Cake – The Herbal Bake Shoppe https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com Bringing herbalism & baking together Wed, 23 Feb 2022 20:32:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Burdock Root and Carrot Nut Torte https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/burdock-root-carrot-nut-torte/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/burdock-root-carrot-nut-torte/#respond Thu, 18 Oct 2018 23:58:09 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2746
The best part about this cake is hidden inside. Just like the burdock root hiding under the dirt in my garden, under the huge leaves and next to the father plants that grow so tall with so many bur-like flowers. For several years now I have watched burdock growing and tried to figure out when to attempt its digging. Finally, this year, I did. I have to admit it was an underwhelming experience. I expected a much larger root. Still, root it was.

You do not have to grow burdock to make this cake. Burdock root is sold as gobu in Asian markets or farmers markets. But you do need it to be fresh. It looks like a white carrot, which I think is why I decided to try it here in this carrot nut torte. The recipe is inspired by my favorite baker, Maida Heatter from her Book of Great Desserts. I substituted 1/3 of the grated carrots for grated burdock root, changed the lemon juice to orange juice and added vanilla. In Maida’s recipe she glazed the cake. I don’t think it needs it but on the other hand I also think it would be amazing with a frosting cream cheese or just plain vanilla.

I hope you have burdock root to use. If you do, please let me know how you use it in your cooking and especially if you make this cake! xoxo

Burdock Root and Carrot Nut Torte
Burdock root looks like a large white carrot. Perhaps this is why it blends into this carrot nut torte so beautifully. Its subtle earthy notes are ever so slightly present, but each bite offers a bit of extra prebiotic richness that would not be there without it.
Servings Prep Time
12slices 25-30minutes
Cook Time
60minutes
Servings Prep Time
12slices 25-30minutes
Cook Time
60minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 finely grated rind of 1 medium orange
  • 3tablespoons orange juicefresh squeezed from zested orange
  • 2/3cup (5oz) carrots, cut into small chunksabout 2 medium carrots, may use orange or yellow
  • 1/3cup (3oz) burdock root, cut into small chunks1-2 fresh roots, also called gobu
  • 1 1/4cups (6oz) almond mealmay use whole almonds, ground fine in food processor
  • 3/4cup fine, dry bread crumbsmay use gluten-free bread crumbs
  • 1/4teaspoon mace
  • 1teaspoon baking powder
  • 6 organic eggs, separated
  • 1 1/4cups (250g) organic sugar
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. Adjust oven rack one-third up from bottom. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x3 inch springform cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter paper. Dust all over with fine, dry bread crumbs (additional to that in recipe)
  2. Blend orange rind and orange juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Place carrot and burdock root chunks in the bowl of food processor and process until grated fine.
  4. Combine grated carrots and burdock root with almond meal in a large bowl. Stir and toss with your fingers until well combined.
  5. Place bread crumbs in a small bowl. Add mace and baking powder. Stir to mix. Add to carrot burdock almond mixture and mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
  6. Separate eggs, place egg yolks in bowl of electric mixer, reserve egg whites to beat separately. With paddle attachment, beat yolks on high speed for 3 minutes until pale lemon in color.
  7. With mixer running, gradually add 3/4 cup of the sugar. Reserve the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to beat with egg whites. Scrape down sides as needed to combine completely with yolks. Increase mixer speed to high again and beat for 5 minutes until thick.
  8. Stir orange rind, orange juice and vanilla into egg yolk and sugar mixture, then add to carrot, burdock, nut mixture. Mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
  9. In clean electric mixer bowl using whisk attachment, beat egg whites with the salt until they hold soft shaped peaks. Turn mixer speed to low and add remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Then beat on high speed until egg whites hold stiff peaks bur are not dry.
  10. Add egg whites in three or four additions to carrot and burdock mixture. Fold in gently after each addition with a rubber spatula only until no egg whites show,
  11. Pour batter into prepared pan. Shake gently to level if needed. Bake 1 hour until a cake tester comes out dry and the top springs back when touched lightly.
  12. Cool in pan on wire racks for 30 minutes. Cut around sides if needed before removing sides of pan. Cover top with a rack and invert, then invert again onto wire rack to cool completely top side up.
  13. This cake is lovely with no glaze but if desired, mix together 1 tablespoon orange juice with 1 cup powdered sugar and then add 1 tablespoon boiling water to pour over cake to glaze.
Recipe Notes

*Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods all the more nourishing. For this cake, use carrots, sugar, eggs, nuts and orange if available.

