BREWS & BAKES
I grew up in North Yorkshire, where tea was tea. At my house, it was made with loose leaves in a teapot and ‘mashed’ (brewed) until it was dark and robustly flavoured. It was served with a smidgen of milk. It was sometimes so strong you could stand a spoon in it, the sort of tea builders are supposed to thrive on.
But as I began to discover the myriad teas available, I came to appreciate that different teas have unique characteristics and can be suited to a wide array of occasions. Quality teas can also bring out the best in the food we choose to eat alongside our chosen cuppa, just as the right wine can.
Learning to appreciate that a first flush is nothing to do with a visit to the bathroom and that orange pekoe doesn’t taste of orange has been one of the most enjoyable experiences, and matching the stunning teas now available with homemade sweet treats has been a delight. I hope you’ll enjoy the recipes and revel in new discoveries just as much as I have.
For one pot of tea
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5.
Peel and core the apples and cut them into smallish dice. Melt half the butter in a large frying pan or wok and add the diced apples. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods. Stir in the sugar, salt, cardamom seeds and cinnamon. Cook for about 5 mins, or until the apples have turned golden and the juices have started to thicken. Add the lemon zest and juice and cook for 3-4 mins, until the apples are soft. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
In the meantime, take a sheet of filo pastry and fold it in half, so that you have a rectangle two layers thick. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan. Brush the pastry lightly with butter. Place 1 tbsp of the cooked, cooled apple in the bottom left-hand corner of the pastry. Lift the corner beneath it and pull it over the filling to form a triangle. Fold the pastry immediately to the left, so that it retains the triangle shape. Repeat the process, folding up and down, until the pastry is used up and you are left with a neat triangle. Place it on a non-stick baking sheet and brush lightly with butter. Repeat to make seven more bourekas. Sprinkle each one with sugar and chia seeds and bake in the oven for 8-10 mins, until crisp and golden.
Warm a teapot. Add tea and mint and fill with boiling water. Brew for 3 mins. Remove the mint and pour into cups.
For 1 pot of tea
You will need
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.
Put the butter, sugar and white chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl and microwave at medium-high for 1 min. Stir and return the mixture to the microwave for a further 30 seconds, until melted. Leave to cool slightly, then stir in the beaten eggs.
Add the almonds, flour, baking powder and redcurrants, and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 mins, until firm and golden. Leave to cool, then cut into bite-size squares. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
For the tea, put basil leaves and sugar in the pot and pour in the water. Stir gently and infuse for 3-4 mins. Pour into cups and add more sugar to taste, as desired. It needs a little sugar to bring out the delicate flavours – start with a very small amount and adjust accordingly.
For the pastry
For the filling
For the tea
You will need
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.
Beat the butter, sugar and salt together until smooth. Add the egg yolk and stir until thoroughly combined. Fold in the our and bring together to form a smooth dough. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in a cool place while preparing the filling.
For the filling, put the condensed milk, sugar and butter in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cream. Stir until sugar has melted and mixture is smooth. Increase heat slightly and cook for 6-8 mins, until thick and rich golden caramel in colour. Remove from heat, add salt and leave to cool. In the meantime, melt chocolate, butter and golden syrup or corn syrup together. Leave to cool slightly.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to fit the pan. Bake the pastry case blind for 10 mins, until light golden and rm. Leave to cool. Scatter the blueberries evenly over the base of the tart. Cover with an even layer of caramel. Trickle over the chocolate mixture and create swirls with a skewer. When the mixture is cold, sprinkle over another little pinch of salt flakes. Serve in slices.
Brew the tea and sweeten very lightly. Pour into icecube trays and freeze. To serve, place the cubes in a blender and blend to a slush. Stir in some mint leaves and garnish with a slice of lime.
Tea And Treats by Liz Franklin, with photography by Isobel Wield, is published by Ryland Peters & Small, priced £16.99. Readers can buy a copy at the special price of £11.99, incl. p&p by calling Macmillan Direct on 01256-302699 and quoting ref. GLR 9NM.
But as I began to discover the myriad teas available, I came to appreciate that different teas have unique characteristics and can be suited to a wide array of occasions. Quality teas can also bring out the best in the food we choose to eat alongside our chosen cuppa, just as the right wine can.
Learning to appreciate that a first flush is nothing to do with a visit to the bathroom and that orange pekoe doesn’t taste of orange has been one of the most enjoyable experiences, and matching the stunning teas now available with homemade sweet treats has been a delight. I hope you’ll enjoy the recipes and revel in new discoveries just as much as I have.
