A tender scone, a spot of tea

A glint of late afternoon light streaks the arm of a chamomile-colored couch. The harp plays a gentle tune. A three-tiered silver tray holds dainty sandwiches, tiny pastries. A soft laugh, the sound of a silver teaspoon on delicate porcelain, the enchanting flavor of bergamot.

We’re having afternoon tea at the Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel. Twice a day, the hotel serves tea in the Living Room, the spacious lounging area between the hotel lobby and the adjacent tropical garden. Groups of plump, upholstered sofas and wingback chairs surround low glass-topped tables -- just a few of them; this is exclusive.

But it’s not only ladies taking tea. There, by the fireplace, are two well-dressed couples, hotel guests perhaps; before the window are entertainment industry types in dark suits; in the corner is Hollywood heartthrob Luke Wilson with some serious-looking sorts -- agents? producers? With offices for HBO and Fox nearby and Creative Artists Agency next door, it’s not unusual to spot celebrities.

Tea can be a light snack, or a full-blown experience. Here there are four ways to order.

The Light Tea is simply scones, tea and pastries. The scones are classic: currant or plain, wonderfully warm and crumbly, served with Devonshire cream and raspberry preserves. The china is perfect: delicate, hand-painted Czechoslovakian porcelain cups, plates, saucers and jelly jars.

Order Full Tea, and you’ll also get lovely little sandwiches. A single round of raisin bread is topped with curried chicken salad, while a cucumber “sandwich” is like a mini sculpture: a swirl of pimento-flavored cream cheese, a twist of cucumber, a thin slice of tomato, a sprig of watercress. Charred vegetable sandwiches cut into triangles have layers of pesto, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and a cheese spread.

Royal Tea is for those who’d like a sip of bubbly; it begins with strawberries and a cloud of whipped cream. Imperial Tea is the nec plus ultra, beginning with Champagne and a mini Russian caviar cake -- a savory cheesecake flavored with shallots and smoked salmon and topped with osetra caviar.

Then come the pastries. Chef Bill Bracken aims to offer an assortment whose flavors harmonize with the tea. Strong citrus, he said, can “clash with the teas.” He always includes something chocolate -- today it’s a napoleon garnished with gold leaf. A vanilla cream puff, a cube of cheesecake decorated with a blueberry and whipped cream, a diminutive chocolate-caramel tart: No wonder tea makes you feel like royalty.

Yet tea -- even formal tea -- is easily put together at home. Bracken’s scones are quick to make; his cucumber-tomato sandwiches are simple and elegant. Jewel-like fresh fruit tarts require a little more attention, but the result is spectacular. In the kitchen at the Peninsula, Bracken uses tiny tart molds; because most mortals don’t own more than a few (if any), we’ve adapted his recipe using a mini-muffin tin. A juicy blackberry, half a blueberry, a slice of kiwi, a sliver of kumquat and whatever other fruit you can conjure at peak season tops the almond-tinged filling.

Of course, everything tastes better with perfectly made tea. Warm a teapot and teacups with hot water; then empty and dry them. Measure one heaping spoonful of fresh, loose-leaf tea (not tea bags) per cup of water, plus one more “for the pot.” Bring cold, fresh water to a rolling boil and immediately pour it over the tea leaves. Top the teapot with a towel or cozy to keep the water hot while the leaves steep for three to five minutes. Pour the brewed tea through a strainer.

Afternoon tea is such a powerful civilizing force that Carmen and Meadow Soprano seem almost genteel as they make their annual trek to tea at the Plaza hotel in New York. If it can do that for them, think what it can do for you.

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Fresh seasonal fruit tarts

Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Servings: Makes 32 tarts

Note: Use mini muffin tins to form the tart shells.

