New Year – Let the party begin

December 30, 2022
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Hi everyone

Hope your Christmas was nice and had great time near loved ones.

Now….it’s time to party and welcome the New Year

I have a lot of new ideas for 2023 but for now I will start with a decadent and rich drink for the night between the old and the new.

I call it Chocolate bomb but you can call it how you want. Of course, like all my recipes the Loose Leaf Tea is involved. Can you blame me? OK, let’s get starting:

Chocolate Bomb

What you need:

350 ml Brandy

3-4 tablespoons Rose Black Tea (or an Irish Breakfast)

Chocolate syrup (easy to make your ow: just stir very well 5 tablespoons of raw cacao powder with 1/2 cup maple syrup until smooth)

Heavy cream (or chilled coconut milk)

Dark sweet cherries for garnish (canned or frozen)

 

How you make it:

  1. Soak your Loose Leaf Tea in the brandy for 4 hours (even 5)
  2. Strain out the tea leaves, pressing out as much liquid from the leaves as possible
  3. fill a tumbler with ice. Pour 30 ml tea-infused brandy, 1 or more tablespoons of chocolate syrup and top with the cream or chilled coconut milk

Lavender Cupcakes

With actual lavender dried flowers in the batter. Now I got your attention?

We all know the benefits of Lavender, if not know that this coming year we’ll put under the microscope every tea I know

What you need:

  • ½ cup butter

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

  • 2 teaspoon dried lavender

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup sugar

  • ¼ cup honey

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • ⅔ cup milk

  • 1 recipe Honey Frosting

  • Dried lavender (optional)

For the honey frosting:

  • 5 ounce mascarpone cheese or cream cheese (2/3 cup)

  • 3 tablespoon butter

  • ¼ cup honey

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla

  • 3 cup powdered sugar

How to make it:

  1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line forty-eight 1-3/4-inch muffin cups or eighteen 2- 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, the 2 teaspoons lavender, and the salt.
  2. Preheat oven to 180 C. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, honey, and vanilla; beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until mixture is combined.
  3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups
  4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes for 1-3/4-inch cupcakes (or 16 to 18 minutes for 2-1/2-inch cupcakes) or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.
  5. Pipe or spread with Honey Frosting. If desired, sprinkle with additional lavender, I wouldn’t miss on that.

Honey Frosting:

Allow mascarpone cheese and butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In large mixing bowl beat cheese, butter, honey, and vanilla with mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of the powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency. Place in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave n 100% power (high) for 20 to 30 seconds, just to soften (do not melt)

cooking time