21 October 2024
Pastries to serve at 5pm, as instructed by the seventh Duchess of Bedford – the inventor of afternoon tea.
It’s time for tea, or rather, time for tea and biscuits flavoured with orange or lemon, chocolate, hazelnut or pistachio nibs; or fluffy sponge cakes such as a margherita (daisy) cake, served as it is or sandwiched with jam, buttercream or chocolate filling; and all the delicious dainties that accompany the famous afternoon tea.
Sweet treats to make for friends, family or as a snack for the kids, using only organic flours and semolina from Europe, in particular from Italy, where some of the best flours in the world are produced, renowned for their quality, versatility and results. These are the organic products from the “Pure Flour from Europe” project, supported by ITALMOPA (the Italian Milling Industry Association) and co-funded by the European Union, which promotes the export of Made in Europe organic soft wheat and durum wheat flours and semolina to Canada and the USA.
Easy, tasty recipes such as orange semolina biscuits – delicious, quick and cheap. You can also substitute the orange with lemon, or add chocolate chips, chopped hazelnuts or pistachios. For lovers of large cakes, the margherita, or daisy, cake is perfect: a classic cake made from a simple and fragrant batter, combining eggs, flour and sugar, and a touch of aromatic lemon zest. It is thought that the name comes from the bright yellow colour of the cake, which when dusted on top with icing sugar, brings to mind a delicate daisy. Soft and appealing to all palates, it can be enjoyed on its own or filled with fresh cream, chocolate, buttercream or jam.
Ready for teatime, then? It is thought that the custom of drinking tea at five in the afternoon dates back to the 1800s and the English habit of eating only two meals a day – breakfast and dinner. Anne, the seventh Duchess of Bedford and a friend of Queen Victoria, always felt peckish towards the late afternoon and found it difficult to keep going until dinner time. One day, she asked her servants for a cup of hot tea accompanied by cake just before 5pm. She enjoyed it so much that she decided to repeat the ritual every day. Then, she began to invite friends and relatives to tea, until it became a royal custom. In 1900 the first tea rooms began to appear. At first, this custom was the reserve of the upper class, but later it spread to the other classes, leading to the opening of tea rooms and tea shops.
Orange semolina biscuits
Method: 30 minutes
Cooking: 10-12 minutes
Resting: 20 minutes
Ingredients for 50 biscuits
- 4 eggs
- 250g caster sugar (200g for the biscuit dough and 50g to sprinkle over the biscuits before baking)
- 1 cup of sunflower oil
- Grated zest of 2 oranges
- 500g of organic semolina
- 15g baking powder
Method
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar using an electric whisk. When the mixture becomes creamy, add the oil and the grated orange zest. Whisk for a couple of minutes, then add the semolina and baking powder and continue to mix until the dough is soft, smooth and lump-free. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and rest in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, place the chilled dough on a work surface and form 50 balls 2cm in diameter. Dip them in caster sugar and place on baking trays lined with baking paper and bake at 180°C for about 10-12 minutes. Once done, allow the biscuits to cool and serve them with a nice cup of tea.
Margherita Cake
Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking: 35 minutes
Resting: 30 minutes
Ingredients for 10 servings
- 400g butter
- 4 egg yolks
- 250g sugar
- 1 lemon (grated zest)
- 15g baking powder
- 150g organic 00 flour
- 150g potato starch
- icing sugar to decorate
Method
First melt the butter gently over very low heat. Add the egg yolks and whisk, then add the sugar, the grated lemon peel and continue mixing. When the cake batter is well-combined and smooth, sift the baking powder, flour and potato starch together and add to the mixture. Whisk to combine. Grease and flour a 20cm cake tin and preheat the oven to 180 °C, pour in the mixture and level it well. Bake for about 35 minutes, after which, remove from the oven and allow to cool, then dust with icing sugar and serve with a delicious, hot cup of tea.