Who says tea time can only consist of sandwiches and savoury dishes? We say dessert IS for tea time or some of you might call, an afternoon tea. Traditional afternoon tea or the tea being served in hotels is usually served on a three-tier tea tray with each tier consisting of different kinds of sweet treats.
 
However, since going to a hotel just for tea isn’t a very practical idea- you’d want to have it at your own comfort. This especially applies to sweet baked goods that aren’t as heavy on the palate and would just be consumed in a few bites. In this article, we’d go through a list of baked goods that can be used to serve on their own, or a few of them together based on your preferences.
 
Some of these desserts are very easy and practical for you to make it on your own at home!
 

1. Scone

What is evening traditional evening tea without the classic scones, jam and clotted cream, right?
It’s classic, and a little posh for you to have your tea with. Coupled with a pot of hot boiling English tea, you’re set for a proper tea time.
 
Scones are surprisingly easy to make too and you can prepare it ahead of time prior to your tea time. With a few ingredients you already have lying around in your kitchen, all that is left to do is mix them up together and bake!
 

2. Pie

The next one on the list is the flaky, buttery pies! Pies come in, well you guessed it, a lot of varieties; classic apples, mixed berries to rhubarb just to name a few. Pie crusts are also a good make-ahead baked goods and you can customise the fillings in just a few minutes.
 
A proper slice with a cup of tea is heavenly and cosy- like warm internal hugs!
 

3. Petit fours

 
Petit fours is a small bite-sized confectionery and is derived from French that means ‘small oven’. The French used to use large brick ovens which took a long time to heat up and also to cool down.
 
Bakers took advantage of the stored heat during the cooling process of the oven to bake pastries. This was called à petit four- literally means ‘at small oven’ i.e. a low temperature. Petit fours usually comes with small cakes that are iced and decorated, miniature tartlets as well as eclairs and cream puffs.
 
Skills of baking petit fours is quite handy as it involves quite a number of techniques- and if you’re wondering where you can learn how to do it, we got you! Check this out !
 

4. Pâte à Choux

Pâte à Choux or choux pastry is a multipurpose batter that can be used to bake various baked goods; like cream puffs, eclairs and even to the intricate Gâteau St Honoré. It is very easy to make and requires only a few ingredients.
 
The fillings for these baked goods using the choux pastry is also endless! You can fill it with plain custard, whipped cream, jam- sky’s the limit! It is very suitable to have at tea time as it is not as heavy and acts as palate cleanser which makes your tea time more fun!
 

5. Opera cake

Opera Cake is a rich French dessert that uses one of the most loved flavor combinations, chocolate and coffee. The cake consists of layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup, filled with coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate glaze. This luscious cake is definitely worth consuming over tea time as it is very decadent and needs to be enjoyed without rushing.
 
As for the name of the cake, it isn’t exactly a big deal. Back in 1955, when one of French greatest pastry chef’s wife ate this cake when served to her, she commented saying that the layers of the cake reminded her of the Paris Opera House- hence its name up till now.
 
The method of baking this cake is not really hard, but it is quite time consuming. If you’d like professional tips and tricks on how to achieve the greatest opera cake, click here to learn with our professional chef instructor.
 

6. Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread is also one of the classics when it comes to tea time snacks. It is straightforward and very easy to make. You can also make it in advance and in batches because it stores greatly too! That way, whenever you fancy a buttery goodness biscuits, you won’t be running out of it.
 
A classic shortbread uses a fluted cookie cutter, but if you’re into something more fun or kid-friendly you can also opt for animal shaped cookie cutter or figure-shaped cutter too. You can also have a bonding session with your kids icing the biscuits using royal icing and frosting.
 
The perfect way of having it is to dunk it in a cup of hot milk tea. Try it out and let us know what you think!
 

7. Brownies

Who doesn’t love a good ‘ol fudgy brownies? Really, what is there to complain? If it were to us, we’d have it all day long but it seems that the perfect timing of having to enjoy these goodies is during tea time, as a self-reward and to wind down served with a cup of hot coffee.
 
Brownies are also very easy to bake and can last quite some time too, which is a brownie point (pun intended). You can also mix it with nuts of your choice and have it fudgy, cakey you name it!
 
So, what do you guys think? What are your tea time staples and what is your favourite kind of tea? Contact Us Now! While we’re at it, if you fancy an exciting weekend, why don’t you check out our baking classes and come and bake with us!