Description
Ina Garten’s classic tea sandwiches elevate simple ingredients into elegant bites perfect for afternoon gatherings. Crisp cucumber, herbed cream cheese, and delicate bread create a delightful English-style treat you’ll savor with sophistication and charm.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 20 slices store-bought soft white bread (buttermilk bread)
- 1 ¼ cups (10 ounces) cream cheese
- 1 English cucumber
Seasoning:
- Lemon juice, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional Garnish:
- Chopped fresh chives, to taste
Instructions
- Gently lay two slices of bread on a clean, flat surface, ensuring they are evenly positioned.
- Carefully spread a generous layer of cream cheese across the entire surface of each bread slice, creating a smooth, even coating that reaches the edges.
- Arrange thinly sliced cucumber pieces in a single, overlapping layer on one of the cream cheese-covered bread slices, covering the surface completely.
- Sprinkle a delicate mist of fresh lemon juice over the cucumber slices to enhance their crisp flavor and prevent browning.
- Lightly season the cucumber layer with a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to elevate the sandwich’s taste profile.
- Optional: Finely chop fresh chives and scatter them evenly over the seasoned cucumber layer for an additional burst of flavor and visual appeal.
- Carefully place the second slice of bread, cream cheese side down, on top of the cucumber layer, gently pressing to ensure a secure seal.
- Using a sharp serrated knife, carefully trim the crusts from all four sides of the sandwich to create a clean, precise edge.
- Slice the sandwich diagonally into four equal triangular pieces, creating bite-sized portions that are perfect for serving or sharing.
Notes
- Slice cucumbers and let drain to remove excess moisture, preventing soggy sandwich bottoms.
- Refrigerate wrapped sandwiches to maintain freshness and texture up to one full day.
- Plastic wrap or sealed containers protect delicate sandwich layers from drying out.
- Enjoy these bite-sized delights immediately after crafting for peak flavor and crispness.
- Advance preparation works well when following proper storage techniques carefully.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks, Lunch
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 80 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg