NANNY'S HONEY TEA SANDWICHES

FOR THE HONEY BREAD:
3/4 cup hot strong tea
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup honey
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
FOR THE BANANA FILLING:
6 oz ripe banana
1 tsp lemon juice
chocolate sprinkles (for garnish)

TO MAKE THE HONEY BREAD:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2-inch loaf pan.

Divide tea between 2 small bowls. Stir brown sugar into one until dissolved. Stir honey into the other until blended. Set both aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Mix well. Stir in brown sugar mixture until blended. Quickly stir in honey mixture. Pour into pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes until skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan set on rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool on rack.

TO MAKE THE BANANA FILLING:
In a medium bowl, mash banana with lemon juice.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Trim off ends of bread. Cut remaining loaf into slices 1/2-inch thick. Cut each slice into a floral shape with a 1 3/4 to 2 inch cookie cutter. With a sharp paring knife or very small round cookie cutter, cut a 1/2-inch round hole in the center of half the flowers, forming "doughnut" shapes. Spread solid bread flowers with filling. Top with "doughnut" slices. Fill hole with chocolate sprinkles. Serve at once.

Makes 6 sandwiches
Source: Victoria Magazine, June 1994