Be it making too much or receiving loads of foody presents, you’re bound to have lots of leftovers and little bites in the days after Christmas.
It could be instead of the traditional Boxing Day cold buffet, or just as a replacement for weeks of turkey soup, but a Festive Afternoon Tea is a great way to get all those spare bits together and assemble them into something special. We’ve got a handy guide below for ideas of what foods to include and the drinks that perfectly accompany them!
The Perfect Food for a Festive Afternoon Tea
First Course
First up, those festive finger sandwiches. Turkey and cranberry sauce are a must, but brie or camembert with cranberry would also be a lovely twist if you’re willing to include some toasted elements. Smoked salmon, avocado and cream cheese is also a winner.
If you have any spare from the Christmas dinner (not likely as they’re many people’s favourite bit), then pigs in blankets are perfect bite sized foods for the savoury rung. The same goes for any mini sausage rolls, which is also great excuse to get any festive chutneys involved (spiced, cranberry, apple etc.)
A nice festive quiche with winter vegetables and thyme would make a great vegetarian option here, or a slice of the nut roast from Christmas Dinner if there’s leftovers.
Second Course
It’s not really an afternoon tea without scones, jam and cream occupying that middle rung, is it? For a festive twist, cranberry scones are delicious, especially with orange and cinnamon.
Chances are there will be a few preserves given as gifts, so it’s time to crack them open. If you didn’t get any, then any flavour will do, but focus on berries. Strawberry and champagne jam is perfect for the occasion. Keep the clotted cream simple.
Third Course
It goes without saying that there will probably be plenty of sweet treats to use up here.
Get those slices of leftover Christmas cake up on the top rung, and you have to include a few mince pies if they’re still going strong.
There’s no reason not to include traditional afternoon tea favourites like macarons, profiteroles, fruit tartes or Victoria sponges either.
We think some liquor chocolates are gorgeous peppered in and out of bigger sweet treats too, so it’s time to make a dent in those boxes if you haven’t already.
The Perfect Drinks for a Festive Afternoon Tea
Champagne
When Champagne is enjoyed alongside Afternoon Tea, it becomes a Royal Afternoon Tea, so I guess this would be a Royal Festive Afternoon Tea. Far from being just an extravagance, it is actually ideal for the bites above. A gorgeous Brut Champagne is a great all-rounder, because the gentle fizz and delicate fruitiness soothes throughout. Creamy, brioche and nutty notes pair well with the sweets as well as clotted cream and cheeses, and there’s enough acidity to cut through fatty oils in the pigs in blankets, sausage rolls and pastries. Every sip feels special too, which helps the festive celebrations along.
Moscato d’Asti
Moscato d’Asti isn’t the one if you’re looking for something to pair with every level of the Afternoon Tea, but it does absolutely shine with the sweeter bites. It’s so refreshing, with delicate bubbles, low alcohol and an ideal balance of acidity and sweetness. Cakes, sponges, and anything citrus – this is delightful.
Prosecco
Similar to Moscato d’Asti above, Prosecco is a companion that shines with the sweeter dishes. It’s light and fruity, and as long as you get one with a bit of intensity and complexity, it shouldn’t be overwhelmed by the flavours in the food. There’s enough fruity sweetness to avoid becoming horribly bitter and acidic, and the effervescence clears everything between bites nicely.
Riesling
Riesling has a fantastic food-friendly reputation, being armed to deal with all sorts of textures and flavours. Sharp acidity cuts through any fats and grease in meats, with residual sugar to deal with sweeter finishes. It’s fresh and lively to give a break from any overwhelming richness too.
Festive tea
We had to include tea of course. Why not fully embrace the season with a Christmas tea blend? There are lots out there, but you’ll usually find winter spices, citrus and orchard fruits – so expect cinnamon, clove, cardamom, orange and alike. It’ll throw up lots of complimentary flavours with other seasonal flavours in the food, and high heat is surprising in its ability to refresh the palate.
Sherry
A sure-fire way to put an Afternoon Tea through the Christmas transformation machine, we’re looking at sherry for those puddings. More precisely, Pedro Ximenez or Oloroso, with good sweetness and those delicious notes of dried fruits, nutsy and rich chocolates.
Pinot Noir
There’s no need for anything as heavy as a Barolo with light and varied bites like this, but a light Pinot Noir with tonnes of those soft red fruits is perfect. New Zealand Pinot is often the vibrant, fruity character we’re after, and they also happen to be rich and structured too, so can handle a little sweet spice. It’s absolutely delicious with cranberry sauce too. It’s a favourite for those Boxing Day cold spreads, so why not an Afternoon Tea twist?
If you’ve still got loads of Christmas Cake, Christmas Pudding and Mince Pies to chomp through, then we’ve got a detailed guide on drinks that marry them deliciously.