I thought I would start to teach Arran how to bake and learn some facts at the same time.
I thought The English Afternoon Tea would be a good place to start. I always saw this as a treat when we went on holiday especially if the weather was poor. It would fill in time and keep energetic kids happy while they ate precariously balanced cream on scones.
Afternoon tea did not exist before the 19th century. At the time lunch was eaten quite early and dinner was not served until eight or nine at night. In around 1830 The Duchess of Bedford asked for tea and light refreshments in her room one afternoon. She enjoyed the experience so much that she started inviting her friends to join her. Before long elegant tea parties were very fashionable with small cakes placed on cake stands, fine bone china, servers, tea caddie's and teapots. It was traditionally served between 3 o'clock and 5 o'clock and was mainly confined to the aristocracy with their leisurely lifestyle
As times and lifestyles have changed the popularity of formal afternoon tea has been confined to hotels where it is served in all its glory with a suitable price tag to match. In recent years the "cream tea" has been adopted which is served in many a teashop along with oversized scones, cream and a selection of preserves
Traditionally the afternoon tea comprised of tea made with fresh tea leaves, small cakes including pastries, scones, biscuits, along with jams, jellies, cream, lemon curd. Small sandwiches were often served too. The white bread was very thin and rolled with a rolling pin to make it even thinner. traditional fillings were cucumber, ham, cream cheese, egg, tomato and watercress. The crusts were cut off and cut into triangles. It was all about elegance. No body wanted door step sandwiches with filling falling out. The sandwiches and cakes could be eaten in two bites . A cake folk was always used as often the gentle folk would dress for the occasion.
Scones are traditionally morning goods and therefore have a short shelf life, not that they last long enough to go stale!
There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady
Below is my favourite and well used recipe for scones. They always go down well with friends and family
1. MEASURE OUT THE FLOUR AND PUT IT IN THE BOWL ALONG WITH THE BAKING POWDER AND BUTTER
COOL YOUR HANDS UNDER COLD WATER THEN USING YOUR FINGERTIPS, RUB THE BUTTER INTO THE FLOUR AND BAKING POWDER MIXTURE UNTIL IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
4. COOL YOUR HANDS AGAIN THEN GENTLY MIX THE MIXTURE TOGETHER WITH YOUR HANDS. DO NOT KNEAD OR BEAT AS IT WILL MAKE IT TOUGH AND THE END RESULT WILL BE POOR. TREAT THE MIXTURE GENTLY UNTIL IT LEAVES THE BOWL CLEAN, FORMING A SOFT BALL OF DOUGH
Please don't imagine that we sit down to afternoon tea with fine china and cake folks but I thought this would be a good incite into how it all came about.
Afternoon tea would not be so named if it were not for the "tea"
I came across some lovely rules about tea etiquette and the do's and don'ts.
Tea cups with a handle are held in by placing one's fingers to the front and back of the handle with one's pinkie up to allow for balance.
Do not stir you're tea with your tea spoon in sweeping circular motions. Place your teaspoon at the six o' clock position and safely fold the liquid towards the twelve o' clock position two or three times.
Never leave your teaspoon in your cup.
Always put the milk in after the tea or the milk will be scolded and undrinkable.
Place the teaspoon on the right hand side of the cup on the saucer.
Never wave your cup around, place it back on the saucer.
The only time that the saucer is raised up with the cup is when at a standing buffet.
Milk is served with tea , not cream.
I thought The English Afternoon Tea would be a good place to start. I always saw this as a treat when we went on holiday especially if the weather was poor. It would fill in time and keep energetic kids happy while they ate precariously balanced cream on scones.
Afternoon tea did not exist before the 19th century. At the time lunch was eaten quite early and dinner was not served until eight or nine at night. In around 1830 The Duchess of Bedford asked for tea and light refreshments in her room one afternoon. She enjoyed the experience so much that she started inviting her friends to join her. Before long elegant tea parties were very fashionable with small cakes placed on cake stands, fine bone china, servers, tea caddie's and teapots. It was traditionally served between 3 o'clock and 5 o'clock and was mainly confined to the aristocracy with their leisurely lifestyle
As times and lifestyles have changed the popularity of formal afternoon tea has been confined to hotels where it is served in all its glory with a suitable price tag to match. In recent years the "cream tea" has been adopted which is served in many a teashop along with oversized scones, cream and a selection of preserves
Traditionally the afternoon tea comprised of tea made with fresh tea leaves, small cakes including pastries, scones, biscuits, along with jams, jellies, cream, lemon curd. Small sandwiches were often served too. The white bread was very thin and rolled with a rolling pin to make it even thinner. traditional fillings were cucumber, ham, cream cheese, egg, tomato and watercress. The crusts were cut off and cut into triangles. It was all about elegance. No body wanted door step sandwiches with filling falling out. The sandwiches and cakes could be eaten in two bites . A cake folk was always used as often the gentle folk would dress for the occasion.
Scones are traditionally morning goods and therefore have a short shelf life, not that they last long enough to go stale!
There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady
Below is my favourite and well used recipe for scones. They always go down well with friends and family
INGREDIENTS
8oz or 225g SELF RAISING FLOUR
1 teaspoon 5ml BAKING POWDER
1oz or 25g BUTTER (SOFTENED)
2 tablespoons 2x15ml CASTER SUGAR
2 FREE RANGE MEDIUM EGGS
MILK
DOUBLE OR WHIPPING CREAM
JAM OF YOUR CHOICE
NOTES ABOUT INGREDIENTS
Self raising flour is important as it is a finer grade than plain flour and its added baking powder helps the scones to rise.
