English Tea Finger Sandwiches (3 Recipes!)

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Tea sandwiches are such a fun brunch time snack to serve with or without tea! I like to make these English Tea Finger Sandwiches AHEAD of time when expecting company. It is best to serve them cold (or room temperature) so no fussing with reheating! Traditional tea sandwiches are ideal for afternoon bridal, baby showers or a simple brunch party!

Tea sandwiches, or all mini sandwiches really, are such a fun way to enjoy a late morning or early afternoon tea (or mimosa)! They were created to help stave off hunger until the main meal and they definitely do just that! It is also known as 'low tea' as opposed to 'high tea' because the sandwiches were typically served on low tables.

Here is more on the history of tea sandwiches.

Now a days, you will see these finger tea sandwiches most often at bridal showers or baby showers because finger foods are the ultimate appetizer.

All recipes for tea sandwiches are cute, fun and perfect for brunch time parties. Oh and did I mention how cost efficient they are to make?

If you're looking for a great make ahead brunch recipe, try my Turkey Avocado Roll Ups with Thyme Dressing.

10 Expert Tips

1. Spread a thin layer of butter onto your bread to prevent your sandwiches from getting soggy.
2. Keep your finger sandwiches bite-sized. They should be able to be consumed in a few bites.
3. Serve your tea sandwiches with black or herbal tea, cream pastries and scones to keep it traditional.
4. Look for the thinnest bread you can find. This helps to keep the bread to filling ratio equal.
5. Feel free to use different types of bread like white, wheat, rye and pumpernickel for an array of colors and taste.
6. If using cucumbers, make sure to slice them very thin.
7. Adding fresh herbs instead of dried makes a huge difference in flavor.
8. Finding the right ratio of bread to filling for the perfect tea sandwich.
9. Make sure to trim your tea sandwiches AFTER you fill them. This will make for a neater edge. And use a serrated knife to do so!
10. Using cucumbers, radishes, celery or pickles add a needed CRUNCH to tea sandwiches so make sure to add one of the above.
11. Add a topping to each individual tea sandwich to give your guests an idea of what's inside.

What kind of bread should you use?

Although it is not traditional, most tea sandwiches are made with "regular sliced" bagged sandwich bread in either white, wheat or rye. It is what we all have in our grocery store and is the easiest to find!

If your bread is too thick, the ratio of filling to bread will be off so try to keep it on the thin side.

I like to have a combination of white, wheat and rye sandwich bread when serving my tea sandwiches at a party. The color contrast is more appetizing too!

Bonus! Most tea sandwiches are also vegetarian friendly so they will suit almost all of your guests dietary restrictions. An even better idea is to buy gluten free bread so that those who are gluten free will be able to enjoy these too!

Can I make tea sandwiches the night before?

Yes! In fact, I highly suggest to do this to save time. Just store them in a sealed container in the fridge. I like to layer them with a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out.

If you are layering your tea sandwiches on top of one another, I like to place a piece of wax or parchment paper in between so they do not get too soggy or stick to each other.

Keep your sandwiches from drying out!

Traditional afternoon tea sandwiches are made using super soft, moist sandwich bread which can and will get very dry if you leave them out for more than an hour or so. Remember, open air is the enemy.

You have two options:

1. Place a damp paper towel or dish cloth over top of your sandwiches until your guests arrive.

How to cut tea sandwiches:

Traditional English tea sandwiches are typically cut into small triangles.I like the rectangles because I feel like it saves bread.

The firs thing to do is, trim the crust. Use a serrated knife for this. If your knife is not sharp, you will squish the bread. Then cut diagonally to make two triangles.

Another option is to cut your sandwiches into long rectangles. You could probably get 3 rectangles from each trimmed sandwich.

TIP* Adding a layer of butter to your bread on both sides, will act as a barrier and keep your bread from getting soggy!

Other English Tea Flavor Combinations:

• Smoked salmon (lox), cream cheese and capers
• Egg salad with watercress
• Cheese and jam or chutney
• Ham, cheese and mustard with a thinly sliced pickle
• Prawn (shrimp) with mayo.
• Beef with a horseradish sauce.

Tea Sandwich Serving Plates

Tea sandwiches are traditionally served on high tiered serving platters. Here are some you may like!

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Here are some other brunch appetizers you may like:

Mini Egg Custard Tartlets

Egg and Chive Bites

Puff Pastry Breakfast Cups With Honey Dijon Sauce

Southern Deviled Eggs With Relish

Easy COLD Finger Foods You Can Make Ahead

Planning on making this recipe? Don't forget to rate it below by clicking on a star and tag me on social media @BiteSizedKitchen so I can share it! 🙂

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