The Unofficial Bridgerton Book of Afternoon Tea E-Book

Katherine Bebo

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 147

Beschreibung

Over 65 afternoon tea recipes to celebrate the scandal, the sauce and the sumptuous spreads of binge-worthy regency drama hit Bridgerton. Bridgerton fans are cordially invited to indulge in themed afternoon teas galore. Each character hosts their own imagined chapter, serving up tasty treats to complement their theme. Penelope ― with her bright, blossoming frocks ― will be offering up a floral spread, while Genevieve Delacroix goes all ooh là là with her 'French' accent and Parisian petit fours. Only the daintiest delights will do for Daphne Bridgerton, while devilishly delicious is the order of the day for smouldering Simon ― 'I Burn For You' Biscuits, anyone? Queen Charlotte's tea is positively eccentric, while Lord Featherington's errs on the boozy side... Audiences couldn't get enough of the drama, deception and, indeed, Duke's derrière. And they won't be able to get enough of the elegant savouries, scones, cakes, macarons and other delectable recipes for indulgences here that accompany this seriously extravagant period drama with a twist.

Leseprobe

afternoon tea

afternoon tea

OVER 75 SCANDALOUSLY DELICIOUS RECIPES INSPIRED BY THE CHARACTERS OF THE HIT SHOW

contents

Introduction

an elegant tea

inspired by Daphne Bridgerton

an eccentric tea

inspired by Queen Charlotte

an opera tea

inspired by Siena Rosso

a gentleman’s tea

inspired by The Duke of Hastings

a society tea

inspired by Lady Whistledown

a lovesick tea

inspired by Penelope Featherington

a parisian tea

inspired by Madame Delacroix

a confidante’s tea

inspired by Lady Danbury

a tipsy tea

inspired by Lord Featherington

a floral tea

inspired by Lady Featherington

a feminist tea

inspired by Eloise Bridgerton

a punchy tea

inspired by Will Mondrich

a rebellious tea

inspired by Marina Thompson

a bitchy tea

inspired by Cressida Cowper

a curious tea

inspired by Benedict Bridgerton

a fireside tea

inspired by Violet Bridgerton

Index

Acknowledgements

Afternoon tea with the ton

Are you ravenous for Regency romance? Famished for fun and frolics? Starving for saucy secrets? Do you love sinking your teeth into a sensational scandal? How about sinking your teeth into a sumptuous spread of scones, cakes, macarons, cookies, crostini and other delectable delights fit for a queen, lord, lady or, indeed, Cockney dressmaker posing as a sophisticated Frenchwoman?

Celebrate the drama, deception and – yes – the Duke’s derrière by indulging in one of these 16 afternoon teas, each inspired by one of Bridgerton’s captivating characters. Recreate Gunter’s Tea Shop in your own living room, complete with perfectly pressed tablecloth, three-tiered cake stand and strategically placed spoon in case any of your guests want to recreate the come-hither cutlery-licking scene that caused quite a stir.

The ceremony of afternoon tea became popular amongst the upper-class English in the 1800s, when the Duchess of Bedford plugged her peckishness with an assortment of sweet and savoury snacks to keep her going until dinnertime. What began as a way to keep hunger at bay soon evolved into a social event, where friends would gather in the drawing rooms and manicured gardens of the high society to nibble and natter, dine and discuss, chew and chatter, graze and gossip.

When you throw your own Bridgerton afternoon tea, perhaps you’d like to set the scene with a little something extra, depending on which character is ‘hosting’. An operatic soundtrack playing at your Opera Tea…

A beautiful bouquet of blooms as a centrepiece to your Floral Tea… A bar set up in the corner for your Tipsy Tea… A cosy fire crackling during your Fireside Tea… You could even create your very own scandal sheet with tantalizing truths about your guests for your Society Tea (go steady, though – you don’t want to lose any friends!).

Each recipe in this book perfectly complements the theme and character. Only the most refined refreshments will do for Daphne Bridgerton’s Elegant Tea, while diabolically delicious is the order of the day for smouldering Simon’s Gentleman’s Tea. Queen Charlotte’s tea is positively eccentric, while Madame Delacroix’s is continental-chic – ooh la la! Benedict Bridgerton’s Curious Tea serves a suitably intriguing fare, Eloise Bridgerton’s feisty Feminist Tea will inspire you to burn your corset, Lady Danbury’s Confidante’s Tea is as badass as you’d imagine, and Will Mondrich’s Punchy Tea really hits the spot.

Each spread is lip-smackingly, mouth-wateringly, tongue-waggingly wonderful, so prepare yourself for several afternoons of tempting treats and exquisite eats. Pinkies up.

Brewing the perfect cup of tea

Most of the tea recipes in this book are best made using loose-leaf tea, as it generally produces a better quality tea than tea bags. It’s good to keep in mind, as a general rule, that more leaves in the pot will also generally produce a stronger tea. Loose-leaf tea can be steeped several times in order to bring out the best of its flavours. Tea experts often pour an initial amount of hot water into a teapot containing the leaves, and then pour the water out before brewing. This is to wash away any dust on the leaves, and prime them to swell for maximum flavour. Try not to leave the tea leaves in for too long when brewing them (3–4 minutes is usually enough time), as this can create a bad aftertaste.

Brewing and pouring your tea from a teapot is a wonderful way to bring splendour and elegance to an afternoon tea spread. Different teapots can work well for the different teas in this book; delicate white and green teas are best served in pretty china pots, whilst glass pots are a lovely way to watch flowering teas bloom into life. If you’re planning on tackling the majority of these inspired tea spreads, perhaps try an all-purpose pot made from not-too-delicate china. Some teapots have built-in infusers, but you can also scoop the tea into a separate infuser, clip to the side of the pot, and then remove it after brewing. Infusers and tea balls are usually made from stainless steel, and make it easy to brew loose-leaf tea whilst keeping the leaves contained. This is the easiest way to make a pot of tea perfect for even the fussiest members of the ton!

an elegant tea

inspired by Daphne Bridgerton

Rose congou tea

Teatime crostini

Peach melba scones

Chouquettes

Lemon drizzle cake

Chocolate cherry cake

The ‘diamond of the season’ is elegance personified. She’s dignified, graceful, chaste and, in the words of Queen Charlotte, “Flawless, my dear”. She always behaves with the utmost decorum and her curtsies are impeccable. Wait, hang on… Is this the same woman who snorts when she laughs, has a killer right hook and ‘gets inappropriate’ with the Duke in the garden? While Daphne is, indeed, an exquisite, well-bred beauty, she’s also got a tenacious, plucky, saucy side. Like the season’s belle of the ball, her afternoon tea is supremely elegant, with a side of sass.

Rose congou tea

The perfect drink for a classic English rose such as Daphne, this sweet, fragrant tea must be served in only the finest china.

5 teaspoons rose congou tea leaves

FOR 1 POT OF TEA

Warm the teapot and add the tea leaves. Pour in slightly cooled boiled water and leave to brew for 3–5 minutes. Pour into cups and serve.

Teatime crostini

Delicate, delectable and downright dreamy, these ‘incomparable’ nibbles are suitably fit for the Duchess to delight in.

FOR THE CROSTINI TOASTS

1 French-style baguette

olive oil, for brushing

FOR THE PEA & PARMESAN TOPPING

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

200 g/1½ cups frozen peas

3 tablespoons dry white wine

dried chilli/chile flakes, to taste (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

FOR THE SMOKED SALMON TOPPING

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

½ teaspoon finely grated zest from an unwaxed lemon

3–4 drops of Tabasco or other hot sauce, to taste

100 g/3½ oz. smoked salmon, cut into 12 strips

½ a lemon, for squeezing

fresh dill sprigs, to garnish

Parmesan cheese shavings, to garnish

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

a large baking sheet, greased and lined

MAKES 24

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) Gas 5. Cut 24 thin slices of baguette and lightly brush both sides of each one with oil. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, until crisp and golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool while you make the toppings.

