Afternoon Tea Sandwiches

Make the egg mayonnaise first: place 6 large Eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer 9 minutes for hard‑boiled eggs. Drain, cool under cold running water, peel and roughly chop.

Mash the chopped yolks with 3–4 tablespoons Mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon English Mustard, a pinch of Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste — fold in some chopped egg white for texture so the mixture is creamy but still a little chunky.

Decide which breads for each filling: use Soft White Sandwich Bread for cucumber, Brown Sandwich Bread for the egg and cress, and White Sandwich Bread for smoked salmon and ham (you can also use Soft Brown (Wholemeal) Sandwich Bread as an alternative).

Spread a thin, even layer of Unsalted Butter on one side of every slice of bread to help keep the fillings from making the bread soggy.

Prepare the cucumber sandwiches: very thinly slice one long English Cucumber (use a mandoline if you have one). Lightly salt with a little more Salt if desired and sprinkle a small pinch of White Pepper. Pat the slices dry on kitchen paper to remove excess moisture.

Assemble the cucumber sandwiches by overlapping cucumber slices on buttered Soft White Sandwich Bread, cover with another slice, press lightly and trim off crusts if you like. Cut into fingers or small triangles.

Make and assemble the egg & cress sandwiches: spread a generous layer of the egg mayonnaise onto Brown Sandwich Bread, top with a little fresh Cress, close with a buttered slice, trim crusts and cut into neat shapes.

For smoked salmon sandwiches, take White Sandwich Bread slices, spread very lightly with butter, layer thin slices of Smoked Salmon, squeeze over a little Lemon juice and finish with a crack of Black Pepper. Top with the second slice and cut to size.

For ham & mustard sandwiches, spread a thin smear of English Mustard (or mustard mixed with a touch of butter) on White Sandwich Bread, layer with Cooked Ham slices, top with a buttered slice, trim crusts and cut.

Arrange all the sandwiches on a platter, cover with a clean tea towel until serving to keep them soft, and serve at room temperature alongside your favorite tea. Enjoy.