Tea Time!

Hey everyone! Hope you all love the new look of my blog, I know I do!

Okay I'll admit, I love tea time. This desire of a cup of delicious tea and some treats resides in a very small girly part of me; I am not frilly and fluffy obsessed...but there is something about having a dainty tea set that you pull out in a nice box with silk lining which makes you say "aww" every time you open the lid. Sipping from those pretty cups, eating some yummy snacks while sitting with your friends or sister or mum and chatting...that just appeals to me. I can't quite put my finger on why, but it does. For you to share some of my excitement (maybe even, dare I say, buy a cutesy tea set of your own), I am going to share three of my many favorite desserts to serve for tea time. I will post another entry right after this one with some sandwich ideas to serve on the tea table ..just to make the two posts separate and easy to read.

Swiss Coconut Macaroons:

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 cups shredded coconut

½ cup flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Beat egg whites until they are stiff
3. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and gradually beat in the one cup of confectioners’ sugar.
4. Beat mixture until it is stiff and glossy
5. Fold in 2 cups shredded coconut and ½ cup of flour.
6. Drop the batter by teaspoons about 1 inch apart on a buttered and floured baking sheet and bake the macaroons in a moderately slow oven (350F) for 20-25 minutes.

Honey Cakes:

Ingredients:

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

¼ cup honey (not filled to the top)

1 scant cup (not filled to the top) sifted flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Beat the eggs thoroughly and mix in the sugar and honey.
3. Add gradually the sifted flour. Mix well. The batter should be semi-liquid.
4. Let it stand for 45 minutes and spread it on a buttered baking sheet.
5. Bake the dough in a moderate oven (350F) for about 20 minutes, or until it is slightly browned.
6. Once baked, cut it into squares and lay them on a cooling rack to cool and harden.
7. Store the cakes in an airtight box.

Date and Nut Sticks:

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 cups chopped pecans

1 pound dates, pitted and chopped

¼ pound candied cherries, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon double-action baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cream 2 eggs, lightly beaten, with 1 cup sugar. Add chopped pecans, dates, candied cherries, and the vanilla extract.
3. Sift flour with baking powder and add it to the mixture.
4. Spread the batter in a buttered shallow pan and bake it in a moderate oven (350F) for 30 minutes.
5. Once done baking, cut into sticks while the cake is still warm. 

 Enjoy! 

Bitter mood makes bitter food. So fucking smile! :D