Whip up a vegan afternoon tea feast and enjoy a variety of plant-based chocolate delights

Whether you’re trying out Veganuary or you’re following a plant-based diet for the long term, there are plenty of vegan nibbles on the market to keep you happy. But if you’re looking to throw a sophisticated afternoon tea, you might be wondering how to make it vegan. Afternoon tea is a delicious way to gather with friends and enjoy some elegant treats, but it traditionally consists of dairy-filled cakes and bakes. Don’t worry, we’re here to show you how to plan a fabulous vegan afternoon tea with a chocolate twist.

Why add chocolate to your vegan afternoon tea?

Since launching our very own chocolate afternoon tea at our Rabot 1745 restaurant, we can’t imagine this petite feast any other way. Chocolate is, of course, a fantastic dessert option, but our afternoon tea exemplifies just how versatile the humble cacao bean can be. It brings a rich and satisfying edge to savoury sandwich fillings, is ideal for lashings of cake icing, and makes a wonderful alternative to English breakfast tea.

We’ve explored how to host a chocolate-inspired Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and looked at what goes into a chocolate afternoon tea, and now we’re here to help you create a vegan version.

Setting the scene

A quintessential part of any afternoon tea, vegan or otherwise, is the crockery. Whether you go for shabby chic vintage tea cups and saucers or contemporary mugs, make sure you have plenty for your guests. If you’re serving multiple drink types, collect a range of teapots, carafes, and jugs, so they’re ready to pour.

It’s helpful to set your table ahead of time, with enough place settings for everyone and plenty of small plates so they can try a little bit of everything.

Tiered cake stands can be handy for setting out all the food without taking up too much table space.

You might also like to choose a theme for your vegan afternoon tea or just enjoy an eclectic mix of food and drinks.

Food

Afternoon tea is all about little nibbles and bitesize treats, so consider as much finger food as possible. As a bonus, it’ll save on washing up dozens of knives and forks, too!

A traditional afternoon tea usually consists of:

• Finger sandwiches
• Scones with cream and jam
• Mini cakes, tarts, and pastries
• Tea with milk, cream, and sugar to serve

As you can imagine, many of these usually contain dairy (and not nearly enough chocolate for our liking). So, now is your chance to get creative and design your own vegan afternoon tea menu. Here are some ideas for inspiration.

Sandwiches and savouries

Cacao-spiced hummus sandwiches

Hummus has to be a vegan favourite, and it makes an ideal sandwich filling or dip for crudites. Enhance the zesty notes of a classic hummus with our Spiced Chilli and Walnut Hummus recipe. By incorporating cacao-nib-infused chilli oil, you’ll give this condiment a sophisticated and satisfying makeover.

Vol au vents

Quick, easy, and sophisticated, vol au vents are ideal afternoon tea nibbles. After cutting vegan-friendly puff pasty sheets into bitesize squares, top them with herby roasted vegetables (try red pepper, courgette, mushroom, and sun-dried tomatoes) and drizzle a little more of your cacao-chilli oil. Pop them in the oven

Dark chocolate and wild mushroom mille-feuille

Another great use for puff pastry, this dish is the perfect way to showcase how versatile dark chocolate is. You can adapt this recipe from Great British Chefs by omitting the egg yolk wash and choosing a dairy-free whipped cream alternative (available in many supermarkets). We recommend trying our 85% Dark Chocolate Batons for a deep and nuanced flavour.

Cakes, bakes, and sweet treats

Chocolate cupcakes

Straightforward but a sure-fire winner, cupcakes are a must for a vegan afternoon tea party. Give this recipe from the BBC and try your hand at piping a generous layer of icing.

Chocolate brownies

Another classic treat that’s easy to make vegan, chocolate brownies are dense, gooey, and satisfying. Nora Cooks has a fantastic vegan and gluten-free recipe, which is ideal for guests with a wheat allergy or intolerance.

Vegan hazelnut spread tarts

The beauty of vegan puff pastry is that you can use it for both savoury and sweet afternoon tea dishes. For a moreish, nutty delight, whip up a batch of our chocolate hazelnut spread, add it to cooked mini puff pastry cases, and top with fresh berries.

Chocolate Selectors

What better bitesize treats than our vegan Selectors? Not only are our truffles and filled chocolates delicious, but they look great too. Scatter the table with Raspberry Nutmilk Ganache truffles and Rose & Violet Cremes to add a pretty splash of colour. Or why not offer your guests a pack of Hazelnut and Ginger chocolates for a crunchy and tasty party favour?

Scones

Would it be a proper afternoon tea without scones? Fortunately, these classic bakes are easy enough to veganise. Vegan On Board’s recipe shows you how to make a batch in no time — either with traditional raisins or yummy chocolate chips. Switch up regular chocolate chips for roughly chopped 70% Dark Chocolate Batons to get irresistible mouthfuls of rich cacao goodness. Serve with vegan spread and strawberry jam.

Drinks

Tea is undoubtedly central to afternoon tea but if you or your guests don’t want to stick to a builder’s brew, bring a touch of cacao into the equation.

Tea

Provide your guests with a batch of cacao tea, made from roasted cacao bean shells for a light and refreshing, chocolate drink. It’s got a beautiful aroma and delicate toffee and caramel flavour notes. You can serve it with or without milk.

Hot chocolate

If you want to take your chocolate drinks further, you can’t beat a comforting cup of hot chocolate. At Hotel Chocolat, we have a range of vegan hot chocolate options, all made with real chocolate flakes. From Dark with Mint to Hazelnut Praline, there’s something for everyone.

When prepared with our revolutionary Velvetiser, you’ll have the finest, barista-grade drinks at the touch of a button. Your guests are sure to be impressed with the velvety-smooth milk and gorgeous cacao flavours. Try using oat milk for a truly creamy texture.

Fancy more of a caffeine kick? Serve some coffee with Velvetised milk — cafe-quality lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites in the comfort of your own home.

A tipple

Do you want your vegan afternoon tea to be a more grown-up affair? Bubbles never go amiss at a celebration, and our Classic Prosecco is refreshing, subtly fruity, and vegan. Those who love a classic G&T will love the toasted malty notes our Cacao Gin offers, while our Mango & Passion Fruit variety brings tropical notes ideal for a vegan afternoon tea in the summer.

Alternatively, you could get creative and add some vegan cocktails to the mix. For a cocktail that’s part dessert, part drink, give our Vegan 100% Dark Soother a go. Combining 100% Dark Hot Chocolate with coconut milk, Salted Caramel Vodka, and triple sec, it’s decadent and delicious with a hint of zest.

Vegan chocolate from Hotel Chocolat

From incorporating dark chocolate into savoury recipes to shaking up cocktails, there’s no denying that cacao is an ideal addition to afternoon tea. Those looking to host a vegan afternoon tea will be spoilt for choice when it comes to our Batons, Hot Chocolate, Selectors, and more.

Browse our full vegan chocolate collection* today, and let the cacao bean’s nuanced flavours shine through.

*Please note that although we believe our collection to be vegan, these products are made in the same environment as our milk chocolate so we cannot guarantee they are free from milk.