A Tea Party To Remember
Buckingham Palace doesn’t hold the rights to garden receptions. Pretty backyards or leafy parklands are terrific open air venues for a wedding, engagement party or even a bridal shower.
Nature gives a wonderfully fresh background, to make the most of the greenery, we chose a crisp look with stacks of pure white, then added colour accents with the most adorable fabrics, ribbons and flowers.
The trick to success is layering the detail.
Guests are offered delicious breads and pastries, served with champagne and help themselves to bottomless cups of tea from a selection of brews available at a tea buffet.
The dainty, traditional English tea party setting is given a modern look with upbeat patterns in the decoration. Even the customised tea bag tags are beautifully colour co-ordinated.
PRETTY PINK MACAROOROONS
Makes approximately 20
Ingredients
140gM finely ground almonds
240gM icing sugar, sifted
4 drops of red food colouring
2 large egg whites
1 tbsp powdered pavlova mix
Filling
200gM unsalted butter
70gM icing sugar sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp red red food colouring
Preheat oven to 100˚C. Line two large baking sheets with non stick baking paper and mark circles using a 4cm cutter.
Mix the ground almonds, icing sugar and red food colouring together in a bowl.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with the powdered pavlova mix until firm peaks form, then fold in the almond mixture using a large metal spoon.
Firmly tap bottom of bowl on counter to eliminate air pockets.
Transfer the mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle and pipe neat little mounds into the marked circles on the prepared baking sheets. Press the tops down lightly with a wet spoon if they peak too much.
To stop macaroons from cracking, leave to stand for a good 30 minutes then bake them on the middle shelf for about 35 minutes, until they feel slightly firm.
Leave them on the baking sheets for five minutes, then slide them off onto a wire tray to cool completely.
They should be crisp on the outside and a bit chewy on the inside. For the filling, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until light and fluffy.
Stir in red food colouring. Sandwich the macaroons together in pairs with small dabs of this filling just before serving.
Unfilled macaroons can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days and the filling can be made the day before.
140gM finely ground almonds
240gM icing sugar, sifted
4 drops of red food colouring
2 large egg whites
1 tbsp powdered pavlova mix
Filling
200gM unsalted butter
70gM icing sugar sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp red red food colouring
Preheat oven to 100˚C. Line two large baking sheets with non stick baking paper and mark circles using a 4cm cutter.
Mix the ground almonds, icing sugar and red food colouring together in a bowl.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with the powdered pavlova mix until firm peaks form, then fold in the almond mixture using a large metal spoon.
Firmly tap bottom of bowl on counter to eliminate air pockets.
Transfer the mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle and pipe neat little mounds into the marked circles on the prepared baking sheets. Press the tops down lightly with a wet spoon if they peak too much.
To stop macaroons from cracking, leave to stand for a good 30 minutes then bake them on the middle shelf for about 35 minutes, until they feel slightly firm.
Leave them on the baking sheets for five minutes, then slide them off onto a wire tray to cool completely.
They should be crisp on the outside and a bit chewy on the inside. For the filling, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until light and fluffy.
Stir in red food colouring. Sandwich the macaroons together in pairs with small dabs of this filling just before serving.
Unfilled macaroons can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days and the filling can be made the day before.
