Cucumber Sandwich – A Delicious Afternoon Tea Finger Food Recipe
Cucumber Sandwich is a classic and delicious afternoon tea finger food recipe. This light and refreshing recipe is one of the most simple finger sandwiches to make, consisting only of crustless white bread, butter or cream cheese, and thinly sliced cucumber. It can be jazzed up with herbs, like dill or chives or with different types of herbed cream cheese spreads. These sandwiches are perfect to serve at bridal showers, baby showers, or just for a nice snack with a cup of tea!
The basic version of a cucumber sandwich is just two slices of soft, buttery, plain white bread with some kind of spread, usually herbed cream cheese or mayonnaise. The sandwiches are then topped with thin slices of cucumbers and pressed together. Some people also add a little bit of lemon juice or vinegar to the butter or cream cheese to give it more flavor and help the bread keep its texture better.
Other popular ingredients for these sandwiches include smoked salmon, ham, turkey, or roast beef. Some people even add a few tablespoons of chopped herbs, such as dill, parsley, or basil. A drizzle of olive oil can also add a nice touch of flavour to the sandwich.
To keep the cucumber sandwiches from getting too soggy, it is helpful to remove some of the water from the cucumbers before assembling the sandwiches. This can be done by putting the cucumbers into a strainer and sprinkling with salt. Allow them to drain for a few minutes, then pat dry with a paper towel. This will help the cucumbers stay crisp and less watery, which makes for a more enjoyable sandwich!
Another way to keep the bread from becoming too soggy is to use a “crumb coat”, which is just a thin layer of butter or cream cheese on the outside of the sandwich, before adding the cucumbers. This is similar to the technique bakers use when frosting cakes, and helps to seal in the crumbs and prevent them from falling off as the cake is being eaten.
You can prepare these sandwiches up to a day in advance, but they will need to be served within a few hours of being assembled. After that, the cucumbers will begin to lose their crunch and the bread will start to become soggy.
It is important to choose good quality bread for these sandwiches. The best option is a soft, plain white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Very Thin White bread. Avoid sourdough, pumpernickel or rye breads as they tend to be too hard and crunchy for this delicate sandwich. It is also preferable to use unwaxed cucumbers for these sandwiches, as there is a risk of pesticide residue in the wax. Also, the cucumbers should be thinly sliced to help them maintain their shape and stay crisp. You can buy unwaxed cucumbers at most grocery stores, under the name of English cucumbers or hot house cucumbers. These are shorter and more slender than regular cucumbers, which make them ideal for these sandwiches.Gurkensandwich