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/burdock-root-carrot-nut-torte/feed/ 0 Rose Hip Syrup glazed Orange Cake https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/rose-hip-syrup-glazed-orange-cake/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/rose-hip-syrup-glazed-orange-cake/#respond Sun, 25 Mar 2018 17:29:55 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2472
rose hip orange cakerose hip orange cake
dried rose hipsdried rose hips
rose hip syrup ingredientsrose hip syrup ingredients
rose hip syrup glazerose hip syrup glaze
rose hip syrup over orange cakerose hip syrup over orange cake
rose hip orange petit foursrose hip orange petit fours

Citrus in winter, or any gray day, extends a hand of sunny brightness. I remember watching Florida sunshine TV commercials for oranges in the midst of my childhood Pittsburgh winter dread. These made me want to go to Florida much more than want to eat an orange. Still, I have a strong association with citrus fruit and the sun. Maybe it’s the colors, vivid orange, yellow, pink, so much like how I think of the sun. Perhaps it’s the crisp, sparkly flavor with a perfect sweet and sour balance that has a cheer-up effect similar to feeling the sun warm on my face after a long winter. I’m sure I first heard about Vitamin C in context of oranges being its best source.

The food industry has changed dramatically from the time I was first associating oranges and sun together. But citrus fruits seem to have retained there relationship to sunshine. They have, though, lost their place as best Vitamin C source to rosehips.

Rosehips, which appear in late summer or early autumn as lovely rose flowers begin to fade, take on the role of a rose’s fruit. Their concentration of Vitamin C is extremely high with additional nutritional benefits from flavonoids and antioxidants. Rosehips’ mildly sweet, mostly tangy flavor lends super well to jams, jellies, preserves, syrups and pies.

So, combine rose hip with orange and get sunshine and nutrients. I flavored this orange cake with the juice and grated rind of a dazzling, deep pink blood orange then spooned a concentrated rose hip syrup over the top allowing it to soak in, just like the sun.

It may sound complicated, but it was not! I used dried rose hips that I bought from Mountain Rose Herbs, as obviously here at the end of winter there are no fresh available. I hope you give it a try and leave me a note to tell me if you feel a little brighter!

Rose Hip Syrup glazed Orange Cake
When gray days spark the need for sunshine, these little cake slices with a hot cup of tea could be the answer. A sweet rose hip syrup glaze takes the place of the more traditional icing and adds a dose of vitamin C along with its flavor.
Servings Prep Time
32small triangles 25-30minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30minutes 30 minutes to prepare rose hip tea
Servings Prep Time
32small triangles 25-30minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30minutes 30 minutes to prepare rose hip tea
Ingredients
For rose hip tea
  • 1/4cup dried rose hips
  • 1 1/4cup (300ml) water
For orange cake
  • 1 cup (125g) organic all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 3 1/2teaspoons baking powder
  • 2sticks (1/2lb) organic unsalted butter
  • 5 organic eggs, separated
  • 1cup (200g) organic granulated sugar
  • 1 orange, grated rind and juiceblood orange if available
  • 1/8teaspoon salt
For rose hip syrup
  • 1cup (240ml) rose hip tea
  • 1cup (240ml) water
  • 1cup (200g) organic granulated sugar
  • 2teaspoons rose water
Instructions
For rose hip tea
  1. Tea can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and stored in covered jar in the refrigerator.
  2. Combine dried rose hips and water in small saucepan. Bring to gentle boil over medium low heat. Cover, remove from heat and steep for 30 minutes.
  3. Strain rose hip tea into a glass measuring cup. Use a fine mesh strainer lined with a cheese cloth cut to drape over the edges of the strainer. Measure tea to assure that you have 1 cup. If you have more, return to saucepan and simmer to reduce to 1 cup. If you have less, add more water to reach 1 cup level.
For orange cake
  1. Adjust oven rack to center of oven. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan by buttering all over.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Set aside
  3. Melt butter in small saucepan or microwave and set aside to cool slightly while mixing egg yolks and sugar.
  4. Separate eggs, place egg yolks in bowl of electric mixer, reserve egg whites to beat separately. With whisk attachment, beat yolks on medium speed just to combine.
  5. With mixer running, gradually add sugar, scraping down sides as needed to combine completely with yolks. Beat for 5 minutes until mixed well and slightly paler in color.
  6. Stir in melted butter, grated orange rind and orange juice by hand, then whisk for a minute with electric mixer.
  7. Add flour and baking powder mixer. Mix on lowest speed until flour is just incorporated. Remove from mixer and transfer to large bowl.
  8. Clean mixer bowl and whisk attachment completely and dry. Combine egg whites and salt in mixer bowl and beat on high until egg whites hold stiff peaks.
  9. Fold 1 cup beaten egg whites into batter to lighten. Then gradually add remaining egg whites, folding gently, until just combined well.
  10. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven until tester comes out clean.
  11. Cool orange cake in pan on wire rack. Prepare rose hip tea and syrup while cake is cooling. Spoon hot syrup all over cooled cake allowing to soak in and adding more syrup as it soaks into cake. You may have a bit of extra syrup.
  12. Allow cake to stand a bit as syrup soaks in completely, then cut into small diamond or triangle shapes. Store covered with plastic wrap or in covered container.
For rose hip syrup
  1. Combine rose hip tea, water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Boil 10 minutes uncovered. Stir in rose water.
Recipe Notes

*Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods all the more nourishing. For this cake, use organic butter, sugar, eggs, flour and orange if available.

Dried rose hips can be purchased from online source such as Mountain Rose Herbs or Rosemary's Garden. Rose water can also be purchased online.

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/rose-hip-syrup-glazed-orange-cake/feed/ 0 Reishi Chocolate Cake Squares https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/reishi-chocolate-cake-squares/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/reishi-chocolate-cake-squares/#respond Wed, 15 Nov 2017 21:06:28 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2343
reshi chocolate cake squaresreshi chocolate cake squares
dried reishi mushroomsdried reishi mushrooms
reishi mushroom infused cakereishi mushroom infused cake
reishi mushrooms ready for decoctingreishi mushrooms ready for decocting
reishi mushroom infused with chocolatereishi mushroom infused with chocolate
reisi chocolate cake cut upreisi chocolate cake cut up

Mushrooms have a crazy medicinal super power that gives me pause. I’m not talking about our most common white button mushrooms. I love these — and I think you either love mushrooms or hate them — but they don’t add much by way of medicine.

There are many other mushrooms, some like shitake or portabella, well-known. But unless you are a mycologist, a true mushroom expert, immersed in the gourmet world as a chef or food writer, or your cultural heritage is steeped with mushrooms, they all have a sort of wild earthy, slightly sketchy reputation.

And then there is herbalism. To the herbalist mushrooms and medicinal go hand in hand. Reishi is perhaps the most loved, utilized and mainstream. I have seen it in drinks on supermarket shelves. But how in the world does this member of the fungus family have so many benefits? Benefits such as immune boosting, nerve calming, allergy and asthma relieving, circulation improving. I am in awe. Does adding a cup of reishi tea to this cake make a difference? If you cut the cake into 16 pieces you are getting about a half ounce roughly in each piece. That isn’t bad but it also isn’t what you would consider a medicinal dose.

My thoughts are as follows: When you eat a vegetable, let’s say a carrot, you know that it is a good source of vitamin A. We need vitamin A every day to support many body functions like good eyesight, healthy skin, nerve functions. Vitamin A is an antioxidant and decreases inflammation. But we know that eating a carrot won’t provide the total vitamin A needed. Instead it is a building block. one of many sources that you may eat throughout the day to reach an optimal amount. You may also eat romaine lettuce in a salad, broccoli and a sweet potato for dinner, some cantaloupe. I think the same can be applied to eating something that is made with an herb, like reishi. You eat a piece of cake and there is some reishi mushroom tea in it that will help support your immune system among other things. In addition, throughout the day you may be eating those carrots, broccoli, and sweet potatoes or drinking a cup of green tea and taking a spoonful of elderberry syrup, all immune boosters. It’s a building block, but in the meantime, this cake is one darn delicious block.

