The sweet world of afternoon tea

Article and photos:Thanh Truc

Afternoon tea originated in the United Kingdom. In ancient times, tea leaves and spices such as pepper, chili, cinnamon... were luxuries of the aristocracy here. Many families even hid spices and salt in chests. Therefore, most dishes were bland. Until now, visitors to England can still recognize this through traditional British dishes such as mashed potatoes, boiled eggs... When the foggy country entered its golden age in the 19th century, the upper class invited each other to organize afternoon tea parties to socialize, make friends and to show off their family background and power. There are many stories about the origin of the first tea parties, one of the popular stories is about Countess Anna Maria Stanhope of Bedford. Because she could not stand the hunger during tea parties, she created a light meal consisting of small sandwiches and some cakes. From there, the custom of eating cakes during afternoon tea was born.

Enjoy afternoon tea in a 5-star hotel space, besides the usual Tarts, Madeleine, Chocolate, you can also easily come across famous cakes in the baking world because of the sophistication and complexity in preparation as well as technique with Macaron, Lemon Meringue Tart, Pavlova...

With a diameter of a few centimeters, Lemon Meringue Tart requires 3 layers: a crispy crust, a smooth lemon jam, and a spongy meringue made from eggs and sugar. How to make the thin crust not crushed when the filling is placed in, the jam not too sweet but still retain the freshness of the lemon, and the spongy meringue layer bloom is a big challenge. The result of this meticulous effort is a wonderful Lemon Meringue Tart that brings a taste experience of the intersection between the mild sourness of lemon and the sweetness of sugar.

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Pavlova and Macaron are two famous cakes because of their interesting innovations, changing the traditional cooking rules. Both are simply made from whipped egg whites, without using flour as the cake base. If Pavlova is soft and delicate, Macaron is simple and cheerful. To create a Pavlova cake with a light yellow crust and a smooth marshmallow filling requires a very high level of technique from the baker. The Pavlova cake is as fluffy as a cloud, melts as soon as it touches the tip of the tongue, and is especially delicious when served with fresh fruit.

Also from fragile, difficult-to-shape ingredients such as egg whites, sugar and almond powder, the chef must master the techniques of temperature adjustment to have a standard batch of Macaroons. The simple Macaron with a crispy but not hard crust, a hint of almond flavor and a fragrant butter cream layer is worth the effort to prepare. Among the countless types of cakes in the world, Pavlova and Macaroon are still extremely special, distinct by new and creative variations.

I was lucky enough to meet Chef Bertrand – the head pastry chef behind these quality pastries. Bernard shows a strong passion for baking recipes. With just one cake, this chef can give you a long list of different recipes for different customers. He also revealed the secret of why the cakes here are so attractive: these delicious batches of cakes must have 25-30% less sugar because Vietnamese taste is inclined towards lightness. The lovely, colorful cakes are truly the ideal companion for tea parties.

A cup of citrus-scented Earl Grey or a strong, green Assam tea from India are both suitable teas according to British customs. You can add sugar and milk as you like. Eating cakes and drinking afternoon tea are gradually becoming popular in Vietnam, where young people are starting to learn to slow down and enjoy life instead of being absorbed in the work cycle. Sometimes green tea is also added to suit the Vietnamese tea drinking culture. For me, the happiness of a day is being able to leisurely feel the cool, dewy taste of a cup of green tea without sugar or milk, and savor the sweetness of fresh cakes from the oven next to my beloved friends.

You can enjoy afternoon tea at:

Park Hyatt Saigon