Рецепт A Valentine's Day Tea
Valentine's Day is less than 2 weeks away, what a great theme for our Afternoon Tea today at Rolling Pin! We had a full class today, 18 wonderful students ready to have some fun! I began the day by preparing Cherry and Pistachio Scones. I love these scones probably because I love maraschino cherries and pistachios! These scones are so easy to prepare, especially when I used a silicone mat to line my rolling surface and a silicone mat to line my baking sheet. I combined the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, I cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembled coarse crumbs. I squeezed the chopped cherries in a paper towel to get them as dry as possible, and then stirred them into the dry ingredients along with the chopped pistachios. I measured my milk into a 1 cup measuring cup, then whisked in the egg yolk. I lightly floured the silicone mat I had ready on the counter and dumped the dry ingredients onto it. I made a well in the middle and poured in half the milk mixture. Using a bench scraper, I incorporated the liquid then made another well and add the rest of the milk. I continued using the bench scraper until the dry ingredients were moistened. Then I gently kneaded the dough several times. I divided the dough in half and placed them on my silicone lined baking sheet. I patted each half into a 6 inch round and using the bench scraper again, cut each round into 6 wedges, not separating them. Barb, one of the wonderful Rolling Pin assistants brushed the scones with the egg whites and popped them in the oven.
While the scones were in the oven, I prepared our Walnut and Cherry Brownies. I used cherry candy oil instead of extract. These oils are wonderful to use, much richer in flavor and highly concentrated. They have a 3-1 ratio, meaning if your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of extract, you will only need to use 1/3 teaspoon of oil. I love all the flavors. They come in, Pina Colada, Guava, Tropical Punch, Pineapple, Cherry, Grape, Strawberry, and Watermelon just to name a few. Also, the bottles are smaller, so they are easier to store in my crowded kitchen!
The brownies were ready to go into the oven and scones were ready to come out. While Barb, Theresa and MaryAnn plated and served the scones along with a cup of tea, I began assembling our first tea sandwich. Today's selections were Deviled Ham and Pecan Tea Sandwiches, Herbed Vidalia Onion Tea Sandwiches and Chicken and Cherry Tea Sandwiches. After I demonstrated how to assemble all three, I gave the students a break so they could begin their shopping and helped my great assistants make and plate all 3 choices. It was a whirlwind 10 minutes! By the time the students had made some of their purchases of cooking and baking supplies, the sandwiches were in front of their seats and ready to be enjoyed with another cup of Raspberry Tea. At this time, I glanced up at the clock only to realize I was way behind schedule, we must have been having way too much fun! I quickly mixed up the dough for our sugar cookies and popped it into the freezer and out of the oven came the brownies. The dough was still sticky, but I was running out of time, so we had to continue on, sticky or not. It actually became a great baking tip, if you rush the dough, your cookies will spread too quickly while baking. Oh well, they were not beautiful, but at least they were yummy.
While the sandwich dishes were being cleared, I demonstrated how easy it is to cut the brownies with a pizza cutter. The secret is to line the pan with parchment paper, when cool, just lift it all out of the pan, place the brownies and parchment paper on a cutting board and slice with a pizza cutter, how easy is that!
Dessert was served, along with another cup of tea! Not my prettiest plating, but they must have been good, there were none left!
Our next Afternoon Tea at Rolling Pin is Tuesday, February 16, which just happens to be Fat Tuesday. What a perfect theme....
"A Mardi Gras Tea Party"
Pecan Scones
Bananas Foster Tea Sandwiches
New Orleans Muffuletta Tea Sandwiches
Curried Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches
New Orleans Bread Pudding
If you are in the area, there are still 2 seats available, we'd love to have you!
- Cherry Pistachio Scones
- 2 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup maraschino cherries -- drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios -- chopped
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 egg, separated
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix well. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cherries and pistachios. In a small bowl, combine egg yolk and milk. Add to the dry ingredients, stir until dry ingredients are moistened. On a lightly floured surface, gently knead dough several times. Divide dough in half and pat each half into a 6 inch round. Place on baking sheet. Cut into 6 wedges, do not separate.
- In a small bowl, beat egg white. Brush over top of scones. Bake for 17 - 22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
- Deviled Ham and Pecan Tea Sandwiches
- 1/2 pound cooked ham -- cut into 1" pieces
- 1/2 medium onion -- quartered
- 3 large sweet gherkin
- 1/2 cup pecans -- toasted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
16 slices white bread
Pulse all ingredients except bread in a food processor until finely chopped and combined well.
Spread ham mixture (1/4 cup per sandwich) between slices of bread. Discard crusts, then cut sandwiches into triangles.