Cream tea 'break' is delightful old tradition

During the early ‘50s, one of my favorite day-trips from my home in Coeur d’Alene, was a shopping spree in Spokane at The Crescent — and a mid-morning cream tea at the store’s Elizabeth Ann Tearoom.

It was pure English — with snowy linens, cloth napkins, melt-in-your-mouth currant scones and bowls of ripe strawberries with whipped cream for dipping. Years later, I would enjoy many such teas in England — especially in the little village fronting Kew Gardens, which I was blessed to visit several times — and of course, high tea at Harrods — and the Ritz, the ne plus ultra, with champagne as a delightful bonus.

I wish we had a tea shop in Sandpoint. This would be the perfect venue for such a venture. Its décor could include shelves of teapots and other Anglophilia for sale — and perhaps special high tea on Sunday afternoons.

My favorite has always been a simple cream tea: a variety of teas to choose from, scones with lemon curd or strawberry jam and clotted cream, and fresh berries in season; the perfect mid-day break. Without further adieu, here are some recipes for your own at-home cream tea, beginning with my favorite. Enjoy!

Currant Cream Scones

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons pure cane sugar

½ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, cut into 10 pieces

¼ cup currants

2 large eggs, well beaten

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Set oven to 425. Sift flour, baking powder, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and the salt into a mixing bowl. Add butter a piece at a time, working into the flour mixture with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add currants and toss.

Make a well in the mixture and add eggs and ½ cup of the cream. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough begins to clump together then knead in the bowl for about 30 seconds: do not overwork the dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. With buttered palms, cut or tear out pieces of dough (about a generous half-cup’s worth) and place in greased muffin tins. Brust tips with remaining cream and sprinkle lightly with remaining sugar. Bake in center of over about 10-12 minutes.

For wedge-shape scones, form dough into two balls and flatten each into a circle about ¾ inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Cut each into 6-8 pie-shaped wedges, brush with remaining cream, place on lightly buttered baking sheet, sprinkle with remaining sugar and bake for 12-15 minutes.

No matter which form of scone you make, do NOT over-bake. They will only be a very light beige, and will continue to “bake” when removed from the oven; fluffy lightness will turn to a heavier density in the matter of only half a minute (I speak from experience). Immediately remove from pans or sheet and place on a tea towel or wooden cutting board to cool slightly.

Wedge scones offer a bit more flexibility than the round or “drop” style. A bit less “fragile” they take to such additions as grated carrots, whole wheat flour, buttermilk in place of cream — for a more “biscuit-y” texture, so experiment on your own for the just right outcome you’re looking for.

In England, many householders don’t whip up scones every day, but often offer clever substitutions, as in the following recipe from the fabulous Crabtree @ Evelyn Coolbook.

Cardamom Toasts

2 tablespoons granulated sugar (cane is best)

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Unsalted butter, softened

4 slices firm white bread (Italian loaf cut a bit thickly — or similar)

Combine sugar and cardamom on a small plate and mix well. Toast bread slices on both sides and butter both sides well, clear to the edges. Cut each slice in 4 triangles. Gently press each triangle into cardamom sugar, coating both sides lightly. Arrange on a platter and serve warm. Orange curd makes a great go-with.

Accompany your scones/toasts with a bowl of strawberries or other berries in season, or perhaps this special offering.

Berries w/

Ricotta Cream

(8 servings)

1 pint raspberries

1 pint blackberries

15 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese (2 cups)

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon Amaretto (or Framboise liqueur or Grand Marnier)

Combine berries in a shallow serving dish. Drain any excess liquid off ricotta. Puree drained ricotta until smooth, add powdered sugar and Amaretto and blend well. Spoon into a pretty serving dish and chill.

Pass berries and ricotta cream for guests to scoop spoonfuls of each into dessert plates.

Tip: You may serve this as individual tartlets. Scoop some ricotta cream into tart shell and top with fruit. Too, use other berries in season as desired. Cut up strawberries into pieces the same size as other berries used.

Next week, we’ll continue our tea theme, with ideas for a full or “high” tea.

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com or by phone at 208-265-4688.