Afternoon Tea Charcuterie: A Stacked High Tea
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What’s Up, Hungry People
When it comes to charcuterie, the Brits have been doing it right.
Usually, when people imagine charcuterie, they picture it on a board or spread out on a table. Most don’t think of stacking their charcuterie vertically. But why not? Let’s combine England’s love for high tea with America’s love for charcuterie to create something new… CHARCUTER-TEA.
The Origins of Afternoon Tea
But that’s just what the English have done, however. Afternoon tea is somewhat of a ritual meal served in the mid-to-late afternoon, between lunch and dinner. First popularized in the 1840s by the seventh Duchess of Bedford, afternoon tea was meant to keep a hungry duke’s wife from getting hangry, because he liked to have dinner fashionably late—around 8 p.m.
She soon made a routine of this mid-afternoon meal and eventually started inviting her friends to join her. From there, it evolved into a somewhat formal affair for upper-class individuals in the 1880s.
The first high tea trays would have included bits of biscuits, butters, jams, and dainty fruits. Finger sandwiches and eventually desserts like cranachan also joined the spread.
The Order To Dine In
There is a formal order in which to dine upon afternoon tea. While there are many recommendations on how to eat your afternoon tea, this spread is a cross between charcuterie and afternoon tea, meaning it’s a more relaxed affair.
However, the only rule I impose is to eat your afternoon tea from bottom to top.
Bottom Layer: Petite Sandwiches & Croustinis
- Egg Salad on Croissant
- Tuna Salad on Whole Wheat
- Chicken Salad on White
The first layer of your board should have several different bite-sized sandwiches. You can make this easy on yourself by buying premade chicken salad, tuna salad, and/or egg salad, then assembling the sandwiches from there.
I fancied up the sandwiches by adding some greens like fresh dill to the egg salad croissant and microgreens on top of the chicken salad.
Because this is technically also a charcuterie spread, I included cured meats, cheeses, and crostinis on the bottom layer.
Other First Level Items
- Prosciutto Brie Crostini
- Lox & Cream Cheese Crostini
- Prosciutto & Mustard Crostini
Each of these bites starts with the same base: buttered, toasted crostini. From there, I made 3-4 of each option: lox & cream cheese, prosciutto & brie, and prosciutto & whole grain mustard. Feel free to mix and match combinations to your preferences!
Second Layer: Scones, Jams & Clotted Cream
For the middle layer, traditionally scones are served with clotted cream and various jams. I bought some premade cranberry orange scones and served them alongside a few spare slices of the breads I used for the sandwiches.
Scones are usually notoriously dry and crumbly, so it’s best to serve them with fresh fruits like strawberries to counteract the dryness. They also aren’t overly sweet, meaning you can slather on the clotted cream to your heart’s content.
This layer is meant to transition from the savory bottom layer to the sweet layer on top.
Because we are fusing the concept of charcuterie with afternoon tea, I had sweet jams but also included a spicy pepper jam and a peach bourbon jelly option—great to combine on a slice of bread with a swipe of clotted cream.
Top Layer: Desserts & Sweets
The top layer of afternoon tea is reserved for all things sweet! Traditional English desserts include sfogliatine and pecan tassies, but I also tossed on a few mini cranachans (inspired by Harry Potter!) and a mini strawberry cheesecake to split!
- Scottish Cranachan
- Mini Cheesecake
- Pecan Tassies & Sfogliatine
Each sweet should be eaten in just a few bites. I found the pecan tassies and sfogliatine premade at my grocery store, and the mini cheesecake was found at a local bakery!
Sweet Transitions
Each sweet should be eaten in just a few bites. I found the pecan tassies and sfogliatine premade at my grocery store, and the mini cheesecake was found at a local bakery!
The only dessert element that I actually spent time assembling was the cranachan and raspberry coulis—but DIY is totally optional. Cranachans are pretty similar to what Americans would recognize as parfait, so it’s just as easy to serve that as a replacement without firing up the stove.
Let’s Assemble the Charcuter-TEA
When it’s time to bring everything together, here’s how to assemble your charcuter-tea:
Assembling the Sandwiches
Start by putting together those bite-sized sandwiches. Use a sharp serrated knife to remove the crusts from your bread slices, then cut each sandwich into four smaller ones. Each sandwich should be about 1×1 inch. Add some extra pizzazz with fresh herbs and microgreens, then set them aside.