Moroccan Mint Tea with Apple, Cinnamon and Cardamom Bourekas
Makes 8- 400g crisp dessert apples
- 60g butter
- 5 cardamom pods
- 50g caster sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon
- 8 sheets of filo pastry squares, about 20cm x 20cm
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
For one pot of tea
- 2 tsp green tea
- a handful of fresh mint
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5.
Peel and core the apples and cut them into smallish dice. Melt half the butter in a large frying pan or wok and add the diced apples. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods. Stir in the sugar, salt, cardamom seeds and cinnamon. Cook for about 5 mins, or until the apples have turned golden and the juices have started to thicken. Add the lemon zest and juice and cook for 3-4 mins, until the apples are soft. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
In the meantime, take a sheet of filo pastry and fold it in half, so that you have a rectangle two layers thick. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan. Brush the pastry lightly with butter. Place 1 tbsp of the cooked, cooled apple in the bottom left-hand corner of the pastry. Lift the corner beneath it and pull it over the filling to form a triangle. Fold the pastry immediately to the left, so that it retains the triangle shape. Repeat the process, folding up and down, until the pastry is used up and you are left with a neat triangle. Place it on a non-stick baking sheet and brush lightly with butter. Repeat to make seven more bourekas. Sprinkle each one with sugar and chia seeds and bake in the oven for 8-10 mins, until crisp and golden.
Warm a teapot. Add tea and mint and fill with boiling water. Brew for 3 mins. Remove the mint and pour into cups.
Sweet Basil Tea with White Chocolate and Redcurrant Brownies (pictured top)
Makes 36- 250g butter
- 400g caster sugar
- 200g white chocolate
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 200g ground almonds
- 100g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 100g redcurrants
- icing sugar, for dusting
For 1 pot of tea
- 3-4 handfuls fresh basil leaves
- 2 tsp sugar, or to taste
You will need
- a 23cm square cake pan, greased and lined with baking parchment
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.
Put the butter, sugar and white chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl and microwave at medium-high for 1 min. Stir and return the mixture to the microwave for a further 30 seconds, until melted. Leave to cool slightly, then stir in the beaten eggs.
Add the almonds, flour, baking powder and redcurrants, and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 mins, until firm and golden. Leave to cool, then cut into bite-size squares. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
For the tea, put basil leaves and sugar in the pot and pour in the water. Stir gently and infuse for 3-4 mins. Pour into cups and add more sugar to taste, as desired. It needs a little sugar to bring out the delicate flavours – start with a very small amount and adjust accordingly.
Tea Slushes with Salted Caramel and Blueberry Tart
Serves 6-8For the pastry
- 175g soft butter
- 50g caster sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
For the filling
- 397g can sweetened condensed milk
- 150g demerara sugar
- 50g butter
- 100ml double cream
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to garnish
- 50g dark chocolate
- 10g butter
- 1 tbsp golden syrup or light corn syrup
- 300g blueberries
For the tea
- 4 tsp green or white tea leaves
- sugar or honey, to taste
- mint leaves and lime slices, to garnish
You will need
- a 20cm tart pan with removable base
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.
Beat the butter, sugar and salt together until smooth. Add the egg yolk and stir until thoroughly combined. Fold in the our and bring together to form a smooth dough. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in a cool place while preparing the filling.
For the filling, put the condensed milk, sugar and butter in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cream. Stir until sugar has melted and mixture is smooth. Increase heat slightly and cook for 6-8 mins, until thick and rich golden caramel in colour. Remove from heat, add salt and leave to cool. In the meantime, melt chocolate, butter and golden syrup or corn syrup together. Leave to cool slightly.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to fit the pan. Bake the pastry case blind for 10 mins, until light golden and rm. Leave to cool. Scatter the blueberries evenly over the base of the tart. Cover with an even layer of caramel. Trickle over the chocolate mixture and create swirls with a skewer. When the mixture is cold, sprinkle over another little pinch of salt flakes. Serve in slices.
Brew the tea and sweeten very lightly. Pour into icecube trays and freeze. To serve, place the cubes in a blender and blend to a slush. Stir in some mint leaves and garnish with a slice of lime.
Tea And Treats by Liz Franklin, with photography by Isobel Wield, is published by Ryland Peters & Small, priced £16.99. Readers can buy a copy at the special price of £11.99, incl. p&p by calling Macmillan Direct on 01256-302699 and quoting ref. GLR 9NM.