A Sweet Cake for Spring

• 1 cup butter softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 13 x 9 pan with baking spray with flour.
Beat butter and sugar till fluffy. Add eggs one at a time – beating well. Add vanilla.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add approximately 1/3 flour mixture to butter and sugar, 1/3 milk – repeat till all is added. Beat in sour cream.
Beat at 35-40 minutes or until wood stick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
Frost with your favorite icing – such as cream cheese icing!

Chaidoodles
Enjoy a Chaidoodle with a cup of brewed Anna Marie’s Masala Chai. Add a dollop of sweetened condensed to your cup to make a Chai Latte!

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 sticks softened butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Masala Chai, crush to fine powder, strain out large pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• cinnamon and sugar mix

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time. Cream good between each egg. Wisk together remainder of ingredients than add to butter sugar mixture. Chill about 1 hour. Roll in 1″ balls, roll balls in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake at 350° for 10-15 min. Lightly brown in color. Cool slightly in pan. Transfer on rack and cool completely.

Oooo La La. Rich, decadent,and beautiful. This dessert got a lot of gold stars at our “I love herbs!” Harvest Tea 2011

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 4 – 1 oz squares semisweet chocolate finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• Garnish: Coarse sanding sugar and additional fresh basil

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine basil, cream, and milk. Bring to simmer, stirring frequently, cover and steep for 1 hour.
2. Pour cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Squeeze basil of all liquid; discard basil.
3. Return cream mixture to saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sugar, chocolate, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture just egins to boil. Remove from heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and flour. Slowly pour 1 cup chocolate mixture into e egg mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat. Pour egg-cream mixture back into saucepan, whisking to combine. Divide mixture evenly among 6 ramekins.
5. Line bottom of a large roasting pan with a folded kitchen towel. This will keep ramekins from sliding around. Arrange ramekins on the towel. Fill pan with enough lukewarm water to reach halfway up sides of the ramekins. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake until pots de creme are set around edges but centers still wobble slightly, about 45 minutes.
6. Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Remove from pan. Cover each pot with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
7. Garnish with coarse sanding sugar and fresh basil. We found this incredible recipe in TeaTime Magazine March 2010.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The tart cherries and pistachios make these really stand out.

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3 T light corn syrup
• 2 T milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup miniature chocolate chips, bittersweet or semi-sweet
• 3/4 cup shelled, toasted, chopped natural pistachios
• 3/4 cup tart dried cherries, chopped

Position oven racks in upper and lower 1/3 of oven. Heat to 375°. Butter 2 baking sheets. Whisk together flour and baking soda. Beat till light and fluffy: butter and 2 sugars. Beat in corn syrup, add milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture. Beat just till smooth. Blend in chocolate chips, cherries and pistachios.
Shape dough into 1″ balls and place 2″ apart on baking sheet. Flatten to approx 3/4″
Place both baking sheets in oven. Bake 4 minutes, then switch pans to other position and bake 3 minutes. Cookies should be light golden brown.
Cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes then cool completely on wire racks. Makes 4-5 dozen.

Cranberry Cake with Hot Butter Sauce
We love this cake! The bright red cranberries against the cake makes a beautiful holiday presentation. One of our family favorites. Perfect served for any Christmas event.

• 2 Tablespoons of butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2-3 cups whole raw cranberries

Grease 9″ square pan. Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla. Sift in separate bowl: flour, baking powder and salt. Add approximately 1/3 of dry ingredients to butter mixture. Add some milk, alternate adding dry ingredients and then the milk. Fold in cranberries. Pour into pan and bake at 400° for about 30-35 minutes.
Hot Butter Sauce

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Milnot

Melt butter in sauce pan. Stir in sugar. Stir in Milnot. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Slice the cake into individual servings and place on dessert plate. Drizzle plenty o hot butter sauce over each slice.