Butter is something that I like to use as I think it improves the flavour of the scones but low fat spread suitable for baking is OK to use.
Don't use granulated sugar in this recipe as the result will be grainy. It will also affect the texture of the scone. Caster sugar is ideal for this recipe.
Other ingredients can be added to the scone mixture before the egg and milk. Sultanas (3oz, 75g), glace cherries, chopped into quarters (3oz, 75g) or even cheese if you are a savoury person (4oz, 110g) grated. Use a mature cheese. put 30z 75g into the dry mixture along with (1 tsp 5ml) of dry mustard powder. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese onto the scones after the egg/milk wash has been put on. Watch these do not burn as cheese will be hard and unpallettable.
Other ingredients can be added to the scone mixture before the egg and milk. Sultanas (3oz, 75g), glace cherries, chopped into quarters (3oz, 75g) or even cheese if you are a savoury person (4oz, 110g) grated. Use a mature cheese. put 30z 75g into the dry mixture along with (1 tsp 5ml) of dry mustard powder. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese onto the scones after the egg/milk wash has been put on. Watch these do not burn as cheese will be hard and unpallettable.
EQUIPMENT
2 BOWLS
3 TEASPOONS
TABLESPOON
JUG
WOODEN SPOON
SIEVE
SCALES
PASTRY BRUSH
MIXER WITH WHISK OR HAND BALLOON WHISK
BAKING TRAY
MUG
FORK
BAKING TRAY
MUG
FORK
METHOD
PUT THE OVEN ON 180OC, 350OF OR GAS MARK 4
1. MEASURE OUT THE FLOUR AND PUT IT IN THE BOWL ALONG WITH THE BAKING POWDER AND BUTTER
2. ADD THE CASTER SUGAR.
3. BREAK THE EGG INTO THE BOWL THEN ADD THREE TABLESPOONS OF MILK. MORE MIGHT BE NEEDED.
BY NOW THE MIXTURE SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS. IF IT APPEARS DRY THEN ADD ANOTHER TABLESPOON OF MILK AND MIX GENTLY.
5. SPRINKLE SOME SELF RAISING FLOUR ONTO A WORKTOP. PLACE THE DOUGH ONTO IT. ROLL IT OUT WITH A ROLLING PIN TO ABOUT 3CM THICKNESS
THANKS TO MY SON FOR THE RULER!
6. CUT OUT THE SCONES USING A CUTTER. I USED A SMALL ROUND CUTTER AS IT IS TRADITIONAL TO HAVE SMALL SCONES IN A AFTERNOON TEA BUT FEEL FREE TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN SIZE.
TRY TO BE NEAT WHEN CUTTING OUT SO THAT THE DOUGH DOES NOT GET OVERWORKED. ROLL THE REMAINING DOUGH TOGETHER TO MAKE MORE SCONES. BE GENTLE - THE MORE YOU WORK THE DOUGH, THE DRIER IT WILL BECOME. DOUGH WHICH IS TOO DRY IS DIFFICULT TO WORK. I USUALLY MANAGE ALL THE SCONES IN TWO ROLLS.
7. PUT THE SCONES ONTO A LIGHTLY GREASED BAKING TRAY. MIX ONE EGG AND A LITTLE MILK TOGETHER WITH A FOLK
8. USE A PASTRY BRUSH TO LIGHTLY BRUSH THE EGG/MILK MIXTURE ONTO THE TOPS OF THE RAW SCONES. PLACE THEM IN THE OVEN IN THE MIDDLE SHELF TO BAKE. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES THEY SHOULD BE WELL RISEN WITH A LIGHT GOLDEN CRUST ON THE TOP LIKE THESE. TAKE THEM FROM THE OVEN AND LEAVE THEM TO COOL ON A COOLING RACK.
9. POUR THE CREAM INTO A BOWL AND WHIP IT UNTIL IT HOLDS ITS SHAPE IN SOFT PEAKS. USE A HAND MIXTURE OR DO IT BY HAND.
10. CUT THE COOLED SCONES HORIZONTALLY IN HALF ON A BOARD. PLACE THE BOTTOM HALVES ON A CLEAN PLATE OR CAKE STAND WITH OR WITHOUT DOILIES. PLACE ABOUT 2 TEASPOONS OF JAM ON THE BOTTOM HALVES. USING A CLEAN TEASPOON, PLACE GENEROUS AMOUNTS OF CREAM ON TOP. ADD THE TOP HALVES OF THE SCONES AND PRESS INTO PLACE GENTLY.
THE FINISHED SCONE. IT DID NOT LAST LONG WITH ARRAN AROUND
FINALLY TEA ETIQUETTE
Please don't imagine that we sit down to afternoon tea with fine china and cake folks but I thought this would be a good incite into how it all came about.
Afternoon tea would not be so named if it were not for the "tea"
I came across some lovely rules about tea etiquette and the do's and don'ts.
Tea cups with a handle are held in by placing one's fingers to the front and back of the handle with one's pinkie up to allow for balance.
Do not stir you're tea with your tea spoon in sweeping circular motions. Place your teaspoon at the six o' clock position and safely fold the liquid towards the twelve o' clock position two or three times.
Never leave your teaspoon in your cup.
Always put the milk in after the tea or the milk will be scolded and undrinkable.
Place the teaspoon on the right hand side of the cup on the saucer.
Never wave your cup around, place it back on the saucer.
The only time that the saucer is raised up with the cup is when at a standing buffet.
Milk is served with tea , not cream.
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