Mother's Day Afternoon Tea-Sweet and Savoury Nibbles

Celebrate Mom and all the loved ones in your family who have played a mom role in your life. Friends and neighbours need to be celebrated, so pour the tea and enjoy a few treats together-you will love the feeling it brings! Happy Weekend!

Little Lemon Cakes

 

These are the perfect little size for an afternoon tea. It makes a dozen, so it is a wonderful sweet treat to share with family and friends.

 

1 1/4 cups (310 mL) all-purpose flour

2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (125 mL) salted butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1/4 cup (60 mL) sour cream

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

1 tsp (5 mL) grated lemon zest

3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice

Icing Sugar (optional)

 

Sweet Lemon Slices:

1 large lemon

1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar

1 cup (250 mL) water

 

Sweet Lemon Slices: Using a sharp chef’s knife, thinly slice lemon to get 12 slices.

In a small saucepan bring sugar and water to a simmer. Add lemon slices and cook for 8 minutes or until lemon slices skin starts to look translucent. Remove from heat. Let stand in syrup for 10 minutes. Remove lemon slices, letting excess syrup drip off and place on parchment paper; set aside.

 

Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Spray 12 muffins tins well with cooking spray.

 

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, butter, eggs and egg yolk, sour cream, vanilla, lemon zest and juice. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture and stir until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin tin.

 

Bake for about 20 minutes or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Remove to a cooling rack and carefully turn out onto rack. Top bottoms of each little cake with a sweet lemon slice. Let cool completely and serve with a dusting of icing sugar, if desired.

Cucumber-Basil Sandwiches

 

Here is a classic tea sandwich with a twist of course! Using English cucumbers will provide you with less seeds and a crunchy crispness for your sandwiches.

 

10 slices white bread, crusts removed

1/4 cup (60 mL) salted butter, very soft               

1 tbsp (15 mL) mayonnaise                                   

2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh basil or mint        

Half English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

Fresh ground black pepper (optional)

 

Lay bread slices down on work surface.

 

In a bowl, stir together butter, mayonnaise and basil until well combined. Spread over bread slices. Lay cucumber on half of the bread slices. Sprinkle with pepper, if desired. Top with remaining bread.

 

Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal.

 

Makes 20 pieces.

 

 

 

Smoked Salmon and Radish Dip

 

Tuck a few Everything Bagel Spiced Pretzel chips alongside this dip or veggie sticks or thick kettle chips would also be great crunchy dipper ideas.

 

1 cup (250 mL) smooth cottage cheese

3/4 cup (175 mL) sour cream

Pinch each salt and pepper

4 oz (125 g) smoked salmon, finely chopped

1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped red radishes (about half bunch)

1 clove garlic, minced

 

In a large bowl, beat together cottage cheese, sour cream salt and pepper. Stir in salmon, radishes and garlic. Transfer to a serving bowl.

 

Yield: 2 cups (500 mL)

 

Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate in airtight container for up to 2 days; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

 

This recipe is from Best of Bridge 5 Ingredient Cooking, Robert Rose 2020, by Emily Richards and Sylvia Kong.

 

 

Fruited Cream Scones

 

These not so sweet scones are wonderful served up with some whipped cream for a special dessert or enjoy with brunch to celebrate a special someone.

 

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar

1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder

Pinch salt

3/4 cup (175 mL) salted butter, cubed

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) chopped fresh rhubarb (see tip for other fruit options)

1/2 cup (125 mL) 35% whipping cream (approx)

Granulated Sugar

 

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry blender or fingers cut butter into flour until crumbly mixture forms.

 

Stir in rhubarb and drizzle in cream until soft, ragged dough forms. Gather the dough with your hands and gently knead it a few times on a floured surface to bring dough together. Pat out into an 8-inch (20 cm) circle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.

 

Cut into 8 wedges and place on prepared pan. Sprinkle tops with some more sugar.

 

Bake for about 20 minutes or until light golden on top. Let cool slightly before serving.

 

Makes 8 scones.

 

Tip: For a slightly sweeter scone increase the granulated sugar to 1/3 cup (75 mL).

 

Tip: If using frozen rhubarb, let thaw completely and drain any liquid before using.

 

Choose your fruit! You can substitute chopped strawberries or blueberries for the rhubarb.