So good that I just had to share. I think this is my 4th annual High Tea that I host for my friends. Another successful year but oh so tiring! I wish I had more pictures but everyone was just so eager to dig in that it was a little chaotic!

A very decent spread this year: Cheese & Chive scones, sandwich board, cheese platter, momofuku inspired pork buns, salmon and cucumber canapes, prosciotto and rockmelon and bocconcini and cherry tomato sticks.

And for sweet: banoffee pie, earl grey chocolate tart, green tea chiffon cake, scones with jam and cream, macarons, brownie cookies and peanut butter caramel tartlets.

And a special belated Lemon Meringue tart for Cherry. 

Perhaps it's time I think about adding tea time options to the catering menu for others to have something just as special?

Yield 1 x 8-inch flan

Ingredients
Pastry-
1 C flour
2 T icing sugar
90 g butter
1 egg yolk
ice water, as needed
Lemon Filling
4 eggs
2 T butter
2/3 C thickened cream
2/3 C fresh lemon juice
3/4 C sugar

Method
Pastry
1. Knead all ingredients into dough adding water as needed.
2. Cover in film wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out on a well floured surface until about 10mm thick.
4. Cover base on flan tin with dough.
5. Refrigerate for a further 20 minutes.
6. Blind bake at 160 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Filling
7. Reduce the oven to 140 degrees.
8. In a large bowl, lightly whisk together eggs. Slowly add the cream, juice and sugar and whisk to combine.
9. Sit the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and add the butter. Using a spatula, gently stir the ingredients until the mixture thickens. Make sure the water is not too hot or the mixture will curdle. The mixture is ready when a thin, glossy layer clings to the spatula and leaves a trail.
10. Strain the mixture over the flan shell and smooth over the surface.
11. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the centre is slightly wobbly. Cool with door ajar for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Serve at room temperature or cold with whipped cream.

*Best consumed on day of baking.

Yield 1 x 10-inch flan

Ingredients:
2 x shortcrust pastry recipe
1 C blackberry jam
200 g ricotta
3 eggs
1/3 C sugar
1/2 t vanilla

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees and prepare pastry shell as directed. Chill.
2. Heat jam over low heat until thickened.
3. Beat ricotta until smooth. Gradually add sugar, eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
4. Spread ricotta mixture over prepared pastry shell.
5. Spread jam evenly on top.
6. Roll out and cut remaining pastry until strips. Arrange strips at 2cm intervals, across the top of the tart. Repeat, crossways, with remaining strips. Press the edges to seal and trim any excess.
7. Bake tart for 50-60 minutes until golden. Cool and dust with icing sugar to serve.

Yield 1 x 10 inch flan

Ingredients:
Pastry-
2 C flour
1 C icing sugar
100 g butter, softened
1 egg
Filling-
160 g almond meal
1 1/2 C sugar
100 g butter, softened
4 eggs
750 g canned peaches, sliced to wedges

Method:
1. Knead pastry ingredients into dough and wrap in cling wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Place almonds in a food processor and mix to a fine meal. Add the flour, sugar, butter and eggs and process until creamy. Chill until ready to use.
3. Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1 cm thick or enough to cover 10-inch flan tray.
4. Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
5. Place frangipane in the tart shell.
6. Cover with sliced peaches and sprinkle with extra sugar.
7. Bake for approx 60 minutes and allow to cool slightly before serving.

An ideal pastry recipe for fruit flans, custard tarts and other such desserts.

Yield 1 x 10 inch flan shell

Ingredients
1 C flour
2 T icing sugar
90 g butter
1 egg yolk
ice water, as needed

Method:
1. Knead all ingredients into dough adding water as needed.
2. Cover in film wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out on a well floured surface until about 10mm thick.
4. Cover base on flan tin with dough.
5. Refrigerate for a further 20 minutes.
6. Blind bake at 160 degrees for 10-15 minutes.