Crust

6 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

1. Cream the butter and sugar until fully combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

2. Sift the flours together. Add the flours to the butter mixture and mix until the dough comes together in several large pieces. Form the dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

3. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to one-eighth-inch thick. Using a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut circles. Press the dough circles into mini muffin tins to form individual tart shells. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Pastry cream

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons cake flour

3 tablespoons sugar

4 egg yolks in a small bowl

1. Whisk the milk, flours and sugar together in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat the mixture until it just comes to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and spoon one-fourth of the mixture into the egg yolks to temper.

2. Return the mixture to the saucepan and whisk until smooth. Cook on low heat for one minute more, stirring continuously. Do not boil. Spoon the pastry cream into a bowl and cover. Refrigerate until cool.

Filling and assembly

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour

1 recipe pastry cream, divided

1 egg

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 pint strawberries

1 (6-ounce) carton each raspberries, blackberries and blueberries

4 kumquats

1 kiwi

1/4cup apricot or apple jelly

1/2 cup water

1. To make the filling, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, almond flour and 2 tablespoons of the pastry cream until smooth. Add the egg and blend for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir in the flour to incorporate and mix until smooth.

2. Place a teaspoon of the filling inside each tart shell. Bake in a 350-degree oven until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool at room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.

3. Cut the strawberries, kumquats and kiwi into small slivers and cut the raspberries, blackberries and blueberries in half.

4. To make a glaze, combine the jelly and water in a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring to combine. Set aside.

5. Divide the remaining pastry cream among the tart shells. Arrange up to six tidbits of fruit on each. Gently brush each tart with the glaze. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Each tart: 136 calories; 3 grams protein; 18 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 51 mg. cholesterol; 11 mg. sodium.

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The Peninsula’s currant scones

Total time: 40 minutes

Servings: 10 (makes 32 2-inch scones)

2 cups flour

2 1/4 cups cake flour

3 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

8 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

2 eggs, divided

2/3cup milk

2/3cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream, divided

1 cup dried currants

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flours, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is crumbled into pea-sized bits.

2. Mix one of the eggs, the milk and two-thirds cup heavy cream in a bowl. Add the liquid ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients and mix just until the dough comes together. Add the currants and mix to incorporate.

3. On a lightly floured surface, work the dough with your hands until it is mostly smooth. Roll it out to about three-fourths-inch thickness and let rest for five minutes.

4. With a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out the scones and transfer them to two parchment-lined baking sheets. Lightly beat the remaining egg with a fork and add the remaining 1 tablespoon heavy cream to make an egg wash. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash.

5. Bake in a 375-degree oven until the scones are golden on top, about 16 to 18 minutes. Serve with Devonshire cream and your favorite jam.

Each scone: 136 calories; 3 grams protein; 19 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 29 mg. cholesterol; 158 mg. sodium.

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Cucumber and tomato tea sandwiches

Total time: 30 minutes

Servings: 10 (makes 32 sandwiches)

32 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup diced pimentos

4 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

32 sprigs watercress, plus 2 teaspoons chopped

watercress leaves, divided

4 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2teaspoon pepper

32 ( 1/8-inch) slices European cucumber

16 slices soft white bread

32 ( 1/8-inch) slices plum tomatoes

1. Mix together the cream cheese, pimentos, dill, 2 teaspoons chopped watercress leaves, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

2. Cut a slit from the center to the edge of each cucumber slice. Set the slices aside.

3. Spread a portion of the cream cheese mixture thinly over the white bread. Using a small, round cookie cutter, cut rounds roughly the size of the tomato slices from each piece of bread.

4. Place a slice of tomato on each round. Spoon the remaining cream cheese mixture in a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe a star about the size of a quarter in the center of each tomato slice.

5. Take each cucumber slice, grasp the corners next to the slit and twist in opposite directions to form a decorative spiral. Place one on each sandwich; add a sprig of watercress on the side. Repeat until all the sandwiches are assembled.

Each sandwich: 119 calories; 3 grams protein; 5 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 10 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 31 mg. cholesterol; 192 mg. sodium.