We love to hear from our guests who join us at our tea tables! At our Monthly Themed Tea Parties we receive requests for many of the unusual recipes we use. Tea party recipes are great for unique and fun gatherings of all kinds. If you can’t find a recipe that you have enjoyed at one of our tea parties please send us an email request. [email protected]
The taste of sweet orange combined with spicy gingerbread.
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 9″ square pan. In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon.
In separate bowl, combine water, molasses, butter, egg, and vanilla extract, and using electric mixer at medium speed beat until smooth. Combine flour mixture and water mixture. Continue beating at medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl several times. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.
With serrated knife, trim 3/4 inch from each side of gingerbread; cut approximately 4 x 1 1/2 inch fingers. Cut each finger in half horizontally and evenly spread filling.
Replace tops and garnish with a dollop of cream filling and orange zest.
Orange Cream Filling
In medium bowl combine cream cheese, butter, and orange zest. With electric mixer on medium beat until smooth. Add confectioners sugar and continue to beat until smooth.
Green Pea Crostini
Cook peas approximately 2 minutes, cool quickly in cold water and drain. Combine peas, onions, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Smash with a fork or use a food processor sparingly. Roughly chopped – do not make smooth. Serve on French baguette rounds with a thin slice of fresh Parmesan cheese on top.
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.
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
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.
How to brew your favorite cup of tea
Black tea, Herbals, Rooibos 195-212° just below boiling
Oolong Tea 203° just below boiling
Green Tea 140° or very hot
White Tea 185° or very hot
Recommended Brewing Times for Different Teas
Black tea, Herbals, Rooibos for 3-6 min.
Oolong Tea for 3-4 min.
Green Tea for 2-6 min.
White Tea some at 2-3 min. Some white at 7-10 min.
And for those who love iced tea – here is an easy recipe for Cold Brew Iced Tea
Chocolate Pecan Sheet Cake
A good recipe that serves a lot. A mild chocolate that is smothered in an almost toffee like frosting.
Preheat oven to 375°, Place sugar and flour in large mixing bowl. Bring water, coca and margarine to boiling. Pour over sugar and flour and mix well. Add egg, soda and buttermilk. Mix well. Pour onto greased deep cookie sheet. Bake for 1/2 hour.
Frosting
Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil. Add remaining ingredients. Pour over baked cake while still hot.
Black Olive and Sundried Tomato Sandwich
Combine first three ingredients and chill overnight. Coat white tea bread (we like the Pepperidge Farm Original White) with cream cheese on both pieces. Spread chilled mixture over top of cream cheese. ENJOY!!
Pesto
Blend in food processor. Makes about 1 cup of pesto.
Chocolate Irish Cream Cake
Another fabulous recipe from A Tea for all Seasons by Shelley and Bruce Richardson. This cake received more requests than any other!
Preheat oven to 300°, Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, hot chocolate mix, and cocoa into butter mixture. Fold in with spatula. Add vanilla and Irish cream. Blend with mixer until just smooth. Add enough milk to make a soft dough (not runny)
Grease and line a 9″ round cake pan with wax paper. Pour in batter and bake for 60-90 minutes or until top of cake springs back to the touch. remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes.
Scrumptious Filling
Beat all ingredients together with mixer at high speed until fluffy. Split cake in half and fill between layers allowing some of the filling to protrude on the edge.
Delicious Icing
In medium saucepan, melt both chocolates in cream over low heat. Stir until smooth. If mixture becomes too oily, add more cream and whisk until glossy.
While still warm, spread over top of cake and allow to drizzle down sides. Top with chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts if desired.
Cold Brew Iced Tea
Another great way to make iced tea. Tea can brew at a cold temperature it just takes longer. Cold brewing is safely done in the refrigerator. This recipe is for making 1 gallon of iced tea.
An ounce of tea differs between teas because of the leaf sizes. Just email or call if you need help with your tea measurement! [email protected] or 816-792-8777
Chocolate Chip Cookies
The tart cherries and pistachios make these really stand out.
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.
Coconut-Berry Power Cookies
Our first Living Well Recipe! Beginning in 2015 we will enjoy a “‘living well” menu item at each of our Monthly Themed Tea Parties. Recipes will be included!
In a large bowl, mash the banansas with a fork, then add in coconut oil and vanilla. Add the oats, almond meal, salt and baking powder, and stir until combined. Add the coconut, pecans, and goji berries – stir once again. Form the dough into 12 balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and flatten just a little bit. Bake at 350° for about 14-16 minutes.
Teashop family – Wren and Haden both eat these at volleyball tournaments, and Haden between swim events at a meet. Lots of energy and very filling. Enjoy with a cup of matcha for one power packed pick-me-up.