Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep cucumber sandwiches from getting soggy? ›

Salt: Salt helps draw out excess moisture from cucumbers to make them less watery, ensuring that the final sandwich doesn't end up soggy. Cream cheese: Plain cream cheese is great since you'll be adding some herbs and seasonings to it, but you could also use a flavored cream cheese and fix it up a bit more.

Food symbolizes excess, or overindulgence. For instance, Algernon cannot stop eating cucumber sandwiches, or muffins when they are put in front of him, suggesting that his appetites are just as excessive as his eccentric, flamboyant, and extravagant airs.

Plan three to four finger sandwiches per person when serving with a salad as a main dish. If you are incorporating finger sandwiches into an appetizer party menu, you will need one to two of each sandwich per person, depending on the time of day and length of the event.

Typically, you would use white bread for most fillings, but you can also use whole wheat if you want. I personally like to use honey wheat for cucumber sandwiches. For sandwiches with stronger flavors, like smoked salmon, it is best to use something like pumpernickel.

I do not recommend making these sandwiches to completion a day in advance. With all the moisture from the filling and cucumber, white bread can get gummy. The cucumber can be sliced and the cream cheese filling made a day in advance but assemble these sandwiches the day of serving for optimal results.

Cucumber Sandwiches Appeared During The Victorian Era

According to The Telegraph, the "lower classes preferred not to waste energy on something with so little protein." For a while, cucumber sandwiches were eaten as this sort of pure indulgence with a piping hot cup of tea.

The social implications of the cucumber sandwich were profound. Serving these sandwiches at afternoon tea became a way to signal one's social standing, as only those of sufficient means could afford the luxury of greenhouse-grown cucumbers all year round.

The sandwich originated in the United Kingdom, and modern variants, largely of United States origin, introduce cream cheese, mayonnaise, chopped dill or spices, and salmon, and may substitute brown bread. One specific US variant includes benedictine, a green soft spread made from cucumbers and cream cheese.

Ideally, you should aim to make your sandwiches as close to the day of your party as possible for the best flavor and freshness. I recommend making your sandwiches no more than 48hrs in advance for the best flavor come party time.

TEA-TIME TIPS

Allow 3-4 sandwiches per person. But don't prepare them too early as they will either go soggy or dry out.

Can I make sandwiches the night before a party? ›

Absolutely, I make my sandwiches ahead of time on a regular basis. I just always choose a quality bread that won't dry out in the fridge and I also put my tomato slices in a separate bag so my bread doesn't get soggy. Yes. If it is something that needs to be refrigerated then make sure it is refrigerated.

Jam pennies

From the age of 5, Elizabeth was served these in her nursery and they apparently remained a favourite for 90 years. Essentially, these are just jam sandwiches – but we think we'll call them “pennies” from now on too.

The key to getting clean slices out of tea sandwiches is freezing the bread. When using a cookie cutter or a serrated knife, frozen bread holds its shape much better than soft, room-temperature bread. It also keeps the bread nice and fresh.

Cut into finger sandwiches: Slice the sandwich into finger-sized portions. Traditionally, afternoon tea sandwiches are cut into small, rectangular shapes, making them easy to handle and enjoy during teatime.

Surprisingly, once a cucumber is sliced, moisture loss is the greatest threat to freshness. Store sliced cucumbers in an airtight container, covered in water. The water will prevent the cut cucumbers from drying, shrinking or softening. Be sure to change the water every 2 to 3 days, to maintain freshness.

When you salt cucumber pieces or slices and let them sit for 30 minutes in a colander, the salt draws out excess moisture which then drains away. This means that the cucumber will release less water into whatever dish you're adding it to, such as tzatziki, tabbouleh, Greek salad, or potato salad.

About this method: To keep cucumbers extra crunchy, Epicurious touts this method: Wash them, thoroughly dry them, wrap them in a dish towel or paper towel, place them in an unsealed plastic bag to allow some airflow, and place them in the crisper drawer. (I used a thin, green grocery store produce bag for my tests.)

To keep a sandwich fresh, all you need to do is wrap it in parchment paper and keep it in the fridge when possible. Avoid using a plastic sealable bag to store your sandwich, since they lock in condensation. If you're making a hot sandwich, use tin foil instead to keep it warm.