A Snowflake Tea
Every Christmas I like to host at least one special tea event tea in my home. This year, invitations went out to the ladies in our couples' small group and we were set to gather right before Christmas but circumstances caused us to postpone the date 'til the weekend after New Year's Day. In the end, it worked out better as the extra days allowed me more time to create a setting in keeping with our "Snowflake" theme. And it was another excuse to leave the Christmas decorations in place for another week!
From the winter tablescape to printed menu cards, custom favor tins and tags, custom-made snowflake cookies, a three-course menu, and a little "talk" about the significance of each individual snowflake, it was such a pleasure creating and implementing the theme. By sharing all the ideas and recipes with you, I hope you'll use these "tools" to create an event yourself, maybe not this year, but in the future. Make it a special time of celebrating friendship, encouraging one another, and even praying for one another! Enjoy!
The Tablescape:
Using items I already had, the tablescape was designed using wintry colors of white (the unifying color) along with silver, light blue and a bit of soft gold in materials of glass, silver, crystal and china.
Menu Cards from DesignsbyAja on Etsy.com
Tea Tin Favor Tags from MyCardCupboard on Etsy.com
The one thing about ordering custom menu cards is that it doesn't allow any wiggle room on your final menu. You pretty much have to commit to what has been printed. I did have to change out one of the teas I had selected as we sold out of it in the shop.
Savories Course:
Mini Roast Beef and Yorkshire Puddings
Roasted Turkey and Cranberry Relish Spirals**
Winter Cucumber Sandwiches **
Mini Yorkshire Puddings
1 Cup milk
2 eggs
1 Cup flour
1/4 teas. salt
1 1/2 sticks butter
In mixer, beat all ingredients, except butter, for 5 minutes. Place 1/2 - 1 teas. butter into each square of baking pan (I used a Pampered Chef pan). Place in 425 degree oven until butter is melted bubbly but do not allow to brown ~ watch closely! Pour batter into each space; fill 1/2 full. I used all the batter. Bake for approx. 15 min. or until nicely browned and puffed up. Remove and fill with thinly sliced roast beef and top with Horseradish Cream. ** Serve warm.
White Chocolate Cream Scones
Lemon Curd and Devonshire Cream
The scones were made from our Vanilla Cream Scone Mix** to which I added white chocolate chips. They can be made from our mix or from scratch using the recipe in our Tea For All Reasons Cookbook. The Lemon Curd is also available in the TFAR shop. "Mock" Devonshire Cream is in the TFAR cookbook. **
Italian Cream
White Chocolate Strawberries
Snowflake Cookies *
Italian Cream Cake
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 egg yolks
2 cups Flour
1 teas. soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teas. vanilla
1 small can angel flake coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
5 egg whites (allowed to come to room temp) stiffly beaten
Cream butter; add shortening and continue beating 'til light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat 'til smooth. Add yolks, one at a time, beating after each. Combine flour and soda. Add to creamed mix, alternating with buttermilk. Add coconut and nuts. By hand, fold in the beaten egg whites, combining gently. Pour into three generously greased and floured 9" cake pans. (Do not use spray) Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 mins. Test with tester, baking 'til tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Remove cakes from pans carefully after 15 mins. and leave on rack 'til completely cooled.
12 oz. cream cheese (not "light"), softened
1 teas. vanilla
1 1/2 boxes powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut (optional)
Beat ingredients 'til smooth and spreadable. Adjust amount of sugar if too soft, or add a tiny amount of milk if too stiff. Add nuts. I also added coconut on the sides for a "wintry" look.
Teas Served:
Snowflake Specialty Black Tea
Snowberry Specialty Green Tea
*Snowflake Cookies were purchased from TwistedSisterTreats.etsy.com
**Recipe for Cream Scones, Sandwiches, and Mock Devonshire Cream, with slight variations, are in the Tea For All Reasons Cookbook, available at www.teaforallreasons.com and
www.teaforallreasons.etsy.com
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