Reishi Chocolate Cake Squares
Taste this rich chocolaty cake and you will find no hint of mushroom flavor. In the game of hidden ingredients this takes the prize.
Servings Prep Time
16cake squares 25-30minutes
Cook Time
30minutes
Servings Prep Time
16cake squares 25-30minutes
Cook Time
30minutes
Ingredients
For reishi tea decoction
  • 1 ounce dried reishi mushroom
  • 16ounces (2 cups) water
For cake
  • 1 1/2cup (171g) organic all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1tsp baking soda
  • 1/2tsp baking powder
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 1stick organic unsalted butter
  • 1cup (200g) organic granulated sugar
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 organic egg
  • 1/4cup buttermilk
  • 1/2cup cocoa powder
  • 1cup reishi tea, hot
For icing
  • 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1ounce bittersweet chocolate
  • 1/2stick organic unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
For reishi mushroom tea decoction
  1. Tea can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and stored in covered jar in the refrigerator. Break up reishi mushroom slices with hands into medium sized piece.
  2. Combine dried mushroom pieces and water in medium saucepan. Bring to gentle boil over medium low heat. Cover, reduce heat to simmer and continue to gently simmer for 2 hours. Liquid will reduce slightly.
  3. Strain reishi tea into a glass measuring cup. Use a fine mesh strainer lined with a cheese cloth cut to drape over the edges of the strainer. Measure tea to assure that you have 1 cup. If you have more, return to saucepan and simmer to reduce to 1 cup. If you have less, add more water to reach 1 cup level.
For cake
  1. Adjust oven racks to center of oven. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan by buttering all over and then coat lightly with fine dried bread crumbs on the bottom only.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and slat. Set aside.
  3. Place butter into bowl of electric mixer, cut into four pieces. With paddle attachment, beat on medium high speed to soften for about 1-2 minutes using a spatula to push butter off of beater and up from bottom of bowl. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat for another 1-2 minutes until well incorporated, using spatula as needed.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition to mix. Add buttermilk and beat to combine.
  5. Warm tea , covered over lowest heat setting in a saucepan.
  6. Add cocoa powder and beat on lowest setting. Continue no lowest speed setting to alternately add flour and hot reishi mushroom tea. Begin with flour and add gradually in three additions, alternating with reishi tea in two additions.
  7. Remove from mixer and stir a bit with spatula to make sure that all ingredients are incorporated. Batter will be very thin.
  8. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes.
  9. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan by inverting on a wire rack and then invert again on another wire rack so cake is top side up. Cool completely prior to icing.
For icing
  1. Bring about 1-2 inches of water to gentle simmer in bottom of double boiler.
  2. Place both chocolates in top of double boiler and place over simmering water in bottom of pan. Gently heat until chocolate is melted, stirring as needed. Remove top of pan from heat.
  3. Whisk in butter, one piece at a time to thoroughly incorporate after each addition. Use immediately as icing will harden as it cools.
  4. Pour icing into middle of cooled cake and spread evenly over top with a metal spatula or icing spreader. Allow to cool and harden a bit before slicing into 16 squares.
Recipe Notes

*Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods all the more nourishing. For this cake, use organic butter, sugar, eggs, flour and chocolate if available.

*Dried, sliced reishi mushrooms can be purchased from several different sources. For just a small supply, Rosemary's Garden sells a one ounce package for $2.73. You can find it here.

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/reishi-chocolate-cake-squares/feed/ 0 Turmeric and Blackberry Syrup Brownies https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/turmeric-blackberry-syrup-brownies/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/turmeric-blackberry-syrup-brownies/#respond Sun, 29 Jan 2017 18:33:13 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1834
turmeric blackberry blonde browniesturmeric blackberry blonde brownies
turmeric infused butterturmeric infused butter
blackberry turmeric syrupblackberry turmeric syrup
turmeric stained parchmentturmeric stained parchment
plate of blonde browines that look brownplate of blonde browines that look brown

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

I’ve asked myself several times whether to share this obscure and surprising recipe. Vacillating between yes sometimes no, obviously yes won. My hesitation stems from worry that a recipe’s visual merit reigns imperative for food blogging, recipe websites and social sharing. Recipes you can almost taste through your phone or laptop that spark interest and create beautiful food preside as normal.

While visual food culture isn’t actually new, I nevertheless wonder how a beautiful picture assures taste. Obviously it cannot and does not. How can a mouthwatering photo guarantee the recipe will work well and the result will resemble that photo? My own failures have led to my skepticism. I now know of endless filters and edits that can make anything look better. I have experienced the temptation and witnessed the ease to accomplish with no photography experience required.

I also deliberate on perfection. My own imperfect recipes still taste good. Ultimately we bake for the pleasure of others, those we care about. I keep returning to the belief that if people you love eat and enjoy what you make, then that could define perfect. No matter the visual masterpiece.

