Sunset Tea Meditation with Van Van Herbal Tea on New Year’s Eve. Van Van is an herbal infusion that was developed to help clear energy and protect the spirit. An old Hoodoo essential oil blend, Van Van was used to provide magical defense, change bad luck to good, and strengthen amulets and charms. Here’s to drinking more Van Van herbal tea at sunset! Bonne Année!
This simple tea cake has the bright tangy zip of fresh lemons enriched with a hint of vanilla. The addition of yogurt and olive oil makes the texture of this lemon cake incredibly moist. For an extra deep zesty citrus flavor, brush it with the lemon glaze while it’s still warm from the oven.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon lemon zest (about 3 medium sized lemons) I use Meyer lemons
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
2 large eggs
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1/2 cup olive oil
Lemon Glaze
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
Using your fingers, rub sugar with lemon zest and vanilla bean seeds in a large bowl until combined. Add eggs and whisk until pale yellow and frothy. Whisk in the yogurt and olive oil.
Stir in dry ingredients and mix together until incorporated. (A few small lumps in the batter are fine.)
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until top of cake is golden brown, about 50 minutes.
Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack and then let cool completely.
Lemon Glaze
In a saucepan bring the powdered sugar and lemon juice to a simmer. Remove from heat and drizzle the lemon glaze over the warm tea cake.
When Marcel Proust dipped his madeleine into his cup of tea, a powerful memory from his childhood emerged that led him to write the classic novel, Remembrance of Things Past. Imagine such a table from nostalgic past, set for afternoon tea, bursting with memories, sparked by the delicate flavor of this simple yet elegant, shell-shaped cake.
Lemon Olive Oil Madeleines
Ingredients:
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup olive oil
Zest of lemon
½ teaspoon vanilla
Lemon Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
Directions:
Lightly coat the madeleine mold with cooking oil. Preheat oven to 350°
In a bowl of an electric mixer, whip eggs, sugar, and salt until thicken, about 5 minutes.
Sift in the flour and baking powder. Use a large spatula to gently fold in the flour, do not over mix.
Drizzle the olive oil into the batter and mix to incorporate. Add the vanilla and lemon zest.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Batter may be chilled for up to 12 hours.)
Scoop batter into madeleine mold, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 10 minutes and un-mold on a cooling rack.
While baking, prepare the lemon glaze. In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together. Mix until smooth and creamy.
When the madeleines come out of the oven, dip both sides of each cake in the glaze. Cool and serve with tea.
Light and fragrant, honey chamomile cupcakes get their distinctive flavor from an aromatic tea infusion. Topped with clouds of honey whipped cream and jewel-like edible flowers, these miniature cakes— are simply divine. If you love tea, this will be perfect!
Honey Chamomile Cupcakes
Ingredients:
¾ cup (1 ½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup dried chamomile flowers
1 ¼ cups – flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or lemon zest
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
Edible flowers or Chamomile flowers, optional
Honey Whipped Cream, Recipe Below
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini-cupcake tin with paper liners. Makes 3 dozen mini-sized or 1 dozen large.
Directions:
Heat butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted, careful not to brown it. Add the chamomile and let it steep for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it stand for 5 more minutes. Strain the chamomile through a sieve and set butter aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In another bowl, mix milk and vanilla; set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
With mixer on low-speed, add half of dry ingredients, followed by milk, then remaining dry ingredients. Do not over mix.
Using an ice cream scoop divide batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full.
Bake 13 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Cool cupcakes on a rack before frosting. Ice with honey whipped cream. Sprinkle crushed chamomile over the top and decorate with edible flowers.
Honey Whipped Cream
1 ½ cup heavy cream
3 Tablespoons honey
Pour heavy cream in a bowl and using a wire whisk whip the cream until it thickens slightly. Add the honey and mix until it holds soft peaks.
When Marcel Proust dipped his madeleine into his cup of tea, a powerful memory from his childhood emerged that led him to write the classic novel, “Remembrance of Things Past. “ Imagine such a table from nostalgic past, set for afternoon tea, bursting with memories, sparked by the delicate flavor of this simple yet elegant, shell-shaped cake.
Lemon Olive Oil Madeleines
Ingredients:
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup olive oil
Zest of lemon
½ teaspoon vanilla
Glaze:
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ lemon, juiced
Directions:
Lightly coat the madeleine mold with cooking oil. Preheat oven to 350°
In a bowl of an electric mixer, whip eggs, sugar, and salt until thicken, about 5 minutes.
Sift in the flour and baking powder. Use a large spatula to gently fold in the flour, do not over mix.
Drizzle the olive oil into the batter and mix to incorporate. Add the vanilla and lemon zest.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Batter may be chilled for up to 12 hours.)
Make the glaze in a small bowl by stirring together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Scoop batter into madeleine mold, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 10 minutes and unmold on a cooling rack. While still warm, dip both sides of each cake in the glaze. Cool and serve with tea.
When Marcel Proust dipped his madeleine into his cup of tea, a powerful memory from his childhood emerged that led him to write the classic novel, “Remembrance of Things Past.” Imagine such a table from nostalgic past, set for afternoon tea, bursting with memories, sparked by the delicate flavor of this simple yet elegant, shell-shaped cake. A modern twist on a classic, here is my recipe for Lemon Olive Oil Madeleines.
Carrie Fehr 