Some people say they won’t have tea without a bit of milk and sugar. Others say that it’s best served without anything added. Personally, I like my tea with baked goods on the side. Here are three recipes I’d like to share, which I enjoy with a variety of teas.
Double Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients:
¾ cup unsalted butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chocolate chips
Heat the oven to 350°. Line a 13 x 9x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick foil, leaving some hanging over the edges. In a large glass bowl, heat butter and chocolate in the microwave on high for approximately two minutes. Stir until smooth. Let it cool 5 minutes. Whisk together sugar, eggs, flour, and vanilla. Stir in pecans and half of the chocolate chips. Transfer the batter to the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until the top is dry to touch. Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting and serving.
This recipe is best with traditional black teas, such as English Breakfast or Earl Grey.
Cocoa Petit Pastry Puffs
Ingredients:
½ of a 17.3 oz. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry sheet (equivalent to 1 sheet)
3 teaspoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Edible decoratives (if desired)
Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°. Unfold the pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 14 x 9-inch rectangle. Cut the pastry into 30 rounds with a cookie cutter. Place two inches apart on a baking sheet. Brush with water and sprinkle with about half the sugar. Bake for 10 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Beat the cream, cocoa, and remaining sugar in a medium bowl with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Split the pastry sheet into two halves; spread about two tablespoons of the chocolate mixture on the 30 bottom layers. Replace the top layers. Decorate if desired.
This recipe is very good with most teas. However, one especially good match is Darjeeling tea.
Praline Muffins
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven at 375°. Grease 14 to 16 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners. In a small saucepan, heat butter over a medium heat until lightly browned; remove from heat and cool completely. In a bowl, mix cooled melted butter with milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; pour in the milk-and-butter mixture. Stir with a fork until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Lightly blend in chopped pecans. Do not over-mix. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups or liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake praline brown sugar pecan muffins at 375° for about 15 to 20 minutes, until nicely browned; transfer to a rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Makes 14 to 16 praline muffins.
Very good with oolong and herbal teas.
What are you waiting for? Start baking!
Photo “walnut & cinnamon crumble muffins” is copyright under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License to the photographer “jules” and is being posted unaltered (source)
Tea with any of these yummy receipts sounds fabulous. I look forward to working my way through them. When drinking green tea however, I say go straight up-neat. No need to add anything to this delicious brew.