I made these brownies because I wanted to bake using a delicious blackberry turmeric syrup I had recently concocted. I decided to add more turmeric thinking it blends well with fat. Traditionally in Ayruvedic medicine, turmeric and ghee combine into a restorative remedy. With multitudinous health and wellness benefits why not add turmeric in higher amounts. This recipe uses syrup whisked into melted butter so I infused the butter with turmeric while it was melting. But I added a lot, perhaps too much. The butter turned deep yellow almost orange which differed from adding turmeric to the blackberry syrup, it had not changed that color. I suppose purple covers yellow better and adding yellow to yellow just makes it more yellow. I imagine there is science to this and I wonder how chefs tackle strong color-changing ingredients like turmeric when they create.

Returning to my posting hesitation…these brownies while flawed, taste delicious. Depending on the light, they look either brownish green or greenish yellow, neither all that appealing and certainly not brownie-like. Otherwise, they are soft and cakelike with bites of chocolate, a bit rustic in flavor from buckwheat flour and different but pleasing. Additionally, the turmeric and blackberries transform them into healthy nourishment. But the ultimate outcome came from when my daughter said she loved them.
I wonder…would you try them? Please send me a message and tell me.

Turmeric and Blackberry Syrup Brownies
How visual are you when it comes to food? Is taste more important than eye appeal? Would you eat a brownie that has a bit of a green tint? Do looks matter if this sweet treat has more nutritional impact than an average brownie? I would love to hear your thoughts! Please leave a comment below...
Servings Prep Time
24brownies 45minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Servings Prep Time
24brownies 45minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Ingredients
For blackberry syrup
  • 16ounce blackberries, washed3 6oz containers
  • 1cup (8oz) water
  • 1tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2cup organic sugar
For brownies
  • 10tablespoons organic unsalted butter
  • 1tablespoon turmeric
  • 1cup (125g) buckwheat flour
  • 1 cup (140g) white rice flour
  • 3/4cup (60g) hazelnut flour
  • 1cup (200g), packed organic brown sugar
  • 1/2tsp baking soda
  • 1/2tsp salt
  • 1/8tsp black pepper
  • 2/3cup turmeric blackberry syrupsee recipe above, may also use store bought blackberry syrup
  • 2 organic eggs, room temperature
  • 2tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
For blackberry syrup
  1. Wash and drain blackberries.
  2. In medium saucepan combine water and turmeric. Bring to light simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover, and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Add blackberries and sugar to turmeric water. Simmer, uncovered for 25-30 minutes until berries have broken down into pieces. Stir frequently and smash berries a bit when you do. Liquid should begin to thicken.
  4. Cool for about 10 minutes then strain liquid pushing hard on fruit to extract as much liquid as possible. Syrup will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
For brownies
  1. Prepare turmeric infused butter. Combine butter and turmeric in medium saucepan and heat over medium low heat to melt butter. Stir to incorporate turmeric into melted butter. Cover with lid slightly ajar. Reduce heat to low simmer and continue to heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover tightly with lid. Steep for 20 minutes until cooled slightly, but still warm. Pour through strainer into a medium bowl. Continue to cool while preparing rest of ingredients.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Cut paper to a larger size than pan to allow for excess to fold over sides of pan. Spray lightly with cooking spray or grease with a bit of softened butter.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together buckwheat flour, rice flour, hazelnut flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
  4. When turmeric infused butter has cooled, but remains liquid. Whisk in syrup, then eggs one at a time, and vanilla extract.
  5. Pour butter syrup mixture into flour mixture. Add chocolate chips. Using a wooden spoon, gently fold together until completely combined. Do not over mix. Batter will be thick and sticky.
  6. Turn batter into prepared pan and spread evenly, smoothing top.
  7. Back for 18-20 minutes. Center should be just set and still soft. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Lift out of pan using parchment paper and allow to cool completely.
Recipe Notes

*Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods all the more nourishing. For these brownies use organic butter, sugar, eggs and blackberries if available.

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/turmeric-blackberry-syrup-brownies/feed/ 0 Nettle Chocolate Loaf Cake https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/nettle-chocolate-loaf-cake/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/nettle-chocolate-loaf-cake/#respond Fri, 28 Oct 2016 17:28:52 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1786
nettle-choolate-loaf-cake-toonettle-choolate-loaf-cake-too
can-you-see-the-stingercan-you-see-the-stinger
steamed-nettles-and-teasteamed-nettles-and-tea
loaf-out-of-the-ovenloaf-out-of-the-oven
slice-of-cakeslice-of-cake

