wants doorstop bread at a cream tea!

That works. I used to roll out bread really thinly, butter it and cut out circles with a scone cutter to make little pastry cases. You just bake until crisp and add filling. A change from vol an vents.

Iceland sell packets of tiny frozen eclairs. They are marvelous for a dainty tea.

Iceland sell packets of tiny frozen eclairs. Marvelous for afternoon yes.

My friend hosted a lovely tea party a few months ago to celebrate a mutual friend's birthday.

Her tip was to use a square cake tin for baking (and a loaf tin for a light fruitcake so slicing into dainty thin slices was easy) then her cakes - she made three different ones - could be neatly cut into tiny squares. They looked very dainty and she decorated the squares with either a teaspoon of icing or fresh whipped cream and
small bits of fresh fruit. She said it was much easier than messing about with individual tiny cakes. They looked a picture - very professional. She also made some really tiny cheese scones which were delicious.

It was all served on mismatched bit of bone china, the tea in dainty cups - a few of us contributed - and it was a lovely, special experience. Good luck!