Enjoying a cream tea is one of the most delicious ways to spend an afternoon. Made up of scones, jam, clotted cream and a pot of freshly brewed tea, what’s not to love? With a day dedicated to celebrating cream tea taking place every year in June, thanks to clotted cream connoisseurs Roddas, we’ve paired your preferences via Instagram with our top tips so we can all perfect serving cream tea at home.
What is the difference between cream tea and afternoon tea?
Before we get into the intricacies of serving cream tea, it’s important to know the difference between cream tea and an afternoon tea. Not to be confused with one another, although both consisting of scones and tea, cream tea is a lighter version of afternoon tea.
With afternoon tea, you typically enjoy finger sandwiches and an array of cakes alongside your scone, and it is specifically eaten after lunch but before dinner. Cream teas on the other hand are a more relaxed affair, treated as a tea break rather than a meal.
Although enjoyed and available all over the UK, the cream tea is most associated with Devonshire and Cornwall, with numerous debates often taking place over which county is in fact its real home and the right way to serve it...but more on that later!
How to set the table for cream tea
As we mentioned, cream tea is a relaxed affair and so you don’t require too much to enjoy it. However, if you’re anything like us you will want to put your own twist on the occasion to make it uniquely you, whether that’s dressing the table with patterned table linens, adding an eye-catching centrepiece or styling with mix-and-match crockery.
However fancy you decide to make your cream tea, the essentials for your set-up are side plates or dessert plates for each of your guests, a teapot, teacups and a serving plate or cake plate to serve out your scones. You will also need pots for your jam and clotted cream and teaspoons and knives for dipping and spreading. Depending on the type of tea you are drinking with your scones, you may also want a sugar pot and cream jug to go with your teapot.
What is served at cream tea and when to enjoy it?
Cream tea is often enjoyed in the afternoon but can be served at any time in between larger meals. When we asked on Instagram what time of day you like to enjoy a cream tea everybody agreed that afternoon was best, ideally between 2pm and 4pm.
To serve a cream tea, traditionally the scone, either fruit or plain, is broken in half and served warm with fruit jam and cream. How to serve your scone, cream then jam, or jam then cream, is the difference and well-known disagreement between the Cornish and the Devonshire cream tea. Our Instagram poll on the matter was very close, with 40% of followers opting for the Cornish way, putting the jam on first, 42% choosing the Devonshire method of cream first and 18% of you not minding either way. We will let you decide for yourself, but one aspect we can all agree on is that clotted cream, rather than whipped, is a must.
The best tea to serve with cream tea?
When it comes to the type of tea to serve with a cream tea, 79% of you agree with us that breakfast tea is the way to go. We've shared our guide for making the perfect cup of tea, but we suggest using loose-leaf tea and brewing it for 3-4 minutes in a teapot before pouring it into your teacup and adding the milk and sugar. Cream tea etiquette states that whoever is closest to the pot should do the pouring for the table, so if that doesn’t sound like the job for you, think carefully before you take your seat at the table.
A fabulous way to enjoy catching up with a friend, celebrating something special or even enjoying a relaxing moment alone, cream teas are an occasion not to turn down. Now you know the ins and out of serving your own at home, we hope you have lots of fun treating yourself and friends to the simple delights of a cream-filled scone with a side of tea.
Cream Tea Must-Haves:
