This fancy high tea collection worthy of the royals is everything you need to pay homage to the royal family this weekend. Delicate tarts, ribbon sandwiches and shortbread biscuits, all of our favourite dishes fit to honour the Queen.
We’ve put together a collection of the best recipes for you to enjoy for the fanciest afternoon tea.
Looking for more morning and afternoon tea recipes?
How to host a delightfully fancy high tea party
High tea is a lovely, elegant, and intrinsically feminine way to entertain, and while the art of doing it properly need not be stuffy or restrictive, it does require a bit of forward thinking.
“People do expect you to have gone to some effort in terms of decoration and flowers if you are hosting a high tea,” says renowned Australian fashion designer Fleur Wood.
“It’s a really nice opportunity to get out all of your mother or grandmother’s old china and silver tea pots.
“That’s what I like about hosting these sort of events — you get to use beautiful things we don’t use in our daily lives.”
Of course, it’s also a great opportunity to frock up and look glamorous. Wood recommends a floral frock or vintage dress.
For décor, she suggests mixing it up. “You don’t want it to look either too ‘ye oldy world’ or too ‘shabby chic’.”
She also notes that if it’s for a baby shower — a popular event for high teas — you should avoid the traditional blues and pinks.
Flowers are essential — think tea roses or orchids — as is music.
“It’s important to have the right music in the background to create a mood,” says Wood. “In my book I recommend a French band, Nouvelle Vague.
“Ricky Lee Jones is also fitting for this sort of thing, or there’s a ‘So Frenchy, So Chic’ compilation that’s quite good.”
Jill Jones-Evans, owner of The Victoria Room Tea Salon, which provides one of Sydney’s finest high teas, emphasises the importance of the menu.
“It may sound obvious, but with high tea there really is a lot of preparation involved,” she notes. “Give yourself plenty of time if you don’t want to be in the kitchen cutting up sandwiches.
“That said, it is one of the great things about high teas — you can have pretty much everything done in advance.”
The food doesn’t need to be traditional either.
“You could do an Italian-inspired high tea or make another kind of cuisine the focus, even Indian, for example. My grandmother used to serve high teas in the Scottish highlands in the 1960s and then it was all about the pork pies.
“So, feel free to include things like gourmet sausage rolls and pies — it doesn’t have to be all sandwiches and scones.”
Even the scones can be more modern and creative. The new Victoria Room Tea Salon in Westfield Sydney CBD has a ‘specialty scone menu’ with ten flavours ranging from lavender or white chocolate and cranberry to savory pumpkin and ginger or cheddar and thyme.
Jones-Evans says the biggest seller is the date and orange scone served with Sicilian marmalade. Take-home packs of six scones are also popular.
Correct settings are very important too, of course.
“You definitely want to have lovely high tea stands and good tea ware but it doesn’t need to cost a lot,” says Jones-Evans.
“You can mix and match from op shops and Vinnies. I think that mismatched vintage look is great. Definitely use real linen, cloth napkins and flowers. Other nice touches are things like sugar cubes with silver sugar tongs.”
It also ought to go without saying that good quality loose-leaf tea in pots is essential. “Definitely no tea bags,” pleads Jones-Evans. A mix of one black, one herbal and one green tea is a good place to start to make sure all tastes are catered for.
Jones-Evans also suggests a proper invitation in the post, rather than a text or email.
“It’s all a bit old-fashioned and old school so why not start with that? Just think how excited you are when you get a proper letter or invitation in the post these days.”
For some delicious treats, perfect for your next high tea or afternoon tea party, click through the gallery below!
This post originally appeared on The Australian Women’s Weekly.
01
Raspberry and orange cordial
Bright, fruity and packed with flavour, raspberry and orange cordial is a great base for a refreshing soft drink or used as a mixer for vodka or white rum.