Heat the oil in a saucepan set over a low heat. Add the shallots and gently sauté for about 3 minutes, until tender and translucent. Add the peas and the wine to the pan. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, until the peas are tender, then tip them into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and season to taste with salt and a pinch of dried chilli flakes, if using.

To assemble the crostini, spoon the pea purée onto 12 crostini toasts, top with Parmesan cheese shavings and serve. Combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest and Tabasco. Spoon lemon mayonnaise onto the other 12 crostini toasts. Top with a strip of smoked salmon and squeeze lemon juice over it. Garnish with a sprig of dill and serve.

Peach melba scones

Daphne’s heart almost breaks when Simon refuses to give her what she most desires… but, like these scones, things turn out peachy in the end.

100 g/¾ cup self-raising/self-rising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

30 g/⅓ cup ground almonds/almond meal

30 g/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

2 teaspoons almond extract

30 g/2 generous tablespoons caster/white granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

2–3 tablespoons milk

TO SERVE

3–4 tablespoons clotted cream or whipped double/heavy cream

1 nectarine, thinly sliced

16 raspberries

3 tablespoons peach preserve

icing/confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

a scone cutter (5 cm/2 inch diameter)

a large baking sheet, greased and lined

MAKES 16

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) Gas 4.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl and add the ground almonds. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1 teaspoon of the almond extract, the sugar and 2 tablespoons milk and mix to form a soft dough. Add a little more milk if the mixture is too dry.

On a flour dusted surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the scone dough to a thickness of 2 cm/¾ inch and stamp out 16 rounds using the cutter. Put the scones on the baking sheet a small distance apart. Using a pastry brush, glaze the tops of the scones with the remaining milk mixed with the remaining 1 teaspoon almond extract. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes, until golden brown and the scones sound hollow when you tap them. Let the scones cool on a wire rack then cut each one in half and fill with a little clotted cream, nectarine slices, a few raspberries and a little peach preserve. Replace the tops of the scones and dust with icing sugar to serve. Serve immediately or store in the fridge until needed.

Chouquettes

Whilst the eldest daughter of the Bridgerton brood is undeniably sophisticated, she’s also gutsy. Evidenced by the fact that she thinks nothing of riding in-between her dualling-at-dawn brother and (soon-to-be) lover to save the day – then promptly gets thrown from her horse and dusts herself off. These balls of sweet choux pastry have nothing on the ballsy Bridgerton gal.

65 g/½ cup plain/all-purpose flour

50 g/3½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

75 ml/⅓ cup water

75 ml/⅓ cup milk

1 tablespoon caster/superfine sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

a pinch of salt

2 eggs

sugar nibs for sprinkling

a piping/pastry bag fitted with a round nozzle/tip

2 large baking sheets, greased and lined

MAKES 45

Sift the flour twice to remove any lumps. Heat the butter in a saucepan with the water, milk, sugar, vanilla bean paste and salt until the butter is melted. Bring to the boil, then quickly add the sifted flour all in one go and remove from the heat.

Beat hard with a wooden spoon or whisk until the dough forms a ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the pan. Leave to cool for about 5 minutes. Whisk the eggs and then beat into the pastry a small amount at a time using a wooden spoon or whisk. The mixture will form a sticky paste which holds its shape when you lift the whisk up.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF) Gas 6.

Spoon the choux pastry into the piping/pastry bag and pipe 45 small balls of pastry a small distance apart on the sheets. Using a wet finger, smooth down any peaks.

Top the pastry with sugar nibs. Sprinkle a little water into the bottom of the oven to create steam which will help the choux pastry to rise.

Bake each sheet in the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180ºC (350ºF) Gas 4 and bake for a further 10–15 minutes until the pastry is crisp.

Remove from the oven and cut a small slit in each bun straight away to allow any steam to escape. Serve the buns warm or cold. The chouquettes are best eaten on the day they are made but can be eaten the following day if stored in an airtight container.

Lemon drizzle cake

When Daphne declares her undying love for the dashing Duke after dancing at their end-of-season ball, it’s not so much a drizzle falling from the heavens, as a downpour. After they’ve dried off, they should go inside to warm up with a cuppa and slice of this zingy cake.

