Fresh Ginger Cake With Caramelized Pears

/
Fresh Ginger Cake With Caramelized Pears
p>
ginger cake with caramelized pears

I often get asked about the name of this blog, Chocolate & Tea. The Chocolate part makes sense; this is a baking blog after all. Every other recipe seems to feature chocolate as a component. My addiction to all things dark and bittersweet is not so secret. But why Tea, I am asked. What does tea have to do with anything?

ginger cake with caramelized pears
ginger cake with caramelized pears

The answer to that is simple. The Tea in Chocolate & Tea represents tea time. That wonderful moment mid-afternoon when productivity lowers, the eyes grow heavy, the stomach grumbles, and a much needed break is suddenly on the menu. We want to give you ideas and suggestions to fill all of your tea times with a bit of sugar and a lot of joy.

ginger cake with caramelized pears

This ginger cake with caramelized pears is the perfect tea time dessert. It feeds 6 people and is best eaten in one sitting (though I won't say no to leftovers). The fresh ginger cake has a beautiful blend of lemon, ginger, and molasses with a deep and satisfying flavor. Yet, it still manages to stay light. Served drizzled with caramel and a side of caramelized pears and you have yourself a little slice of heaven. From start to finish, this cake takes a mere 30 minutes. This dessert is truly divine.

ginger cake with caramelized pears
Read More

Homemade Apple Cider

/
Homemade Apple Cider

homemade apple cider

I went apple picking the for the first time this fall. I didn't even realize that this is something people did or that it was something you could do until I was invited to tag along to the orchard. Back home, people grow apple trees in their yards, but orchards don't really exist. Instead of cherishing the fresh apples, the apple tree inheritors tend to pawn off the apples on as many people as possible. You said you wanted a couple apples? Here, take a bushel.

apple

I went late in the season so most of the apples were on the ground instead of dangling in the trees. This just means there were more apples to sample. And sample, I did. I must have eaten at least 6 apples and eat part of half a dozen more. Some sweet, some tart, and some sitting exactly in between. Oh, it was apple heaven.

all the trees looked like this
ground is littered with deliciousness

My apple picking methods were as follows: scope out the reddest apple trees, find an apple sitting at the base, pick it up off the ground, dust it off on my shirt, and take a big bite. Sometimes more than one bite. Sometimes I would eat the entire apple while picking as many as I could before another tree would catch my eye. Apple trees are terribly distracting. Especially the ones with the ladders to climb.

tall ladderwooden crates

All said and done with, I bought 20 pounds of apples. For myself. At this rate, I should be able to keep the doctor away for at least a month. Maybe two.

homemade apple cider

This is the first time I have attempted to make apple juice (or any juice for that matter). Without a juicer, I wanted to prove that making apple cider would still be simple, easy, and that anyone could do it (yes, that means you). From start to finish, this apple cider takes roughly an hour to make. So, if you happen to have a dozen or two apples lying around and hour to spare, you have no excuses for not making this. Absolutely none.

homemade apple cider

This homemade apple cider will make your home smell absolutely fantastic, 100% guaranteed. This is the real deal, my friends. It doesn't get fresher or more pure than this. And knowing you took the time to make the juice yourself will make you appreciate the final product all the more. The cider has hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bit of orange to round out the flavors. I like to call it Autumn In A Cup because that is exactly what this tastes of.

homemade apple cider
Read More

Baked Apple Chips

/

baked apple chips

Sometimes I wish my kitchen had more features. I live in a small, but charming old apartment which means I have a charming, but tiny kitchen. So tiny, in fact, that there isn't enough space for the refrigerator. The refrigerator lives in the laundry room. Imagine that.

baked apple chips

Unforutnately, this also means my kitchen is too small for a microwave. When I want to reheat food this means business. Pulling out the pots and pans, turning on the stove, trying to reheat the food instead of recook the food. It's an art. A messy one. Which is why it would also be nice if I had a dishwasher. But I'm not even going to let myself imagine that level of luxury, not even for a second.

baked apple chips

Small kitchens leave a lot of room for improvisation. The stove is my microwave, the oven is my toaster, and the whisk is my mixer. I may not have a microwave, dishwasher, food processor, coffee maker, toaster, blender, stand mixer, or hand mixer but, damn it, I've got a waffle maker. You better believe it.

baked apple chips

These baked apple chips are light, delicious, and perfect for snacking. The cinnamon sugar flavor is subtle, but adds just the right amount of spice to the apple chips. The apple chips are both chewy and crunchy, making for an interesting texture. These can be served as an appetizer, alongside a sandwich with lunch, or in the middle of the afternoon for a pick-me-up snack. And if you eat ALL of them at once? You can't feel bad about it because these are apple chips and you just got your daily recommended intake of fruit. Oh yeaaah.

baked apple chips
Read More