02
Spelt blini with hot smoked salmon and crème fraîche
Spelt blini with hot smoked salmon and crème fraîche
Entertaining is simple with these quick spelt blini topped with hot-smoked salmon and crème fraîche
03
Basic scones
This basic scones recipe uses only three ingredients to make. Serve with jam and cream.
04
Mini quiches
Bite-sized morsels of fun and flavour.
07
Passionfruit melting moments
Little sandwich biscuits filled with a bright passionfruit butter cream – these melt-in-your-mouth tidbits make for a great lunchbox snack for the kids. But that doesn’t stop us adults from snacking on them, all the live long day.
08
Mini pavlovas with vanilla syrup strawberries
Mini pavlovas with vanilla syrup strawberries
You could experiment with a variety of different berry toppings here. Whatever you choose, you just can’t beat a pav topped with whipped cream and berries and drenched in syrup.
09
Mini lemon almond lamingtons
These gorgeous mini lemon almond fingers are a zesty take on the classic Australian lamington. The combination of soft sponge rolled in coconut and drizzled with a sweet lemon syrup will leave you reaching for more.
10
Chocolate and caramel macarons
Chocolate and caramel macarons
You don’t have to be in France to indulge in this decadent dessert. Bite through the light outer-layer of these treats to reach the rich chocolate ganache centre.
11
Mini blue cheese quiches
Cute little mini quiches that pack a huge blue cheese punch.
12
Lime and yoghurt cakes with elderflower syrup
These divine lime and yoghurt mini bundt cakes are the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Drizzled with a sticky elderflower syrup, they make the ultimate dessert for entertaining guests at a high tea.
13
Chocolate and caramel eclairs
Impress at your next party or celebration with these divine home-made eclairs filled with vanilla custard cream and glazed with rich chocolate.
14
Over-the-top chocolate and macadamia brownies
Over-the-top chocolate and macadamia brownies
These brownies are only as good as the chocolate used. The more cocoa solids in the chocolate you use, the more intense the chocolate taste will be. Aim for a dark chocolate containing anywhere between 50-70% cocoa solids.
15
Baked coconut custard tarts
Sweet and satisfying, these little baked coconut custard tarts have the added nutty depth of both shredded and desiccated coconut, plus a dash of lemon zest.
16
Strawberry jelly cakes
These pretty little morsels combine the flavours of strawberry and coconut for a wonderful teatime treat that can be devoured in two bites.
17
Lemon meringue cupcakes
Mix up the classic lemon meringue pie by creating cute cupcakes that are perfect as party food or a gift.
18
Chicken and cucumber ribbon sandwiches
Chicken and cucumber ribbon sandwiches
Entertain in style with these elegant ribbon sandwiches
19
Peach and hazelnut friands
Brighten up your morning or afternoon with these stone fruit and nutty french cake delights.
20
Lamingtons
Recreate this classic Australian treat with a light and fluffy cake, chocolate and coconut flakes.
21
Mini brown sugar and hazelnut whoopie pies
These divine mini brown sugar and hazelnut whoopie pies are wonderfully sweet, nutty and creamy. Enjoy one with a pot of tea for an indulgent morning of afternoon snack with loved ones.
22
Baked ricotta tartlets
These tasty tartlets can easily be made in advance and quickly prepared for impromptu dinner parties. Don’t be scared of making the pastry; it is very forgiving, so if it cracks press in back together. If it feels too soft to handle, refrigerate for a few minutes.
23
Little chocolate hazelnut cakes
24
Blinis with smoked salmon
These light and fluffy mini savoury pancakes make the ultimate dinner party starter or appetiser, and are divine served with a dollop of fresh cream, and tender smoked salmon.
25
Millionaire’s shortbread
This dessert is worthy of a millionaire! Full of rich, sweet and decadent ingredients, this shortbread is simply divine!
26
Sweet and delicate, these strawberry scones are the perfect treat for morning or afternoon tea. Enjoy warm with a dollop of jam and cream.
27
Hummingbird cakes
Delightfully moist tropical flavoured cakes feature pineapple, banana and coconut and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting
