Afternoon tea. What should it include?

[callmeovercautious]

I am doing a "posh" afternoon Tea for a friends Babyshower and need ideas of what to serve.

So far I have:

Scones with Jam and Clotted cream.
A cake - either carrot or victoria sponge, perhaps it should be chocolate?
Sandwiches - thin white bread with crusts cut off but what fillings?

Do I need more savoury or do most people just expect cakes etc?
Homemade sausage rolls are also an option I suppose.

Help plase

We did this for a friend recently, it was such a lovely afternoon, I'm so excited just thinking about it!

We all brought one thing so we had a whole side board heaving with cakes. Everyone was a bit caked out if I'm honest, but that's no bad thing!

We had:

Sandwiches (poached salmon and cucumber, roast beef, cheese and pickle)
Homemade sausage rolls
Quiche
Scones
Biscuits
Lots of cakes (cupcakes, carrot cake, banana cake, chocolate cake and god knows what else cake!)

Most people had a bit of savoury food but really hit the cake big style. But so much cake, the side board was still heaving when we left! (I think she took some round the neighbours, her DH took some to work and they froze some and are still eating it now!)

Smoked salmon
Egg mayonaise
nice ham
Cheese

Can you do use some different bread.

victoria sponge
sandwiches with the crusts off
maderia cake

lemon drizzle
ginger bread cake
pound cake
fruit cake

fillings:
tuna mayo
salmon and cream cheese
cucumber (!) (or cheese and cucumber)

The tip with afternoon tea, is not to overdo it. Afternoon tea is meant to be light, rather than a big affair. So sandwiches, cake, decent tea (drink).

Sounds like what you have already will be plenty

tea

maybe a wee bit of fizz

Oh and Don't do sausage rolls...it changes it from afternoon tea to a party buffet!

Gentlemans Relish sandwiches!

Little savoury bites, and some cakes and petit fours, and second the fizz.

I'd probably be drawn doily-ward, but that's the council scheme in me.

Sandwiches - I prefer brown or granary, I'd leave crusts on, but cut into fingers. Fillings - good quality roast meat, some nice cheese, egg and cress.
On the side serve a small portion of salad leaves, chopped cucumber and tomatoes with a delicate dressing or vinigarette. And some good quality plain crisps.

Scones with clotted cream and jam - a must

Cake/buns - mini versions, bite size type such as mini victoria sponge, chocolate brownie.

Served with tea in a tea pot, with milk jug and sugar bowl; fruit juice and maybe a bottle of fizz as it is a special occasion.

You could serve on a three tier serving dish, ala Bettys

Less is more when it comes to a proper afternoon tea.

DD had a victorian tea party for the food aspect of her party this year and loved it.

Can you look on some posh hotel websites and nick borrow some of their menu's

cocaine

From Bettys website:

Bettys Speciality Afternoon Tea

A pot of Speciality Tea of your choice;
sandwiches with a choice of two of the following fillings:
Oak-Smoked Salmon & Prawn; Cream Cheese & Cucumber;
Smoked Chicken Breast & Caramelised Red Onion
or Roast Yorkshire Ham & Mustard;
a Sultana Scone, a choice of preserves and Yorkshire clotted cream;
a selection of miniature cakes
or your choice of cake from our cake trolley.

Bettys Traditional Afternoon Tea

A pot of Tea Room Blend Tea;
sandwiches with a choice of two of the following fillings:
Smoked Scottish Salmon, Roast Yorkshire Ham,
Roast Free-Range Yorkshire Chicken Breast or Egg Mayonnaise;
a Sultana Scone, strawberry preserve and Yorkshire clotted cream;
a selection of miniature cakes.

Bettys Celebration Afternoon Tea for Two

A half bottle of Moët & Chandon Champagne;
a pot of Tea Room Blend Tea for two;
Smoked Scottish Salmon, Roast Yorkshire Ham,
Roast Free-Range Yorkshire Chicken Breast, and Egg Mayonnaise sandwiches;
two Sultana Scones, strawberry preserve and Yorkshire clotted cream;
a selection of miniature cakes.

Ritz

Traditional afternoon tea

Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
Ham Sandwiches
Chicken Sandwiches
Cucumber Sandwiches
Mature Cheddar Cheese Sandwiches
Egg Mayonnaise and Cress Bridge Roll

Freshly Baked Raisin and Apple Scones with
Devonshire Clotted Cream and Strawberry Preserve

Assortment of Afternoon Tea Pastries
Ritz Chocolate Cake

They have various speciality ones here

I would deffo do scones and at least 2 types of cake asw ell as the sandwiches

You lot are excellent

Pavlov - you are right, sausage rolls = buffet not Ritz style Afternoon Tea.

So here is (thanks to you all) the menu of my choice:

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber on Brown.
Ham (the good stuff ) and English mustard on Wholemeal.
Egg and Cress on White.

All with no crusts, with proper Butter and cut into ... can't decide yet - I like the finger idea from Hulababy but am erring on the traditional triangle side.

Homemade Scones with Strawberry Jam and Clotted cream.

Victoria Sponge with Raspberry Jam and Cream filling.
Chocolate cake with chocolate fondant icing.

Tea in Pot, freshly brewed coffee and nice OJ and bottled waters.

Now any tips on baking it all in one Morning so it all comes out fresh??????

sorry but pmsl over cocaine, what about some funny brownies....

Oh and thanks for the cocaine idea - sorry but the MTB gave that up when she got PG.

pay someone

Not an option I'm afraid

Bettys always serve the sandwiches as fingers, as does our local tea shop, hence the suggestion. they always leave the crust on in both too.

Chocolate cake can be made and iced the day before.
Scones can also be made in advance.
Could do Victoria the day before but clingfilm the sponges well AND put them in a tin, assemble on the day.
Egg and cress filling can be made the night before and refrigerated

(Can you tell I do this lots?)

I have several easy methods of making lots of sandwiches in one go and definitely recommend fingers rather than triangles

....buy a party pack of sandwiches (a la M&S)

Cucumber sandwiches (cucumber peeled, thin white bread)
Smoked salmon sandwiches (thin wholemeal, with lemon squeezed on)
Egg mayonnaise sandwiches (thick granary)

Scones, strawberry jam and clotted cream
Ginger cake
Fruit cake

Most people will eat no more than 4 small sandwiches and two at the most pieces of cake, so don't over cater.

The hardest thing to get right is the tea! I find a mixture of earl grey and pg tips made in a teapot is lovely.