Tea Blog

Did you take me up on my suggestion to go apple picking? If you did, you are probably now wondering what to do with all of those fresh apples. You may have picked up a jug or two of local apple cider as well. Why not host a cozy apple-themed afternoon tea party to celebrate the return of fall?

I have a lovely little cookbook that I picked up the first time we went to the orchard, called simply Apple Cookbook by Olwen Woodier. This handy guide features specialized recipes for every course, alongside historical tidbits about the orchards that humans have been enjoying for at least 8,000 years.

Classic Autumn Apple Coffee Cake

An authentic apple coffee cake is a timeless centerpiece on a seasonal tea table. Here is Woodier’s traditional orchard recipe:

Cake Ingredients:

• 3 medium baking apples
• Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
• 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup rich sour cream
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans

Baking Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Thoroughly grease and lightly flour a standard 10-inch tube cake pan.
2. Peel, core, and chop your fresh apples into small uniform pieces. Place them in a large mixing bowl and gently toss with the lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream together the granulated sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
4. Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Gently fold this flour mixture into the wet sour cream base.
5. Carefully stir in the seasoned apple pieces. Pour exactly half of this thick batter into your prepared tube pan.
6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, the brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Sprinkle this sweet spice layer evenly over the batter in the pan. Cover with the remaining batter and smooth out the top surface.
7. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted deep into the cake center comes out completely clean. Let the cake cool inside the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a wire cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before slicing.

Yields 15 to 20 festive servings.

That’s just a brief taste of the seasonal inspirations tucked inside this handy recipe book. The Curried Chicken Salad works wonderfully for elegant finger tea sandwiches, a classic French Apple Tart makes a stunning dessert centerpiece, and sweet Sherried Apple Crepes offer a unique, sophisticated alternative to traditional baked scones.

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Spiced Orchard Apple Tea

To complement your fresh pastry spread, try this aromatic spiced apple tea recipe, adapted from Taste of Home:

Tea Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh water
• 4 whole allspice berries
• 4 teaspoons of your favorite unflavored premium Keemun Panda bulk loose leaf black tea
• 1 cup unsweetened pure apple juice or orchard cider
• 2 tablespoons raw buy natural pure honey jars and clover honey sticks

Brewing Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the water and whole allspice berries just to a rolling boil, then remove immediately from the heat.
2. Add your premium loose black tea leaves directly to the spiced liquid. Cover the saucepan tightly and allow the blend to steep undisturbed for exactly 3 minutes.
3. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the expanded tea leaves and allspice bits.
4. Stir in your sweet apple juice or orchard cider along with the pure honey, warming the pan over low heat until completely heated through.

Yields 2 comforting servings.

Don’t forget to explore the autumn lifestyle features and trade reviews over at The Tea Scoop!