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Honey & Berry Baked Cheesecake Tarts

Dear Tea Lovers,

We have a wonderful recipe for you to brighten up your day. 

This week we have a special collaboration with The London Honey Company; the original founders of the urban beekeeping movement in London when originally established back in 1999. 

Now specialist producers of the finest British honey their glorious single-origin honey and pure honeycomb range is produced from their hives across the British countryside. Each of their jars of honey carries a unique flavour profile based on the flora and the province the honey is produced from. 

We chose their Salisbury Honey for this recipe. The bees visit viper’s bugloss, sweet clover, and sainfoin which produces a delicate taste profile- adding a subtle sweetness to the tarts.

This recipe is the perfect dessert for any dinner party. What’s even greater is the combination of London Honey Co’s delicious Salisbury Honey and our Very Berry tea from our Tisane range. The honey from The London Honey Co is always unpasteurized and minimally filtered retaining its natural properties. Our Very Berry tea is characterised by a vivid fruitiness and a pleasing sweetness that is balanced by the tart hints of hibiscus. A must for all berry lovers. The two ingredients complement each other well to create delicious recipes. Enjoy these cheesecake tarts with your loved ones. 

Ingredients

For cheesecake filling

  • 2tbsp Salisbury Honey
  • 5 strawberries diced
  • 5tbsp Very Berry Tea
  • 400g cream cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs

For shortbread base

  • 140g plain flour
  • 85g butter
  • 60g caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract

Method 

  1. In a bowl add the flour, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Combine with your hands until a dough is formed.
  2. Place into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes 
  3. Place the cream cheese into a bowl and whisk till fluffy
  4. Add the vanilla extract, honey and Very Berry tea then mix
  5. Add the eggs and whisk together 
  6. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and distribute the dough into 6 small tart tins 
  7. Mold the dough into the tart tins and refrigerate for 10 minutes 
  8. Bake the shortbread in the oven for 10 minutes @ 170c 
  9. Then take out and leave aside to cool
  10. Once the base has cooled down, spoon two tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into each tart tin 
  11. Bake at 170c for 12-15 minutes 
  12. Once baked, leave on a cooling rack to cool down 
  13. Serve with some fresh berries and a drizzle of honey.

Best to enjoy your cheesecake tarts with a pot of your favourite fruit tea 😊

We can’t wait to write to you again!

Love,

Camellia’s Tea House

Summer Sun Iced Teas

Are you prepared for the summer?

Despite the recent wet weather that the UK is so famous for, it seems that things are about to change. It’s reported that Britain is in for the hottest summer and only weeks away from a flaming 100F/37C with tropical heatwaves driven by the “Spanish Pluming”. Before the panic sets in and people rush to buy electrical fans and other cooling mechanisms, we suggest that you stock up on plenty of tea leaves and ice and be prepared to be taken on an iced tea journey around the world. We believe there can be no better way to keep cool then drinking healthy and tasty iced teas.

Historically iced tea has not been widely consumed in the UK as the rest of Europe and the USA. In the UK it started to become more popular in recent years especially for those seeking healthier choices to carbonated cold beverages.

Tea drinking traditions was brought to the US in colonial times by British settlers. Afternoon tea became a weekly practice but rather than drinking hot tea Southerners preferred it cool to keep themselves refreshed in the hot piping heat. In the US iced tea makes up about 85% of all tea consumed and mainly consumed in Southern America. Apparently iced tea recipes go back to the 1870s when it was on sale mainly in hotels and railroad stations.

Iced tea is versatile and can be drunk sweetened or unsweetened, carbonated or non carbonated, blended with fruit and combined with alcohol to produce delicious cocktails. The ideas are endless and consumed worldwide according to the cultural traditions. For example in Brazil Mate is the most popular beverage and is drunk iced and sweetened with occasional flavouring. In Hong Kong strong black tea is brewed and served with simple syrup and lemon. India prefers iced tea with lemon and ginger whilst in Japan, green and oolong iced teas are more common. This usually comes unflavoured and unsweetened.

Health benefits of iced teas

The health benefit really depends on whether you prefer to have it sweetened or unsweetened. Having it slightly sweetened with honey or agave might be the best option if you have a sweet tooth. Iced teas offer a crisp, slightly astringent flavour which helps you to keep cool whilst replenishing your body’s fluid levels. Unsweetened iced tea contains a good source of manganese, helps increase your fluoride intake and provides beneficial flavonoids (which are antioxidants).   The body incorporates fluoride into the bones and teeth, and consuming fluoride fights tooth decay.   Antioxidants help against free radicals that can contribute to cancer, heart disease and clogged arteries.

To get you ready for the summer we have shared some our favourite simple iced tea recipes with you. Despite the predicted scorching sunny summer, we hope you keep cool and refreshed by trying out our recipes below.

 White Apricot Iced Tea

Ingredients:

5 teaspoons of  White Apricot loose leaf tea

5 mugs of 80 degrees hot water (before the boil)

Ice

Simple syrup or honey (optional)

Method:

Place the loose leaf tea in filter bags or a large stainless steel infuser. Place the infuser in a large heatproof glass pitcher. Pour hot water into the pitcher and let it steep for at least 8 minutes. Remove the infuser or filter bag (if using a filter bag then give it a good squeeze till the bag is drained of tea).

Refrigerate the tea until cool. To serve, fill iced tea glasses with ice and pour the tea over the ice. Sweeten with simple syrup or honey if desired.

