Bat Rabbit's Menu Keepers

There are always a few staples on the menu.  Those things that you think patrons would get tired of but instead they just keep ordering them.  They are called keepers.

Here are two of Bat Rabbit's Keepers.

A favorite at Bat Rabbit’s is the Mini Lemon Tarts.  Since they are not made with the traditional lemon curd, they are a much lighter treat.

Mini Lemon Tart Recipe

I admit it.  I hate making any type of crust.  Luckily, in the super markets these days, you can usually find frozen tart shells of all sizes.  I’ll use them every chance given to me.   

Lemon Filling:
15 oz.  sweetened condensed milk
1   tube frozen lemonade
12 oz.  whipped cream

Place all filling ingredients into a bowl and with a wooden spoon stir, and stir, and stir, and stir.  Once most of the lumps have disappeared, stir a little more.  Place your prepared mini-tart shells on a cookie sheet.  Cram as many on there as you can.  Fill each shell with the lemon filling.  Place the cookie sheet with the lemon tarts in the refrigerator for the filling can thicken up.

Traditional English Trifle

One of the easiest and most versatile Tea treats is the traditional English trifle.

Begin with a large footed bowl.  Then alternate layers of sponge or pound cake, egg custard or pudding, sliced strawberries and whipped cream covered with slivered almonds. Repeat each layer until the bowl is filled.

Custard and pudding flavors may be changed to taste as well as seasonal berries.

Cream for Scones

Once you have scones, you must provide cream and jam.  I confess, I do not make my own jam.  I buy the the best quality, seedless fruit jam.  I am partial to raspberry myself.  Cream, on the other hand, can be more of a challenge here in the states.  Being the tea rebel that I am, I prefer to whip up some good ole' thick whipping cream for my scones but there are others who are more traditional.  For them, I do try to provide a more 'proper' cream.

Below are several recipes.  They each have a different consistency and taste.  Your best bet is try them all and then determine which you prefer.

Clotted Cream / Devon Cream

When speaking or reading of tea, you will see many references to Clotted Cream and Devon Cream.  Basically, Clotted Cream contains a minimum of 55% milk fat, while Devon Cream's fat content is lower at 48% milk fat. Devon Cream comes from the cows of Devon, England.  The true articles can be a bit ticky to get in the states but there are many recipes on how to ‘fake’ them.  Use can use the same recipes for both types of creams.  The difference is in the fat content only.

Recipe #1 - Easy

• 1 c heavy cream
• 1 c sour cream
• 1 t vanilla
• 4 T confectioner's sugar

      Mix together sour cream and vanilla.

1. Beat cream in a cooled bowl. When have medium-stiff peaks, sprinkle on sugar and continue to beat. When sugar is integrated and peaks are stiff, gently fold in sour cream/vanilla mixture.

Recipe #2 - Easy

• (3 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 cup heavy cream

In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese, sugar and salt. Beat in cream until stiff peaks form. Chill until serving.  

Original recipe makes 2 cups

Recipe #3 – Time Consuming

2 cups heavy cream

1. Cook cream in top of double boiler over simmering water until reduced by about half. It should be the consistency of butter, with a golden "crust" on the top.
2. Transfer, including crust, to bowl. Cover and let stand 2 hours, then refrigerate at least 12 hours.
3. Stir crust into cream before serving. Keep unused portions refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.

Makes about 1 cup.

Recipe #4 (Alton Brown’s) – Time Consuming

      2 cups pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) cream

      Set a coffee filter basket, lined with a filter, in a strainer, over a bowl. Pour the cream almost

      to the top of the filter. Refrigerate for 2 hours. The whey will sink to the bottom passing 

      through the filter leaving a ring of clotted cream. Scrape this down with a rubber spatula and 

      repeat every couple of hours until the mass reaches the consistency of soft cream cheese.

Bat Rabbit's Super Secret Scone Recipe

Scones are a must.  They must be light with a crumble but they must keep there shape.  I have spent many years perfecting my scone recipes.  The the first time EVER, I am sharing it.

Scones are traditionally served with afternoon tea and accompanied by jam and clotted cream. You can add a variety of treats into the batter, such as raisins, fresh apple bits, orange peel, cranberries, and chocolate chips, although I prefer plain. At Bat Rabbit’s, we usually serve raspberry, currant or strawberry seedless jam and fresh whipped cream with our scones.

The secret Bat Rabbit’s Basic Scone Recipe

• 4 cups of self-rising flour
• 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 sticks cold, unsalted butter
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and baking soda.  

With fingertips, rub butter into flour mixture until it resembles fine bread crumbs.  

With fork, stir in cream, vanilla and almond to form a soft dough. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 1” thick.  

Cut into 2” rounds.  

Arrange on a greased baking sheet.  

Brush with additional heavy cream and sprinkle generously with confectioner’s sugar.  

Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 18-24 scones.