Celebrate the Holidays (and Your Sweet Tooth) at the Waldorf Astoria Beijing’s Christmas Afternoon Tea

Christmas is a mad flurry of preparations and celebrations, and it can be difficult to simply sit back and enjoy the festivities. Before you get snowed under this holiday season, be sure to take some time to treat yourself with some delectable sweets and Yuletide cheer at the Waldorf Astoria Beijing’s Christmas Afternoon Tea.
 

This vast set of delectable hors d'oeuvres and bite sized sweet deserts will be available at the Peacock Alley from 2.30-5.30pm daily until the end of December. 
 

Chef Benoit Chargy says he’s particularly fond of the set’s delectably flaky scones, which come in mixed fruit, chocolate ginger spice and plain varieties, along with sides of clotted cream, rum butter and strawberry and cinnamon apricot jams. The French chef grew up with his own country’s tradition of afternoon cake that comes complete with a trolley of sweets instead of a tea set. However, he quickly became acquainted with afternoon tea during his first assignment abroad in Scotland where the wholesome deliciousness of scones quickly won him over. He has relished preparing them ever since.  
 

The chef says guests will also like this tea set’s pieces of Christmas fruitcake, which are gleamingly glazed and decorated with red, green and white icing that resembles holly fit to deck the halls.  
 

The tea set’s remaining top-notch sweets include bite sized red velvet cakes, which are cloud nine soft and redder than Rudolf’s nose flaring brightly in the midst of a blizzard. Each of these cakes are adorned with bottle cap sized chocolates engraved with the Waldorf Astoria’s emblem, signifying how much pride the hotel takes in being one of few venues in Beijing to offer authentic red velvet flavors. 
 

The set’s chocolate apricot and macadamia Christmas log evokes memories of singing carols while sitting fireside as the kindling crackles. Chalk that up to the satisfying crunch of the macadamia, a traditional Christmas ingredient that is all too rarely used as of late in the West, much less Beijing. 
 

Another fetchingly nutty desert featured in this tea set is the Mont Blanc. Comprised of thick hearty squares of cake, flecked throughout with sweetened chestnuts, these squares are also topped with generous dabs of whipped cream and dusted with a layer of sugar that looks like a fresh snowfall. 
 

The wintery blizzard imagery doesn’t end there. This afternoon tea set also features snowflake shaped candies that are placed on morsels of mandarin cheese cake, each bite of which is nearly soft enough to melt on one’s tongue. 
 

Patrons who sample this tea set will not only marvel over the sweets, but also savor the saltier and more savory hors d’oeuvres with equal vigor. Of those items, Chef Chargy says the mini beef fillet in brioche crust is one of his favorites, because its subtle flavors stem from its complex preparation. “You need to wait for the brioche dough to slowly rise, and also cook the fillet a little bit, before putting them together and cooking the beef until it’s done,” he says of the intricate back and forth involved in readying these tasty fillets. 
 

An even more nuanced offering is the salmon gravlax. Chef Chargy says this ocean fresh hors d’oeuvre takes three days to prepare, mainly because of the salt marination that gives it its distinct flavor.
 

   
Lastly, what would Christmas be without turkey? Of course a full bird would be superfluous for these afternoon tea proceedings. And, considering Chef Chargy’s affinity for nuanced fare, a conventional serving of poultry also won’t do. So the chef has once again applied his refined sensibilities to this item, readying canapés featuring focaccia apple cured turkey breast, mustard grain and mayonnaise gherkins. Like much of the rest of this tea set, it mixes tradition with modern fine dining flourishes, ensuring that this Christmas will be one to remember.
 

The Waldorf Astoria Beijing’s Christmas Afternoon Tea is priced at RMB 388 (+15% service charge) per set and will be served daily in the Peacock Alley from 2.30-5.30pm until the end of December. 

This post is sponsored by the Waldorf Astoria Beijing. For reservations and more information please call 8520 8989.

Photos: Uni You