Today marks the first day of a sparkly new series here at Polka Dot Made. Each month, we’ll be sharing with you the best recipes for bridal showers, high teas and wedding day breakfasts. So yummy! A delicious array of sweet and savoury plates that guests and bridal parties will swoon over – beginning today, with the best cucumber sandwiches. Really, they are the BEST!
Whenever I have a cucumber sandwich, I can’t help but think of the Queen, enjoying a sandwich or two at a palace event. They are impossibly delicate and a little bit fancy and let’s face it, everything you want at a bridal shower high tea. Paper thin slices of cucumber sandwiched between pillowy white bread and seasoned cream cheese. The secret? A hint of celery salt and a sprinkle of dill. These sandwiches are perfectly paired with a glass of champagne or a Pimms classic if the mood allows. I promise you, the Queen would be nothing if not pleased with your efforts.
What you’ll need:
2 x lebanese cucumbers
3 x spring onions, finely sliced
250g Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon fresh dill, finely sliced
Pepper to taste
9 x slices of white bread
Paper towel
What to do:
Step 1. Peel the skin from the cucumbers and slice them into paper thin rounds. Arrange a layer of cucumber rounds on a paper towel. Cover with another paper towel and squeeze to absorb as much moisture as possible. Repeat until all cucumber has been drained.
Step 2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, spring onions, dill, celery salt and pepper until well combined.
Step 3. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture onto a slice of white bread. Arrange one layer of cucumber rounds onto the cream cheese. A slight overlap is fine, but try not to overlap too much.
Step 4. Spread another piece of bread with a thin layer of cream cheese. Arrange cream cheese side down on the layer of cucumber. Now, on the top side, spread another thin layer of cream cheese. Then layer cucumber once again and top with the final piece of bread.
Step 5. Firstly cut the crusts from the sandwich. Cut into three ribbons and then cut each ribbon in half. Enjoy!
Hints & Tips
- The thinner style of sandwich thickness bread (not toast thickness) is best, otherwise the bread and cucumber ratio is slightly out.
- Draining the cucumber on paper towel is an important step. Cucumbers hold a considerable amount of water which can lead to soggy sandwiches if not drained properly.
- Take your time when cutting the sandwiches. Use a sharp, serrated knife and press down gently with an open palm to hold in place but without squashing the bread.
- Because freshness is key with these cucumber sandwiches, it’s best to make them on the day you are going to enjoy them. If you want to be prepared ahead of time you can make the cream cheese mixture and peel, slice and drain the cucumbers up to a day beforehand. Keep refrigerated until assembling the next day.
- If you assemble the sandwiches a few hours before your guests are arriving, double wrap with cling film and keep refrigerated until ready for serving.
Ms Chinoiserie Says: So yummy; I can imagine enjoying one of these pillow soft sandwiches under a tree at a garden party with a glass of Pimms! Delightful!!!
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