Articles

Oct 02 2014

Peach Crumble Bars

Author: Jenna

It’s October! Or at least I think it is. You don’t always believe the calendar when you live in California because, let’s face it, it’s frequently hotter in Fall than it is in Summer. Don’t believe me? It was 102°F today! Fall is supposed to be the season of sweaters and pumpkin spice everything (yes I am a full charter member of the Pumpkin Spice Obsession Club so be prepared), not short shorts and tropical fruits. But, that’s California for you! So let’s indulge in a couple more summery desserts before we give in to all things pumpkin and cream cheese covered.

Yes, everything with pumpkin requires cream cheese frosting.

Peach Crumble Bars

Sep 15 2014

Mango Coconut Macadamia Nut Scones

Author: Jenna

Remember my promise to post more regularly now that the roommate thing was over? Uh…oops. Just when you think your life is about to slow down, it speeds up even more. Murphy’s Law and all that, right? (Curse that darn Murphy! Who is Murphy anyway? If I give him scones will he cut me some slack?)

I definitely don’t want to bring acting up in this blog regularly, but I promise this isn’t really about acting. Acting just gave me the setting for The Great Mango Catastrophe of September 2014. The other weekend, I did this 5 manager showcase–short story even shorter you do a scene/monologue for 5 talent managers, they answer your questions, hopefully they like you and you like them, and we all celebrate with cake–after an audition in a completely different part of town. To kill the hours in between, I took a trip to Whole Foods for a little treat: MANGO.

Mango Coconut Macadamia Nut Scones

In case you didn’t know, mango is my absolute favorite fruit, and when Whole Foods has good mango, they have good mango! I was sooooooo excited to eat it after my showcase. But while I was there, disaster struck! THE CONTAINER OPENED UP IN MY BAG AND ALL THE MANGO SPILLED INTO MY PURSE!!!!

Aug 27 2014

Black and White Chocolate Chip Scones

Author: Jenna

Once upon a time (okay, a little over a year ago) I worked in a tea cafe. I had been a semi-regular customer there for years when I finally got the chance to be a server there, and I have to say it was one of my favorite restaurant jobs I ever had. And not just because at the end of our shifts, we got to take home one free scone. Yeah, I was spoiled.

black and white chocolate chip scones

What was interesting about the free scone situation was that when I was a customer before I worked there, all I ever ordered was the chocolate chip scone. I loved it! Then when I started my job, I suddenly switched and my favorite became the white chocolate chip scone. No idea what made me switch my allegiance. Now that I don’t waitress anymore and I make my own scones regularly, it felt like the right time to progress into a new favorite chocolate scone.

So stage three: The Black and White Chocolate Chip Scone.

Aug 19 2014

Peach Blackberry Scones

Author: Jenna

Wow it’s been a long time since I posted, but I promise you I have multiple valid excuses. As you may know, baking and blogging is just a side passion of mine. My actual career/job is acting. And this past month, my career has been taking off in so many directions that I’ve barely had time to do my laundry much less keep the blog current. We’re talking 20 auditions and 4 short film lead roles and multiple business meetings and acting classes! There have also been some living situation changes that have required a lot of additional attention, but with all that settled I can come back to Once Upon An Afternoon Tea and continue pursuing acting. So more scones for you

But scones aren’t the only thing on our teablog menus coming up! There’s a fun scone-based dessert, some cake, and our first real tea sandwich recipe in the queue. And a lot of delicious bars/tray bakes if I ever get around to photographing them…

Peach Blackberry Scones

Jul 14 2014

Reese’s Scones

Author: Jenna

I’m OBSESSED with peanut butter in any form, but I get especially happy when that peanut butter is paired with chocolate. I can’t think of a single time from my childhood when someone asked me what my favorite candy was that was not some form of chocolate-peanut butter perfection. Reese’s peanut butter cups, Reese’s peanut butter cup miniatures (I swear the smaller ones are more deadly), Reese’s Bites (those were the best movie theater candy, why did they disappear?!), Peanut Butter M&Ms, Fastbreak bars, Take 5 Bars…the list was consistently chocolate and peanut butter.

Reese’s Scones

So putting little tiny Reese’s cups in a batch of scones is the perfect, most natural progression, right? Thought so!

Jul 04 2014

4th of July Scones

Author: Jenna

Remember how I said that the best part about my funfetti scones is that you can make them for any and all holidays? Get ready!

4th of July Funfetti Scones

Need something quick to make to for that 4th of July get-together you forgot was today? Swing by the grocery store for red, white, and blue sprinkles and make a batch of 4th of July Funfetti Scones! Just use my funfetti scone recipe and use the patriotic sprinkles.

Don’t they look AMAZING!

4th of July Funfetti Scones

Jul 01 2014

Red, White, and Blue Scones

Author: Jenna

I feel super accomplished because I am getting you a holiday scone recipe before the holiday so you can actually make them for your holiday get together!!! Yeah, I feel proud. Like, American pride!

Red, White, and Blue Scones

Jun 27 2014

Blueberry Scones

Author: Jenna

There was just a really loud bang in my apartment. No idea what it was, but it scared me half to death! All I know is that our power went out and then came The Big Bang and the power turned back on. What the bleep?! Now the alarm system keeps chirping and I have no clue how to stop it. Why does living away from your parents have to be so scary and confusing?

Blueberry Scones

So since I’ve had my share of scary and confusing for the day, let’s go with simple and easy for our tea time scones. No crazy mix-ins, no experimentation, no wild steps like smothering dough in Nutella...just a classic scone that everyone loves: The Blueberry Scone.

Jun 21 2014

Dark Chocolate Chip Blueberry Scones

Author: Jenna

Dark Chocolate Chip Blueberry Scones

Father’s Day is tomorrow!!

Okay, technically Father’s Day was last Sunday the 15th, but tomorrow my mom, my brother, and myself are taking my dad to a Dodgers-Padres baseball game down in San Diego. So we are celebrating Father’s Day tomorrow. Yeah we did the full family barbecue (that wasn’t as good as my dad’s famous barbecue) on the actual day, but tomorrow is really when the four of us are going to spend time together as a family and cherish every moment of the day with our beloved patriarch. Unless the Dodgers lose. Which they won’t!

Live. Breathe. Blue.

Jun 12 2014

Funfetti Cake Batter Scones

Author: Jenna

Good luck having any dough left to make these scones. I will practically put money on the bet that you will eat all the dough before the scones ever make it on to the baking sheet much less into the oven.

Funfetti Cake Batter Scones

Oops, don’t I usually start with some fun anecdote or little tie in to introduce a recipe? Sorry, these scones are just too amazing to hold off on telling you. They are like that piece of great news that you intend to keep quiet, subtly dropping little hints to everyone to build fun suspense, but then as soon as you see someone you compulsively blurt it out. Whoopsies! It was just too great and exciting to keep secret! Usually that news is a baby or an engagement or a dream job or successfully doing a backflip on a trampoline. In my case, though, it’s creating and perfecting a scone that tastes SO MUCH like funfetti cake batter that I forgot I wasn’t eating cake/had to make multiple batches because I couldn’t stop eating the dough/have my friends begging for deliveries/almost make me want to give up scone recipe developing because I don’t think I can top these ever.

Once Upon an Afternoon Tea

The Art of Afternoon Tea from Los Angeles and Beyond

Articles

Peach Crumble Bars

Mango Coconut Macadamia Nut Scones

Black and White Chocolate Chip Scones

Peach Blackberry Scones

Reese’s Scones

4th of July Scones

Red, White, and Blue Scones

Blueberry Scones

Dark Chocolate Chip Blueberry Scones

Funfetti Cake Batter Scones