The Kerr House Tea Recipes

ENGLISH TEA CAKE AND RUSSIAN TEA

Steps:

• Combine yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Combine milk and water in a pot; heat until lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Rub in butter with fingertips. Add yeast mixture and remaining sugar. Gradually add the warmed milk. Blend until the dough becomes elastic and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Mix in the fruit and peel.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and pliable. Dust inside of a warm bowl; place dough in it. Cover with a lightly floured clean towel. Leave in a warm place, about 100 degrees F., until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured board. Gently knead; do not overwork. Cut dough into 6 even pieces. Shape into even, smooth rounds.
• Place cakes onto a baking sheet and cover with a towel. Let rest another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Once rested, bake cakes for 30 minutes.
• To make glaze: dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in water over low heat. Brush over hot cakes. Cool and serve.

HERR KERR'S TORTEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine sugar and butter and beat until fluffy. Add the sifted flour and salt, and then the nuts. Combine into a smooth dough. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Line a shallow cake tray with buttered foil. Remove pastry from the refrigerator and cut in half. Press out to form 2 circles 9 inches in diameter onto well greased foil. Trim to a perfect circle, scraping away excess pastry with a teaspoon. Mark 7 portions on one of the circles. Place into the oven for 8 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. When cool, place the uncut layer onto a serving dish. Mix the raspberries with the sour cream and spread raspberry mixture onto pastry. Place the 7 portions of pastry on top. Leaving a space in between each portion. Whip the cream until stiff. Pipe a whipped cream rosette onto each portion and one in the center and place a toasted hazelnut on each. Sift confectioners' sugar over the cake.

FULL-HOUSE TEA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine cream cheese, red peppers, and lemon juice. Process until well combined.
• Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, very thinly slice cucumber crosswise into rounds.
• Place 1 slice white bread and 1 slice wheat bread on work surface. Spread one side of each slice with a thin layer of the cream cheese. Top white bread with a thin layer of cucumber slices; place wheat bread cream cheese-side down over cucumber slices. Press together firmly. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Chill sandwiches, covered, until firm. Using a sharp knife, remove crusts. Cut sandwiches into quarters before serving.

THE KERR HOUSE TEA

Steps:

• Mix together lemon juice and maple syrup.
• Spoon 1-2 tablespoons (to taste) into a mug or tea cup.
• Fill with hot water and lightly sprinkle on a pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste. (You can stir it in if you want to). The syrupy mixture can be made ahead and can be stored in a covered glass in the refrigerator for about a week.
• Variation: (I've never tried this) Peel lemons, leaving a generous amount of white pulp, which contains bioflavonoids. Cut lemon in half, remove seeds. Mix in a blender with purified water until liquid. Serve according to above directions.