Tea Blog

This sweet tangy treat will look like you paid a pretty penny, instead it was thrown together in not time at all. There is a special ingredient in this called Manuka honey. This honey is harvested from the bees that feast on the tea tree plant. With a spot of tea as well making it tea-rific. Though, it is not necessary to use Manuka honey, it is quite delightful as most things regarding tea usually are.

1 cup water heated to 212°F
1 tbsp quality black tea
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup white chocolate pieces
1/3 cup cold butter

Steep the tea for 5 minutes. Remove ¾ cup to reserve for later. Place ice cubes in the remaining tea. In a food processor place flour, baking powder, white chocolate and cold butter cut into small cubes. Pulse together until the texture is mealy. Continue pulsing while streaming in 1-2 tbsp of the iced tea. Only pour in enough liquid just until the dough pulls together in to what resembles a crumble and is slightly moist but not sticky. Place dough into a parchment lined 12 inch tart pan. Press the dough down to compact it, creating a shell. Try to disperse it evenly over the pan as well as up the sides. Place in the freezer for a few minutes until ready to bake.

12 oz frozen raspberries
3 tbsp corn starch
½ cup Manuka honey (sub: a mild flavored honey)
¾ cup reserved black tea

In a small sauce pan bring all the ingredients to a simmer then reduce heat and let cook for about 8-10 minutes or until it resembles raspberry jam. In a blender or with a hand mixer, make sure all the berries are pulverized. Strain the mixture through a fine strainer to remove seeds. Take once cup of the cooled berry mixture and spread it evenly over the uncooked tart shell. Place in a 425° oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove and cool completely.

10 oz lemon curd
¼ cup Manuka honey
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tsp lemon zest
2-8oz packages cream cheese room temperature
1-8oz package mascarpone cheese room temperature
6 oz fresh raspberries
Powdered sugar for dusting
2 cups cool whip topping (for recipe bonus)

Combine lemon curd, honey, sugar, zest cream cheese and mascarpone cheese with a hand or stand mixer until combined. Place enough of the lemon cheese mixture into the cooled tart shell to fill it completely. Using a bag with a small hole cut into one corner stream more of the berry mixture in circles around the circumference of the tart. Repeat spacing the circles 1-2 inches apart until you reach the center. Using a knife pull from the center outward evenly around the tart then in the middle of each of those lines pull a knife inward from the outer edge of the tart to the center. This will create a wonderful design. Place fresh berries around the edge and dust with powdered sugar.

Baking bonus: Take remaining berry and lemon cheese mixture then combine it with the 2 cups of cool whip. This makes a wonderful raspberry lemon mousse. Place in clear glasses, dust with powdered sugar and top with a raspberry.

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