JasmyneTea Cakes - 1st Blogoversary!

Happy Blogoversary to me :)

I started this blog exactly a year ago with Stephen for many a reason: firstly, I kept taking photos of food and my dearest Roxy half-jokingly said that we should start a blog; secondly, Stephen was starting to really get into cooking, and I thought it would be cool to document his progress; and thirdly, because I really needed a hobby (my band had been dead for a little over a year, and nothing else was really working out), and the thing I loved other than music was food.

Today, my photos are getting better (with practise!), Stephen is a whiz in the kitchen, and I absolutely LOVE this gig. People have been so supportive by coming out with us to eat, submitting to being lab rats for our recipes, and commenting on our posts, and it's been a pleasure connecting with other people in the blogosphere.

In order to celebrate, Stephen and I decided to post a recipe that incorperates something we're both very fond of: tea. This recipe yeilds about 12 mini chiffon cakes that are soft and silky and fragile. They're also pretty neutral in flavour, making them perfect for flavouring with tea. We wanted to make Jasmine Tea flavoured cakes, but found the aroma weak and the taste bitter. We used a Strawberry Champagne tea I procured at Flemmington Markets (although you could use any tea) and got to work:

Strawberry Champagne Tea Chiffon Cakes

INGREDIENTS

3 large eggs, separated
80g castor sugar
50 mL canola oil
80 mL water
100g plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons tea leaves
icing sugar, to serve

    1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl and set aside. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolkes and half of the sugar until smooth and glossy. Add the canola oil slowly, whisking all the while, as you would for a mayonnaise. Add the water in the same manner and whisk until frothy.

    2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy, then add the rest of the sugar in small batches, whisking until fully incorperated. The egg whites should be whipped on a medium speed until 30 seconds after soft peaks start to form, but not quite firm peaks.

    3. Combine the flour mixture with the egg yolk  mixture and whisk until fully incorperated. Add the tea leaves (if the tea has large, chunky parts in it, give it a blitz in a food processor) and mix. Fold the egg whites into the batter in 4 parts.

    4. Place the tablespoons of batter into prepared moulds or muffin tins and bake for approximately 10 - 15 minutes until cakes spring back after touching them. Allow to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar and serving.

Comments

[briarrose]

Happy blogoversary!

[Gaby]

Happy blogoversary! Lovely cakes, I've baked with matcha (Japanese green tea) in the past with great success (not bitter and nice flavour).

[muppy]

happy blog birthday! love reading your posts :)

[Carolyn Jung]

Oooh, strawberries and champagne in a mini cake? Now, that's definitely something to celebrate with. Happy blog anniversary. The first year is always a big milestone. ;)

[Chanel]

These little cakes sound & look fabulous! Happy Blogoversary Jasmyne & Stephen :D

[InTolerantChef]

Congratulations guys! I hope you enjoy writing your blog as much as we enjoy reading it.
I've never made a chiffon cake before, but I've been meaning to get to your pandan one, thanks for reminding me!