175 g/1½ sticks butter, at room temperature

175 g/¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons caster/white granulated sugar

3 eggs

grated zest of 1 lemon

175 g/1⅓ cups self-raising/self-rising flour, sifted

FOR THE LEMON SYRUP

grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1½ lemons

125 g/⅔ cup minus 2 teaspoons caster/superfine sugar

a 20-cm/8-inch, loose-bottomed, square cake pan, greased and lined

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) Gas 4. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the lemon zest and fold in the flour. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and level the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, until the cake has risen and is golden.

A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. While the cake bakes, make the syrup. Put the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan and warm gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil for about 1 minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the grated lemon zest. Set aside until needed.

When the cake is ready, remove it from the oven and prick the top all over using a skewer.

Pour the syrup over it and leave the cake to cool in the pan. Carefully unmould and slice to serve.

Chocolate cherry cake

The young couple enjoy flirtatious banter, dancing together, covert hand-brushing… When Simon unleashes/pops Daphne’s passionate side, it’s the cherry on the cake of their enviable relationship. Or, in this case, the multiple cherries on this ‘take-me-now’ cake.

FOR THE MUD CAKE

220 g/7½ oz. dark/bittersweet chocolate

220 g/2 sticks minus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

160 ml/¾ cup water

125 g/1 cup plain/all-purpose flour

125 g/1 cup self-raising/self-rising flour

40 g/⅓ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda

480 g/2½ cups caster/white granulated sugar

a pinch of salt

4 eggs

2½ tablespoons vegetable oil

110 ml/scant ½ cup buttermilk

150 g/½ cup black cherry preserve

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

250 g/2 sticks unsalted butter

50 g/6 tablespoons cocoa powder

350 g/3¼ cups icing/confectioners’ sugar

FOR THE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

250 g/2 sticks unsalted butter

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

350 g/3¼ cups icing/confectioners’ sugar

TO DECORATE

about 80 white chocolate cigarellos

400 g/14 oz. fresh cherries

red edible glitter

2 x 20-cm/8-inch round cake pans, greased and lined

a large serrated knife

a large palette knife

a side scraper

red organza ribbon

SERVES UP TO 20

Preheat your oven to 160ºC (325ºF) Gas 3.

First, make the mud cake. Melt the chocolate and the butter in a small saucepan with the instant coffee granules and 160 ml/⅔ cup water. Keep the temperature low and stir the mixture occasionally; turn off the heat when only a few small lumps of chocolate remain – these will melt in the heat of the mixture and turning the heat off early prevents burning.

Sift the flours, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and sugar into a bowl and add the salt. Make a small well in the centre and set aside.

Beat the eggs, oil and buttermilk together in a jug/pitcher before tipping this mixture into the dry ingredients and stirring it into a thick paste.

Pour the melted chocolate and butter mixture on top of this paste and fold everything together with a wooden spoon until you have one glossy mixture in the bowl.

Divide your cake mixture between 2 prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean (or with only a few tiny crumbs attached to it). Allow the cakes to cool completely in their pans.

Make the chocolate buttercream. Roughly carve up the butter and beat in a freestanding mixer for 3 minutes until creamy. You can also do this by hand or using a hand-held electric mixer and a large mixing bowl, although you may find that this takes longer. Add cocoa powder and beat in. Once fully incorporated, add 250 g/2⅓ cups of the icing sugar and beat for 1 minute. Then, in a separate bowl, make the vanilla buttercream, repeating the same steps but beating in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract instead of cocoa powder.

Check the consistency of your buttercreams – you are aiming for the texture of thick whipped cream – if it is too runny, add the remaining icing sugar. You will then need to beat the buttercream for a further 5 minutes, until the sugar is completely incorporated.

Now assemble the cake. Begin by levelling off cakes using a serrated knife to remove any peaks from your cakes, then remove them from their pans.

Spread the cut side of one cake with black cherry preserve and the cut side of the other cake with the chocolate buttercream. Sandwich your cakes together so that the preserve and buttercream are in the centre.