High-SocieTea
"Where the Art and Elegance of Taking Tea is Treasured"
2 tablespoons butter In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, add in the salt and cut in the butter. Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm place.
"Hot Hot Tea Cakes"
A quaint little goody served hot and buttered, Hot Tea Cakes are a satisfying treat on a chilly afternoon.
3 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1-1/3 cups warm milk
3/4 cup golden raisins
and currants
Glaze:
1 teaspoon sugar dissolved in
2 tablespoons milk
Stir the yeast into the warmed milk and leave in a warm place to work until frothy.
Uncover the bowl and make a well in the flour. Pour the yeast mixture into the well, stir the flour in from the sides and knead for 10 minutes.
Mix in the raisins and currants. Cover and set aside in a warm place for an hour or so until the dough has doubled.
Pull the dough into 6 pieces, knead each piece and shape into round, slightly flattened cakes about 4" in diameter. Arrange on two buttered baking sheets. Prick with a fork, cover with a cloth and let rise for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake at 400E for 20 minutes.
When the tea cakes have finished baking, brush the tops lightly with the glaze. Serve hot, split in two and buttered. Or, split them in half, toast them top and bottom, butter them, sandwich them back together and slice into quarters to serve.
Serve with a piping hot cup of Bigelow’s English Breakfast tea on a blustery, wintry day to warm the cockles of your heart.
