Monday, October 18, 2010

Recipe: Cinnamon Plum Panna Cotta

The delicate and sophisticated flavor of Rishi's Cinnamon Plum makes this panna cotta a superstar dessert.  I like to serve this in pretty teacups with saucers. You can make these up to 48 hours before serving. - Gina De Roma (The Philosopher's Spoon)


Ingredients (serves 8):
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup Fair Trade Certified organic sugar
4 tablespoons Rishi Organic Cinnamon Plum Tea
3 tablespoons cold water
1 envelope Knox Unflavored Gelatine

For garnish:
16 to 24 raw unsalted pistachios (about a tablespoon)
16 to 24 dried currents (pulled from the Rishi Tea)
Cinnamon Plum Syrup (recipe follows)
Ground Cinnamon

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, warm the cream, milk and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Bring mixture just to a simmer (do not boil!) and remove from heat.  Add Cinnamon Plum, stir and cover.  Let steep for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl (4 quart size), add the cold water and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Pour the infused cream mixture through a fine sieve, pushing on the tea with the back of a spoon to extract all of the cream.  Discard the tea, return the cream to the pan and re-warm. 

Pour the warm tea over the gelatin in the bowl.  Stir well until gelatin has completely dissolved.

Divide the panna cotta mixture evenly among 8 teacups, small bowls, or ramekins. Cool to room temperature, cover each cup with plastic wrap, and chill until set (about 2 hours).

While panna cotta is chilling, make the syrup.  In a small bowl combine the following:

2 tablespoons Rishi Organic Cinnamon Plum
4 teaspoons of Organic Sugar
2 tablespoons of hot water

Stir until sugar dissolves.  Let steep for 5 minutes and strain syrup, discarding tea. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

To serve:
Garnish each panna cotta with 2 or 3 pistachios, 2 or 3 dried currents, a drizzle of the syrup and a tiny dash or two of ground cinnamon. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Plum Season

It's about that time where we begin the transition from drinking lighter, spring harvested teas like Silver Needle, to dark and rich blacks, pu-erhs and herbal blends like our delicious Organic Cinnamon Plum. During the cooler months fall and frigid months of winter (we're in Wisconsin!), a hot cup of sweet, succulent and soothing Cinnamon Plum is enough to warm both your body and spirits.


Cinnamon Plum began as a limited, seasonal offering and a partnership with Clean Water Fund (we've donated over $10,000 to CWF) and has become a mainstay over the last three years, having won First Place for Best Blended Herbal at the 2009 World Tea Championship. Like our fans, friends and customers, we cannot get enough of this tea. That's why we decided to add Cinnamon Plum to our Retail Collection in early December, making it available in retail stores year-round. In the meantime, find Cinnamon Plum online and in a gift set and feel great knowing that for the third consecutive year, 25% of the profits are donated to Clean Water Fund (from October through March) in support of their efforts to protect and restore our country's waters. After all, tea will only be as good as the water used to brew it.  

Try Cinnamon Plum 3 Delicious Ways!

Cold Brew
Add 4 teaspoons to an Essential Tea Pitcher and fill with apple cider.  Place in fridge overnight and drink the next morning!

Hot Cider
Add 1 tablespoon to a saucepan for every 8 ounces of cider. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a heat resistant pitcher and serve with a cinnamon stick.

 
Hot Tea
Boil water. Add 1 tablespoon to a teapot for every 8 ounces of water. Steep for 5 minutes and serve.


Sunday, October 17, 2010

Recipe: Butternut Masala Chai Chocolate Chip Muffins

I grew up under the perpetually sunny skies of California.  I did not have the concept of the air cooling, becoming crisp, the leaves changing, covering the streets in red and gold and the need for spice and warmth, making you want to bake.  This fall in Milwaukee has been unseasonably warm. My fall vest is still in the closet but the urge to bake is still strong!  That urge to bake led me to my collection of squash.  I have a pie pumpkin, but that’s too predictable.  So, I decided to experiment with the butternut and my delicious Rishi Tea Chai concentrate!

It only made sense to pair my butternut with the aromatic spices of chai and I love chocolate so all together I made Butternut Chai Chocolate Chip Muffins! - Susana Mojica


Ingredients:
1 cup of butternut (I cubed and baked at 375 for about half an hour, then mashed with a fork, that way you end up with a few chunkies!)
2 eggs
1 stick of butter (cream with sugar a bit)
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 cup of Rishi Tea chai concentrate
(Mix ingredients together) 
2 cups of flour (I used a half wheat, half white blend)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 baking soda
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp star anise
1tsp allspice
1tsp salt
(Mix dry ingredients together)
1 cup of chocolate chips

Mix the first set of ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the dry ingredients without over mixing. Mix in the chocolate chips

Bake at 375 for 24 minutes.   Bake until a toothpick comes out dry.

Makes 18 small muffins

Enjoy with a hot cup of chai!