Sweet friend Mallory's recent high school graduation gave us a wonderful opportunity to plan a celebratory tea party.
Mallory preferred an intimate get-together over a big party, so we were able to seat everyone together in the dining room. Visit this post to see the details of our table for ten.
We began our teatime with chilled cucumber water and a salad of spring greens, blackberries, Parmesan and lemon vinaigrette. Mary Ashley and I took Mallory to Smith-Byrd House in Prattville, Ala., for tea a few months ago, and it was such a special outing. When I mentioned serving their Meyer Lemon Scones at our party, Joe volunteered to pick them up, adding, "Anything for one of our kids." So we enjoyed those fresh-baked treats topped with my homemade Almond Cream and Strawberry Jam. Perfection with a cup of tea!
Our trio of savories included Chicken Salad in Phyllo Cups, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, and Ham & Swiss Spirals.
Mary Ashley put together our chicken salad cups, and I made our cucumber sandwiches with white bread, an herbed cream cheese and thinly sliced cucumber. For the spirals, I spread flour tortillas with herbed cream cheese; layered ham, Swiss and fresh spinach leaves over the cream cheese; rolled the tortilla into a tight roll; and used a serrated knife to slice the rolls into bite-size spirals.
Dessert was a feast of sweet indulgences, including assorted macarons, Chocolate Pots de Creme and Fresh Fruit Tarts.
I found the macarons in the freezer section at Walmart and prepared our other two desserts. Keep reading for the recipes!
Shapely votives work well for showcasing a variety of teatime foods. I found a set of 16 at Michael's Craft Store and paired them with this adorable set of Leyosov Demitasse Spoons.
Fresh Fruit Tarts
Showcase your favorite summer fruits!
16 frozen individual pastry shells, baked according to package directions
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened, condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 (8-ounce) container low-fat frozen whipped topping, thawed
Assorted fruits
2 tablespoons peach preserves
1. In a medium bowl, whisk sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
2. Spoon filling into baked shells, and top with assorted fruits. (We used blackberries, raspberries, and mandarin oranges.)
3. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, microwave preserves on high until melted, about 10 seconds. Brushed melted preserves over tarts, and refrigerate until serving.
Note: Reserve extra filling as a topping for pound cake.
Chocolate Pots de Creme
Served in glass votives, this silken Rachael Ray-inspired recipe is a deliciously decadent teatime treat.
2/3 cup 2% milk
1 egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
Garnish: whipped cream, fresh raspberries
1. In a small pan, heat milk over medium-low heat just until warm and bubbling.
2. In the container of a blender, mix egg, chocolate chips, vanilla, sugar and salt. Remove center from lid, and pour hot milk into container in a slow, steady stream; mix until smooth.
3. Transfer chocolate mixture to a measuring cup with a spout, and divide mixture among five votives, filling each about two-thirds full. Refrigerate until set, at least 8 hours.
4. Just before serving, top with whipped cream and raspberries.
"The little spaces in time created by teatime rituals call out to be filled with conversation. Even the tea itself -- warm and comforting -- inspires a feeling of relaxation and trust that fosters shared confidences." -- Emilie Barnes
