Hi <<Name>>!

It’s definitely tea time and it's long over due! In this newsletter I share four essential recipes to create a quintessential British Afternoon Tea with a modern twist - the vegan way. Don’t forget to add the Champagne or sparkling wine to take it up a notch. (My recommendations are included below!)
 

As you may have already noticed the newsletter will be sent out quarterly from now on and if you are interested to know more about why, read the announcement over here.

The recipes are calculated to serve a setting of 4-6 people. And the spreads yield more, approximately 2,5 - 3 dl (for US readers, slightly more then a cup).

Enjoy!
Veronica

PS. As always, if you like the recipes,  feel free to share them newsletter using the links in the footer below.

The Brit: Cucumber & mint spread

• 2 dl vegan thick Crème fraîche or sour cream spread
• 10 cm grated  cucumber, skin removed
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
• sea salt to taste

1. Remove the skin from the cucumber, and grate coarsely.
2. Mix creme fraiche with mint, cucumber, onion and chives.
3. Taste with salt.  
4. Let stand and set in the fridge, preferably overnight.

Roasted red pepper and aubergine spread

Ingredients:

• 1 pc roasted aubergine
• 2 pcs roasted red bell peppers
• 0,5 dl sunflower seeds or walnuts, raw
• 5 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 12 pcs large green olives, pitted
• salt and black pepper to taste

1. Roast the vegetables and let cool down prior to creating the filling mixture.
2. Add all ingredients except the olive oil and lemon juice to a jar.
3. Mix until smooth with a hand blender.
4. Add olive oil and lemon juice and mix thoroughly.
5. Taste with salt and pepper.
6. Let stand and set in the fridge, preferably overnight.

Cream cups with passion fruit and pomegranate topping

The pie cups

14 pcs

• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2,5 dl flour
• 2,5 tbsp chickpea flour or almond flour
• 2-3 pinches bourbon vanilla powder
• 2,5 tbsp brown sugar
• 2-3 tbsp cold water

1. Add all dry ingredients to a bowl and mix evenly.
2. Add coconut oil and work through evenly with the flour until you have a crumbly and grainy dough.
3. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time and work together to a firm dough.
4. Let the dough rest in the fridge for an hour.
5. Once the dough is ready, divide it into 14 equal sized pieces.  
6. Use a mini-cupcake mould and create 14 small cups in the mould.
7. Bake until golden in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees C.
8. Let cool down completely before you add the vegan cream filling.

The creamy filling

• 2 dl vegan whipping cream
• ½ tsp rose water
• passion fruit seeds
• pomegranate seeds

• Mix vegan whipping cream, bourbon vanilla and rose water evenly. Whip the vegan cream until it’s nice and airy.
• Let set in the fridge for an hour or so.

Creating the cream cups:

• Add a dollop of vegan cream to each cup.
• With the spoon, create a small cavity in the center of each dollop of cream.
• Add pomegranate seeds and passionfruit to each cream cup. Either or, or use both.

NOTE: ½ piece of a passion fruit is enough to top 4 cream cups.

Quinoa chocolate cups

20 pcs

• 100 gram dark chocolate of high quality
• 1 dl of puffed quinoa
• 20 pcs small tinfoil cups/moulds  

1. Melt chocolate in a water bath or using your preferred method.
2. Add puffed quinoa, mix evenly.  
3. Use a teaspoon to add the chocolate mixture to each mould/cup.
4. Let set in room temperature.
5. Store in an airtight container.

Drink suggestions: 

Champagne: Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec

Sparkly wine: Boschendal Pinot Noir Chardonnay Brut

Tea recommendations:

• Mint Green Tea
• Green Jasmine Tea
• Oolong Tea
• White Tea
• Peppermint Tea
• Chamomile Tea