Which do you prefer–frilly tea sandwiches or plain ones? Personally, I’m partial to the plain variety, but I must admit–the fancy ones have a magical way of attracting the eye and setting a mood.
Delightfully Lacy Ham & Cheddar Spirals are all about the finishes and frills. Each sandwich is wrapped in a delicate pastel layer of soy wrapper cut with a decorative paper punch–yes, the same punches used for crafting and scrapbooks! Craft punches come in so many impressive patterns. The ones used here go straight across, like a ribbon. The classic look of this infinity lace pattern is one of my favorites.Start with soft, fresh bread. It’s important the that bread have enough moisture so that it stays compacted after being rolled out. If you can find it, super thinly sliced cheese also comes in handy. Make sure that both ingredients are at room temperature so that they’re pliable and don’t break apart during the rolling process.

Although I’ve made these in the classic ham and cheese, this roll-up technique will work with many fillings, including egg salad, chicken salad or even veggies. The trick is to handle the piece of the flattened bread as if you were rolling up a sushi roll.
For convenience, make the sandwich “logs” the night before you plan on serving. On the day of, all that’s left to do is slice and wrap with colorful lace. Finish with some chopped herbs and these pretty canapés are ready for tea time!

This post is sponsored by Yamamotoyama. 

Lacy Ham & Cheddar Spirals

Ingredients:

sliced bread, the freshest you can get

ham cold cuts

thin cheddar cheese slices, at room temperature

mayo

chives, chopped

soy wrappers (I used Yamamotoyama’s Soy Wrappers), cut with edge paper punch into lacy strips

Equipment:

edge paper punch

work surface

rolling pin

Directions:

1. Cut the crusts off of a slice of bread. Use a rolling pin to compress the bread to a tortilla-like thickness.

2. Spread a thin layer of mayo across the bread, making sure to cover the entire surface. Now place a slice of cheese directly atop the bread. If you need to, use another piece of cheese to cover the entire surface of the bread in a single layer of cheese. Now place a slice of ham atop the cheese in a single layer.

3. Starting at the bottom of the slice, roll upwards like you are making a sushi roll. Roll tightly and evenly. Place the roll into a fridge container, seam side down. For best results, make the sandwich logs the night before you plan on serving.

4. When ready to serve, cut the sandwich “logs” into 3 equal pieces. Wrap a piece of lace-cut soy wrapper tightly around the sandwich. Seal it at the seam with a dab of mayo. Sprinkle with chives to finish and enjoy!