Building the Crostinis
Next up, the crostinis! Butter and toast your bread slices until they’re just crispy enough. For the prosciutto versions, top the crostinis with brie or a smear of whole grain mustard, and then add a slice of prosciutto. For the smoked salmon crostinis, simply spread some cream cheese on each toast and top with the salmon. These should be made closer to serving time to keep the bread from getting soggy.
Preparing the Cranachan
If you’re going the DIY route, assemble your cranachans (or parfaits) next. Layer whipped cream, oats, and raspberry coulis, then chill until it’s time to set the table.
Layering the Afternoon Tea Stand
- Bottom Layer: Arrange the finger sandwiches and crostinis alongside the pepperoni-wrapped mozzarella cheese bites.
- Second Layer: Add the scones, clotted cream, jams, jellies, and fresh strawberries.
- Top Layer: Finish off with the desserts—cranachans, mini cheesecakes, pecan tassies, and sfogliatine.
Don’t Forget the TEA
Of course, you can’t have afternoon tea without serving actual tea too! To keep it simple—and give everyone a range of teas to taste—I provided a teapot with hot water along with some teabags in various flavors!
High Tea Troubleshooting Tips:
- Crostinis getting soggy? Make them last, right before serving, so they stay crispy.
- Dry scones? Serve them with plenty of clotted cream and fresh strawberries to balance out the texture.
- Can’t find cranachan ingredients? Substitute with a simple parfait made with yogurt, granola, and fruit—it’ll be just as tasty!
- Tea temperature too cool? Boil your kettle right before serving, or consider using an electric kettle to keep the water hot.
Common Afternoon Tea Questions:
- What kind of bread should I use for the sandwiches? Soft white or wheat bread works best. You want something easy to slice and without too much crust.
- How can I prevent my crostinis from getting soggy? Assemble them as close to serving time as possible. You can also toast the bread a little more to give it extra crunch.
- Can I substitute the desserts with something else? Absolutely! Pick your favorite bite-sized treats. Anything that’s easy to eat in a few bites will work well.
- Do I have to serve tea with this? Not necessarily! If tea isn’t your thing, feel free to serve coffee, sparkling water, or even a nice bubbly instead.
Charcuter-tea brings a playful twist to a classic tradition, making it perfect for any gathering. This mix of savory sandwiches, delicate scones, and bite-sized sweets stacked high on your tea stand will impress your guests and keep them reaching for more. It’s the ultimate combination of British elegance and casual American snacking. Serve it up with a variety of teas, and you’re all set for a cozy afternoon with friends.
Afternoon Tea Charcuterie
Equipment
Ingredients
FIRST LEVEL:
- 4 mini chicken salad sandwiches with microgreens
- 4 mini tuna salad sandwiches on wheat
- 4 mini egg salad croissants with fresh dill
- 4 toasted crostini with cream cheese & smoked salmon
- 4 toasted crostini with mustard, brie & prosciutto
- 4 pepperoni wrapped mozzarella cheese cut into bite size pieces
SECOND LEVEL:
- 4 small slices of bread white & wheat
- double cream
- clotted cream
- sweet jams strawberry, orange, lemon, peach bourbon, etc.
- spicy jellies raspberry pepper, mango habanero, etc.
- 4 scones orange cranberry, plain, etc.
- 8 fresh strawberries
THIRD LEVEL:
- 4 pecan tassies
- 4 sfogliatine
- mini cheesecake strawberry, caramel, chocolate, etc
- 2 cranachan or can swap for parfait
- fresh berries
TEA:
- tea loose or bagged
Instructions
- Assemble the finger sandwiches and use a sharp serrated knife to remove the crusts from the sliced bread so that four smaller sandwiches can be made from one regular-sized sandwich. Each sandwich should be about 1×1 inch wide and thick. Dress up the sandwiches with fresh herbs and microgreens as desired.
- Assemble the crostini with prosciutto, slices of brie, and about a teaspoon of whole grain mustard (per crostini). Repeat the same process with the slices of smoked salmon and cream cheese. Keep at room temperature and make these closer to serving time so the crostini don't get soggy.
- Assemble the cranachan or parfait as desired. Chill until ready to set the table and serve.
- When ready to serve, bring a kettle of water to a rolling boil. Transfer the hot water to a teapot and serve alongside several options of bagged or loose tea.
- Arrange the finger sandwiches and crostini on the bottom level along with the wrapped cheeses.
- On the second level, add the jams, jellies, clotted cream, scones, and fresh strawberries.
- On the top level, arrange the desserts as desired! Enjoy with hot tea and good company.