Mothers Day Tea Sandwiches (Printable format)

Elegant finger sandwiches with zesty lemon butter, cucumber, and fresh herbs for a delightful teatime treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Lemon Butter

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
03 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 2 teaspoons powdered sugar

→ Sandwiches

06 - 12 slices soft white or whole wheat sandwich bread, crusts removed
07 - 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup thinly sliced radishes, optional
09 - 1/4 cup fresh chives or dill, finely chopped, optional
10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and powdered sugar. Mix until light and creamy.
02 - Lay out the bread slices on a clean surface. Spread a generous layer of lemon butter on each slice.
03 - Layer thinly sliced cucumber evenly on half of the bread slices. Add radishes and herbs if using. Sprinkle with black pepper.
04 - Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side down. Press gently to adhere.
05 - Using a sharp knife, trim off the crusts if not already done, then cut each sandwich into 3 neat finger sandwiches or triangles.
06 - Arrange on a serving platter and cover with a lightly dampened towel until ready to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lemon butter does all the heavy lifting, delivering brightness without requiring you to juggle multiple spreads or complicated flavor combinations.
  • You can assemble these in the time it takes to brew tea, yet they taste like you've been planning an elegant gathering all week.
  • They look undeniably fancy arranged on a platter, which somehow always surprises people who discover how simple they actually are to make.
02 -
  • Soggy sandwiches are the enemy of elegance, so pat your cucumber slices absolutely dry and assemble these no more than two hours before serving.
  • The lemon butter needs to be spread on both slices of bread, not just one, because it's your moisture barrier that keeps the bread from absorbing water from the vegetables.
03 -
  • Prepare your lemon butter the night before so the flavors have time to meld and you're not rushing on the morning of your gathering.
  • A sharp serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion creates cleaner cuts than pressing down with force, which crushed the delicate bread.
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