Go Back
Print

Assorted English Tea Sandwiches

A delightful assortment of classic tea sandwiches for your next tea party.

Course Brunch, Tea Time
Cuisine English
Keyword Brunch, Finger Sandwiches, Tea Sandwiches, Tea Time
Prep Time 30 minutes
Refrigeration & Cutting Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 6 people
Author The Tiny Fairy

Ingredients

  • Room temperature unsalted butter prefer Plugra or Kerrygold
  • Your favorite sandwich or loaf bread

SMOKED SALMON WITH CAPERS & RED ONIONS CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

  • 1 package of thinly sliced smoked salmon
  • 2 Tablespoons whipped cream cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon red onion, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon capers, minced
  • lightly season with salt and pepper

CUCUMBER & TZATZIKI WITH MICRO GREENS

  • 1 hot house seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
  • Tzatziki sauce
  • micro greens
  • lightly season with salt and pepper

EGG SALAD WITH AVOCADO SPREAD AND MICRO GREENS

  • 2 hard boiled extra large eggs, grated or finely diced prefer Eggland's Best
  • 1 heaping Tablespoon mayonaise prefer Duke's
  • a pinch of kosher salt per egg and fresh cracked pepper
  • avocado slices substitute tomato slices, drained
  • micro greens

TURKEY, APPLE & SWISS 

  • honey maple turkey deli meat prefer Boar's Head
  • baby Swiss cheese slices, very thin
  • country mayonnaise
  • Granny Smith apple slices

SERRANO, MANCHEGO AND FIG JAM

  • Serrano ham or your favorite ham prefer Boar's Head
  • Manchego cheese slices, very thin
  • fig jam prefer Braswell's brand, it's the best fig jam

CHICKEN SALAD & STRAWBERRY

  • prepared chicken salad from your local deli
  • lettuce
  • strawberry slices

Instructions

THE BUTTER BARRIER

  1. Regardless of the tea sandwich you are preparing, you need a butter barrier to prevent the bread from becoming soggy.

  2. Butter must be room temperature and soft enough for you to easily cut through the butter with your finger.

  3. Spread a very thin layer of unsalted butter on each slice. Set the slices aside.

SANDWICH ASSEMBLY

  1. For best results, assemble the sandwiches at least 3 hours before serving. Allow 30 minutes to prep and layer the sandwiches. Two hours to chill in the refrigerator so they are easier to slice and 30 minutes to cut and arrange them on pretty tiered plates.

    Note: When refrigerating, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set the uncut sandwiches down, cover with another sheet of parchment paper followed by a kitchen towel and wrap the entire cookie sheet in plastic wrap to prevent from drying out. If necessary, you can prep the sandwiches the night before.

  2. When making a cream cheese mixture or salad spread, mix those first and set aside until ready to assemble.

  3. When layering with cheese slices, set a thin layer of cheese over the bread followed by the filling and top with another slice of cheese, so both bread slices touch cheese and not filling. This will help prevent the bread from getting soggy.

  4. When adding vegetables or fruit, such as cucumbers, tomatoes or strawberries, set them on a paper towel to drain any excess moisture before assembling.

SLICING THE SANDWICHES

  1. Remove the sandwiches from the fridge and with a sharp serrated bread knife, slice the crust off the bread, wiping the blade each time after slicing. This will ensure a clean cut and reduces smearing the filling. Traditional shapes are squares, triangles and rectangles.

    Note: You could also use a round cookie cutter. Wipe the cookie cutter like you would the knife.

    I like to cut like flavored sandwiches in like shapes. This is easier for guests to know which sandwiches are which.

  2. Place the sandwiches on the tiered serving tray in a single layer so it is easy for your guests to serve themselves. These sandwiches are delicate so stacking is not recommended.