TEA, oh how I love to have tea. It is just so relaxing and comforting to sit down for a cup of tea. Once you get to know me you will begin to realize how proud I am of my Irish heritage. I even had the wonderful privilege of studying in Ireland for a semester. It was there that I decided that I don't ever want to go even one day without a cup of tea. Luckily, I married an Indian who grew up having tea time every day...dream beginning to come true!
Recently, two sweet and creative ladies in my church put together an incredible tea party and I had the wonderful privilege of attending. It was another dream come true for me. It was an afternoon I won't soon forget. The best part of the entire tea party was the scones. These scones were the type that melt in your mouth, the ones that you continue to dream about for days after. Guess what? I was given the recipe! You would think it can't get much better than that, but it can. I am going to picture journal making them for you!
I thought it would be fun to illustrate for you how to start a new memory in your home, "high tea" (the Irish way). My daughter, Olivia and I will walk you step-by-step through creating a memorable tea time.
Sit back and enjoy!
Ingredients for melt in your mouth Scones:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBS butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup cream
First, preheat your oven to 425.
Next, sift 2 cups of flour,
with 2 tsp baking powder,
1 TBS of sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt.
Sift
We love this part. It can be messy but it helps blend the flour, powder, sugar, and salt.
I love how sifting makes the flour mixture look.
Next, take 4 TBS of room temperature butter
and chop the butter into small pieces and add it to the flour mixture.
Cut the butter into the mixture till it resembles small crumbs.
I mixed it a little with beaters but then continued by hand till it looked like this.
Like little crumbs
Now, take 2 eggs
and 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
beat together for a couple seconds.
Slowly add in the flour/butter crumbs.
Only do the beginning with beaters and then continue by hand till the flour is completely blended in.
Place dough onto a lightly floured surface. The dough will be a little sticky, so add a little flour (if needed) to help knead it by hand for 1 minute.
Be careful not to over-knead.
Just till it is smooth.
Then cut the dough into 4 equal parts.
Take a quarter of the dough and roll into a ball.
It doesn't have to be perfect.
Then you pat the dough down.
This is definitely Olivia's favorite part.
You want the dough to be about 3/4-inch thick.
Lightly flour the top of the dough, this makes it easier to cut.
Once again cut the dough into four equal parts. This time you are actually cutting the shape of the scones. This makes 4 little wedges.
You have two options:
Lightly grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place scones on pan directly
or cover your pan with parchment paper and place your scones on it (easier clean up).
Place scones in preheated oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, till lightly browned.
Time to make whipping cream...yummy!
Take 1 cup of COLD heavy whipping cream
and beat the cream
till soft peaks form.
Gradually, add 2 TBS sugar.
Continue to beat until soft peaks return. Be careful not to over beat.
Light and fluffy...yummy! Put in fridge till ready to serve.
Now, it is time to make the tea. Get a kettle and fill it with fresh COLD water.
Place on stove-top and bring to quick boil.
While waiting for the water to boil get all your tea stuff ready. I love Red Rose tea. I grew up drinking it on special occasions but now I drink it almost everyday. It is an Orange Pekoe Black Tea, absolutely delicious. You can use any kind of tea: herbal, green, or black. For authentic Irish tea, stick with black teas.
I have a BEAUTIFUL tea pot from Ireland that just makes tea better but you can use any teapot or kettle. You can even make your tea in a coffee cup if you don't have tea supplies. I put about 1 1/2 cups of freshly boiled water to 1 tea bag. My tea pot holds about 3 cups of water so I put 2 tea bags in.
Now, everyone is different when it comes to making tea, but since my family likes our tea just about the exact same I actually put the sugar (I use natural cane turbinado sugar.) directly into the teapot. We do this if it is only our family drinking the tea. If we have company we skip this step and everyone sugars their own tea.
* When it comes to tea I like it sweet, 2 tsp per 3 cups water & 2 tea bags.
.
After the water comes to a boil, pour it into teapot (or coffee cup). Cover the pot and let it seep for 3-5 minutes depending on how dark you like to your tea.
This is another fun part, setting everything up for "high tea."
I love eating scones with jam or preserves and whipped cream. I drink my tea with 1/2 & 1/2.
Doesn't that look DELICIOUS!
Now its time to enjoy with your loved ones.
We all love to have tea together. It is some of our best memories.
**Note the correct position of the pinky while holding the tea cup.
Olivia's friends gave her, her very own tea cups and teapot for her birthday. One of the best presents ever.
Have I told you how the scones just melt in your mouth. Oh man, they are delicious!
We start them young enjoying this Irish tradition, such a fun way to bring our heritage to life in our home.
Check back later to experience tea time the Indian way.
From my Stove-Top with Love
