Bacon and Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 6 large hard-boiled eggs
• peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6 slices bacon (about 5 ounces)
• cooked and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• such as Tabasco
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• room temperature
• 18 thin slices white bread
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives

Instructions

1. Place the chopped eggs in a medium bowl.
2. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, cayenne, and bacon; stir to combine.
3. Add the hot pepper sauce, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Thinly spread butter on 2 slices of bread; cover 1 slice with egg salad, and top with the other slice.
5. Use a serrated knife to trim the crusts and cut into 4 squares.
6. Dip one edge of each square in the chopped chives.
7. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
8. Cover the sandwiches with damp paper towels until ready to serve.