Celebrities back Tea at 3

Afternoon tea – there is nothing more quintessential. Celebrities are sharing their favourite recipes to encourage people to enjoy the English tradition and raise money for Cotswold Care Hospice.

Dame Stella Rimington, former head of MI5, opted for a savory option in high tea fashion with cheesy eggs. Rumour has it that they are a favourite of Dame Stella’s children.

Actor Jason Durr, who starred in Heartbeat, and his wife Kate Charman, who live in the Cotswolds, opted for a low fat and sugar free muffin recipe that saw them through their time in Los Angeles.

The charity’s Tea at Three appeal couldn’t be more simple. Hold a tea party for friends, colleagues or family and ask them to make a small donation.

Former BBC TV presenter, Judith Hann, who has a herb farm in the Cotswolds, chose biscuits with herbs. Judith runs cookery days to promote the versatility of herbs.

Great British Menu chef, Mark Broadbent has contributed a recipe for walnut melts – perfect with a cup of tea.

Every year Cotswold Care Hospice helps more than 500 people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. All of its services are provided free of charge.

To find out how you can help by holding a Tea at 3 event, please contact community fundraiser Vanessa Rinaldi, on 01453 886868 or email Vanessa.rinaldi@cotswoldcare.org.uk or click through to our special Tea at 3 page

Cheesy Eggs

By Dame Stella Rimington, former head of MI5 and author

4-5 oz Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons cream
1 oz butter
Fried bread
4 eggs
Salt and pepper

Butter a shallow dish, line with sliced bread, then gruyere and pour eggs on top of cheese. Cover with cream, salt and pepper and rest of Gruyere, grated. Bake in oven 400F – Gas Mark 5 for 12 minutes. Serve garnished with fried bread.

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

by actor Jason Durr and his wife, TV presenter Kate Chapman

60g butter
100g yellow corn flour
100g ground almonds
2 rounded teaspoons baking powder
150g Xylitol (low-glycaemic sweetener)
juice and zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
120ml milk
1 large egg
150g fresh or frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and leave to cool. Stir together the corn flour, almonds, baking powder, xylitol and lemon zest. In a measuring jug pour in the lemon juice and enough milk to reach the 200ml mark, then beat in the egg and melted butter. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir together briefly. Fold in the raspberries and spoon the mixture into a greased 12-bun muffin tray. Bake for around 25 minutes, leave to cool in the tray for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a rack and cool thoroughly.

Walnut Melts

Mark Broadbent, former chef at Conran’s Bluebird restaurant, London and competitor in Great British Menu.

1 lb of Unsalted Butter
1 lb of plain Flour
6 oz of Icing Sugar
1 oz of Cornflour
3 of Sliced Wet Walnuts (seasonal) or normal
1 crushed pinch of Sea Salt

Cream the Icing Sugar and flour together well until white in appearance
Using the paddle on your mixer incorporate the two flours slowly until completely homogenised
Then add the salt and the walnuts
Roll into cylinders using parchment or silicon paper, roll neatly & rest in the fridge

Cook on a flat baking tray sliced in neat rounds on top of a rubber baking mat
Temperature around 120 for 10 mins

Rosemary biscuits

By Judith Hann, former BBC TV presenter, and herb expert

8 oz butter
4oz sugar
12 oz self-raising flour
3 tablespoons chopped rosemary

Cream sugar and butter together until fluffy. Add flour and herb. Knead on floured surface. Chill for 30 minutes and then roll out to about one eighth of an inch think. Cut into rounds or heart shapes with biscuit cutters. Press a rosemary leaf in the centre of each. Bake in medium oven for 6-8 minutes.

We would like to thank our sponsors of our Tea at 3 campaign:

www.thevanillapod.co.uk

http://www.teahouseemporium.co.uk/