Any teas can be used for this simple and basic recipe. Teas loved best from our collection are Lung Ching green tea, Chamomile tea, Cherry Blossom tea, Extravagant Earl Grey, Green Mint tea, Lemon Verbena tea, Mango tea, Rose Bud tea, Turkish Apple tea, Very Berry tea and Zest tea.

For a slight twist to the tea, fill ¾ glass with the ice tea and top up with lemonade.

Camellia’s Arabian Nights

Ingredients:

5 teaspoons of  loose leaf Rose Tea

Mixed berries (optional)

5 mugs of hot boiling water

Ice

For the syrup:

7 teaspoons of Very Berry Tea

1 cup water

1 cup white sugar

Method:

Place the Rose tea in a filter bag or a large stainless steel infuser. Place the infuser in a large heatproof glass pitcher. Pour hot water into the pitcher and let it steep for at least 8 minutes. Remove the infuser or filter bag (if using a filter bag then give it a good squeeze till the bag is drained of tea). Refrigerate the tea until cool.

To make the syrup, place Very Berry tea in a paper filter tea bag and put in a small cooking pan. Add the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer till the sugar has dissolved. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Leave to cool. Once cooled discard the tea bag.

Fill half a glass with ice. Throw in a few mixed berries if desired. Pour in the rose tea and top with the syrup to taste.

Has Valentine’s Day Lost Its True Meaning?

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, shops are already flooded with hearts, chocolates and fluffy merchandise. But has it lost its true meaning? Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about people that we care about, but instead we get lost in its craziness and cause ourselves much emotional and physical stress, trying to make dinner reservation at over-priced fancy restaurants or breaking the bank with expensive presents.

We believe there is an antidote to all this ‘love madness’ and that’s to keep it simple!

First of all, start the day with a healthy breakfast in bed. As Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year and hence is a workday, you may not have time to create an elaborate breakfast for your partner.

Our recommendation? A healthy Rose Tea Smoothies!

IMG_09091Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (brewed) of Camellia’s Rose Tea
  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
  • 1 cup mixed berries
  • 1 banana

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend for 30-45 seconds or until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with a strawberry.

Another idea is to bake chocolate chip cookies instead of buying chocolates. To make it memorable, you can add a special ingredient that you know your partner will like.  For example you can try adding cherries which have been soaked in cherry liqueur before baking.

To keep things really simple and romantic, light a few candles, get into your favorite pajamas, have a glass of prosecco or champagne and just relax in each other’s arms.  For an extra special touch, liven up your prosecco with Camellia’s Very Berry tea syrup  or add rose tea to your champagne to suit the occasion. The recipes are as follows:

Berry Prosecco

FullSizeRenderIngredients:

  • Prosecco for 2 glasses
  • 2 teaspoons Camellia’s Very Berry tea
  • Half cup white sugar
  • Half cup water
  • 1 paper filter tea bag
  • a few raspberries to garnish

Spoon tea into the paper filter and place in a small saucepan with water and sugar.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes then discard the tea bag and let the syrup cool.

Fill the glasses with prosecco and carefully pour one tablespoon of tea syrup down the side of the glass, so that it trickles to the bottom. Garnish with raspberries.

Rose Tea Champagne

Ingredients:

  • 18 ml champagne
  • 1 teaspoon Camellia’s Rose Tea
  • 1 paper filter tea bag (or other infuser)
  • 18ml hot boiling water
  • Rose petal to garnish

Spoon tea leaves into the paper filter tea bag (or infuser) and place in a large mug.  Add the boiling water and let it steep between 5 minutes then discard the tea leaves.  Let the tea cool.

Divide the tea mixture equally between two champagne glasses. Fill the glasses with champagne to the top and garnish with a rose petal.

Summer Iced Teas – Very Berry

We have some great news for you – summer has officially began!

With the 20th of June marking the summer solstice and the longest day of the year, we can finally say goodbye to spring and welcome all of the wonderful things that this season has in store – plenty of sunshine, sunbathing, flipflops, holidays, picnics, ice creams, barbecues, lazying on the beach and of course, refreshing cold drinks when the temperatures start to spike.

Here, at Camellia’s Tea House, we have created a series of delicious summer iced drinks, using our hand-blended teas, which we will be sharing with you over the course of the next few weeks.

This week we are featuring a fruity flavour burst and everyone’s favourtie:

Very Berry Iced Tea

  1. Put about 7-8 heaped teaspoons of our Very Berry directly into a large jar or bottle and pour in about a litre of freshly boiled hot water. Do not use any filters or strainers and just let those yummy fruit pieces float about freely.
  2. Let the tea brew for at least 10-15 minutes before you start cooling it.
  3. Cool the tea, preferably in a fridge.
  4. Once the tea has cooled, strain it and fill a tall glass about 1/3rd full. Add a few slices of fresh strawberries and transfer it all to a blender.
  5. If you have a bit of a sweet tooth, feel free to add a little sugar, and blend everything for 10 seconds.
  6. Pour the drink back into a tall glass, add ice, grab a straw and enjoy!

Additional tips:

  • To prevent the iced tea from getting too diluted, instead of using regular ice, make some very berry ice cubes beforehand. Just brew a strong mug of the fruity tea, pour it into an ice cube tray and pop it into your freezer.
  • Experiment by adding other fruits or even a splash of pure fruit juice to create different fruity variations.
  • For those especially hot days, blend the tea with the ice for a truly cold and refreshing drink.

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