Here in Australia, both morning and afternoon teas are commonplace. They can be very formal (becoming more and more rare), or very informal.
Depending on the number of guests, you might find dainty sandwiches, small cakes, scones (usually with strawberry or raspberry jam and lightly whipped cream) or pumpkin scones with butter, pikelets, a 'slice' or two, some home-made biscuits (cookies), or even a cheesecake. For larger occasions, lamingtons are usually on offer, and perhaps a sponge cake or a teacake, or even a fruitcake. It should not become a meal, as such, so the food offerings should be on the light side, and hot food is not offered. The sandwiches are for those who don't like too many sweet things.
Recently, when entertaining just ONE new friend, I made some individual elderberry tartlets, some lavender muffins, a chocolate slice, and some ginger biscuits. It was a very casual thing. I had a small bowl of lightly whipped cream on the table, to go with the tartlets and the muffins.
I no longer serve 'teas' with fancy teacups and silver sugar-bowl etc, or even a teapot. These days, unless you are REALLY out to impress (or be pretentious!), most people are happy with a mug and a teabag. But a small plate and a cake-fork or teaspoon for each person are essentials, especially if the 'tea' is taken while sitting down at a table. For a crowd, where most people remain standing, you should provide foods which are easily eaten with one hand without too much spillage.
Occasionally, you will get somebody or prefers to drink coffee. Most hostesses will provide for such people, but it isn't really the done thing to drink coffee for morning or afternoon tea.
A morning tea is usually held between 10-11am; afternoon tea is usually provided around 3-4pm. In England, I believe, 'high tea' is an evening meal, usually in households where the main formal dinner isn't served until 8-9pm or even later.
Here's a couple of recipes:
Lamingtons
250g butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
4 eggs
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
vanilla
Cream butter and sugar, add well-beaten eggs. Combine milk, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar, and add to the mixture. Bake in a small, greased baking dish for about 30 minutes. Leave for a day or two, cut into squares, then cover with chocolate icing, and roll in desiccated coconut. Make sure the icing is warm and thin, and hold each square with two forks, to dip into the icing and coconut. If liked, the coconut may be lightly browned, and for a flavour change, try orange or lemon icing instead of chocolate. Lamingtons freeze well.
Lamington Icing:
500g icing sugar
60g cocoa
vanilla essence
1/4-1/2 cup boiling water
1 dessertspoon butter
Melt butter in 1/4 cup boiling water and allow to cool slightly. Sift icing sugar well and add to liquid, together with the cocoa, mixing to a fairly thin consistency. Flavour with vanilla essence.
Pikelets
1 egg, well beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons self-raising flour
1/2 cup milk
pinch salt
Combine egg and sugar, beat well. Add flour, salt and milk, mix in well. Drop by dessertspoonfuls onto a hot greased pan, cook until bubbles appear, then turn with a spatula or knife, cook until lightly brown. Lift out onto a dry cloth and cover. When cold, spread with butter, or serve with strawberry jam and cream. [Batter is best left to settle for an hour or so before cooking. Only very lightly grease the pan - non-stick spray is good, but the really good cooks just rub over the cut side of a potato. ]
Note: For oval pikelets, drop batter from the side of the spoon. For round, pour from the top of the spoon.
Chocolate Slice (1)
1 cup self raising flour
3/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
125g margarine
Combine dry ingredients, melt margarine and add. Mix well, and press into a greased slab tin. Cook in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes. Cut into squares before cold, ice with chocolate icing and sprinkle with coconut.
Teacake
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
Cream butter and sugar, add egg and milk mixed together, then the flour. Cook in a sandwich tin at 180C 15-20 minutes. While hot, spread top with melted butter and sprinkle with a mixture of 1 teaspoon each of sugar, cinnamon and coconut. [Teacakes are nice on their own, but some people serve slices spread with butter. They can also be served with a little lightly whipped cream. They are many, many different kinds of teacakes, most common are those similar to this recipe, but apples are often used in a sort of streudel topping. Teacakes are sweet, but not cloyingly so. ]
