When I say tea is a big deal in our household; I mean it. We drink tea all day, starting with a pot of green tea for my husband and an Earl Grey or Breakfast Blend for myself. We often treat ourselves to a trip to Teavana to pick up some of their delicious loose tea blends, which is why I was thrilled to find out that Starbucks is now serving Teavana teas in their stores.
Why do I love tea so much?
First and foremost, tea makes me feel good. Tea wakes me up without stress. I enjoy the ritual of spooning my tea leaves into a pot and pouring hot water to let it steep. It comes with great accessories–teapots and teacups, honey and fragrant tea leaves. I bring a handy tea mug infuser to work every day along with my favorite loose tea. I often switch it up my tea blends; drinking peachy green one day and chai the next.
Chai is one of my favorite teas, which is why I was eager to try the new Teavana Oprah Chai Tea latte available at Starbucks and participating Teavana stores. I brought two very special people with me to Starbucks to treat to a cuppa: my mother and 17-month-old son, Grayson.
Grayson doesn’t drink tea yet, so he had an organic vanilla milk instead.
Even though mom lives just 40 minutes away, we are lucky to see each other once a month. With my baby boy growing up SO FAST, it’s important to take time–even just a few hours–to visit. Starbucks is the perfect place to catch up because we can meet in the middle, and enjoy a good blueberry scone while we chat.
So how is the new Teavana Oprah Chai Tea ?
We tried one hot and and one iced Teavana Oprah Chai Tea latte. First off…they are both delicious. This isn’t a weak tea. It’s a spicy, sweet treat full of cinnamon, ginger, peppercorns, cardamom and cloves in a black and rooibos tea blend. I’ve been enjoying it at home and really love the warm kick of flavor. You can see–and smell– the quality of the ingredients before it’s even brewed. Yes, it has caffeine, and does the trick when I need a little pick-me-up.
You can purchase boxed sets of Teavana Oprah Chai Tea in Starbucks and Teavana stores nationwide. They are beautifully packaged and make the perfect Mother’s Day gift. You can purchase individual 2 oz. tins of loose tea or a large gift box with 8 oz. of tea, 2 cups and a teapot.Scooped loose leaf tea is available in Teavana stores.
For every Teavana Oprah Chai product sold at Starbucks or Teavana, Starbucks is making a donation to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls–South Africa, benefiting educational opportunities for youth. Starbucks is donating $.25 for every beverage, $1 for every 2oz. of Teavana Oprah Chai Tea (or tea tin) and $4 for each large gift set purchased.
Visit the Steep Your Soul site where you can watch fun behind-the-scenes videos about how Oprah Chai tea was blended. She had a hands-on approach to blending the tea, choosing a full-bodied, spicy tea with a little kick.
This Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 11th), Starbucks is inviting you to stop in and enjoy a Buy One Get One Free Teavana Oprah Chai Tea beverage. Bring your mom, mother-in-law, sister or just your favorite person and treat them to some delicious tea. It’s a great way to spend time on Mother’s Day and show that special someone how important they are in your life.
What is your favorite tea? How do you like to enjoy it?
Tea is popular in this household. That’s an understatement. Tea is an obsession in this household. We have a very large drawer full of at least 30 kinds of tea, plus 5 or 6 tea-brewing devices and an electric tea kettle. We have a “tea station” where we make our daily selections, stocked with all of the fancy accoutrements. Honey, measuring spoons, mesh filters, towels and aerators are all present and accounted for. That’s why making this spring green tea cake with layers of honey sponge was such an event in this household.
I’m a black tea girl, preferring a loose leaf Earl Grey or Breakfast Blend with a little honey and milk. My husband drinks a whole pot or two of strong green tea a day. When I brought up the idea of a green tea cake recipe; he latched onto the idea and piped in with a few suggestions. The cake has an airy green tea mousse layered with honey-drenched sponge cake. The pale green color of this tea and honey cake almost screams spring. The flavors and textures are light; reminiscent of a tiramisu.
The bright, vibrant green color of matcha green tea is alluring and complex. This finely milled powder is the center of the Japanese tea ceremony. We all know it’s loaded with healthy stuff, but it can be a challenge to drink, which is why we had a perfectly good tin of matcha tea powder waiting to be made into dessert.
This is the first time I made a sponge cake and it was easier than I thought it would be. The batter mixed easily and the cakes came out of the oven perfectly. The mousse was a challenge for me, despite having made chocolate mousse many times in the past. The first recipe I used called for gelatin powder and all I had were sheets. The substitution didn’t work and I ended up trying to “fix” the mousse. In the end, I remade the mousse from scratch. Don’t you hate when that happens?
The first batch didn’t go to waste. I’ve been enjoying dollops of green tea cream on top of my Earl Grey. Aren’t I fancy?
The final cake was as beautiful as it was delicious. I decorated the top with lots of matcha tea. This may be a little too much tea for some. I recommend using just a little; applied with a stencil. You can also decorate the cake with pistachios, honey brittle or piped mousse as an alternative.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F/ 65 degrees C.
Coat 2 8" cake pans with butter or cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the sugar and continue to beat on high speed until the eggs increase in size by 4x and the color is pale yellow. When you lift the whisk, the mixture should fall in ribbons.
Combine 5 tablespoons of the honey with 2 tablespoons of warm water, reserving the rest. Quickly add to the egg mixture until just combined.
Working in batches, add the flour to the egg mixture, mixing gently until just combined. Do not over mix at this point.
Divide the batter between cake pans. Carefully tap the cake pans on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles. Bake for 30 minutes, then open the oven door and bake another 5 minutes. The texture of the cakes should be spongy.
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the cake pans and cool completely.
Sprinkle gelatin powder over cold water into a bowl. Allow to soften for 1 minute. Add boiling water and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Allow to cool slightly.
In a mixing bowl, stir together sugar and green tea powder. Add whipping cream and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until cream is stiff and forming peaks. Add the gelatin mixture and beat until completely blended. Place into the refrigerator to cool completely; about 30 minutes.
Using a bread knife, carefully cut sponge cake layers in half. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 tablespoon warm water. Arrange the bottom cake layer on a cake stand. Lightly Brush with honey mixture. Add a layer of mousse. Alternate each layer, brushing the sponge layers with more honey.
Notes
You can make the cakes ahead; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until assembly.
http://loveandduckfat.com/green-tea-cake-recipe-spring-tea-honey-sponge-cake/
Reference:
Adapted from Kasutera Japanese sponge cake by 12 tomatoes
Adapted from Chocolate Mousse from Hershey’s Kitchens
