Teatime Treats

By Heather Poling

In 19th century England, industrialization had changed social norms pushing dinner time to almost 9 p.m. The Seventh Duchess of Bedford, Anna Maria Russell, described a sinking feeling of hunger that set in around 5 p.m.! To stave off hunger, she had tea, bread and butter and cakes brought to her and a new tradition, English afternoon tea, was born!

Afternoon tea evolved into a social gathering held in the home. Quick and easy, tea could be organized with only a few days’ notice and allowed for a more relaxed atmosphere. An afternoon tea could sometimes be as short as half an hour, allowing just enough time for a snack and some light gossip. The menu for tea is traditionally a mix of sweet and savory finger foods, such as small sandwiches, mini cakes and tarts.

 A Lemon Posset is a classic British dessert, with a texture like a very creamy custard or a soft panna cotta. Adapted from Chef Doug Heilman, this Lemon Posset, using the lemon peel as a cup, is easy to make and looks very impressive on the plate.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of Heavy Cream
• 2/3 Cup of Sugar
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• 6 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice (about 3 Lemons)

Directions:

• Place the cream, sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil, watching and whisking constantly. Boil for five minutes. Note: the cream will want to boil over the sides of the pot during this process. Lift the pot off the heat when this happens to avoid boil-over.
• After five minutes, remove the sauce pan from the heat and add 6 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the lemon zest, then pour into serving ramekins or the shells of hulled lemons. Refrigerate uncovered for a minimum of four hours or preferably overnight.