We are deep into fall yet the nettles in my small herb garden bed continue to take over.
abundant-nettle-patch
Every few days I put on double garden gloves and snip around taking off the top leave whirls. I know this may stimulate more growth, but the crime of not using an herb like this in its fresh form nags at me.
can-you-see-the-stinger
My method to avoid the sting, not totally herbal perfect practice, is as follows: Bring handfuls of nettle leaves, stem and all into the kitchen with my gloves on and put them gently into the sink. Take off gloves and get a big pot ready with about 2 inches of water. Turn on the sink faucet and with tongs, gently turn and rinse the nettle leaves, then with tongs, place into pot, stems and all. Bring to boil on medium high heat, covered. Steam for about 2-3 minutes until deep green, drain and cool. No more sting. Now, with my hands, I remove all the leaves from the stems. These will keep in the fridge for a few days and become a richly valuable mild green ingredient. Chop and mix into risotto, lightly saute with garlic, salt, and pepper, add to soups or stews, or bake with chocolate. Sometimes I think I can feel the minerals sinking into my bloodstream as I eat.

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Nettle Chocolate Loaf Cake
Stinging nettles really do cause pain, but steam or dry them and they become nutrient-packed green treasure that blends into chocolate magically.
Servings Prep Time
1loaf 25minutes
Cook Time
1hour
Servings Prep Time
1loaf 25minutes
Cook Time
1hour
Ingredients
For nettles
  • 1large bunch stinging nettle leafleaves can remain on stems
  • 1 cup water
For cake
  • 1/2cup blanched nettle leaves
  • 1 1/4cup (156.25g) organic all-purpose flour
  • 1/2tsp baking powder
  • 1/2tsp baking soda
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 1/3cup (39g) unsweetened cacao powderI used Valrhona dark
  • 1/2stick (2oz) organic unsalted butter
  • 3/4cup organic granulated sugar
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 organic eggs
  • 1/3cup sour cream
  • 1/2cup nettle tea, cooledreserved water from nettle blanching
  • 1/2cup chocolate chips
Instructions
For nettles
  1. Handle fresh nettles carefully, with tongs or gloved hands.
  2. Place nettles in large pot with lid and approximately 2 inches of water. Bring to boil and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid.
  3. Using a fine strainer and cheesecloth, strain liquid to remove any particles. Measure 1/2 cup and reserve for cake. Drink the rest as a tea and enjoy!
  4. When nettles have cooled, remove leaves from stems, squeeze out excess water and measure 1/2 cup, packed.
  5. Place nettles into food processor with metal blade. Pulse about 10 times, scrape down sides and pulse again until finely chopped.
For cake
  1. Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan, then line with parchment paper, butter the paper and lightly dust with fine dry bread crumbs, shaking out excess. Set aside
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Into small mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
  4. Place butter in bowl of electric mixer. Beat until soft with beater attachment.
  5. Add sugar and vanilla and beat to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, then sour cream and continue beating to combine.
  6. With mixer set to lowest speed, gradually add sifted dry ingredients in three additions alternating with nettle tea (cooking liquid from nettle blanching).
  7. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in nettles with spatula and then chocolate chips.
  8. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour, until tester gently inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then using parchment paper, lift out of pan and cool completely on wire rack. Cool with parchment paper still on cake to avoid sticking to rack, then remove parchment paper when completely cool. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Recipe Notes

*During cooking and drying, the sting of nettles is deactivated.

**Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make baked goods all the more nourishing. For these muffins use organic flour, organic sugar, organic eggs, organic cocoa powder, organic sour cream if available.

nettle-chocolate-loaf-cake

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/nettle-chocolate-loaf-cake/feed/ 0 Chamomile Blonde Brownies https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/chamomile-blonde-brownies/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/chamomile-blonde-brownies/#respond Mon, 16 May 2016 15:43:47 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1588
brownie platebrownie plate
chamomilechamomile
infusing chamomile butterinfusing chamomile butter
batterbatter
brownies out of the ovenbrownies out of the oven
chocolate chips insidechocolate chips inside

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Chamomile, so well known for soothing and calming, I never expected it to give me lessons in strength.

Three years ago I decided it was misguided to think myself an herbalist having no experience in growing herbs. In fact, I didn’t have experience in growing anything, but I had a beautiful backyard. So I had my landscaper shape a new large garden bed and I bought a starter seed pack with 20 varieties of medicinal herbs. Besides the brief planting instructions on the seed packages, I had no idea what I was doing. I planted in stages, 4 or 5 types of seeds at a time, some in the new garden bed, some in other barren areas of my yard. Among the first group I planted were tiny chamomile seeds. Less than half the herbs ever grew, but the ones that did flourished. I watched every little bud but often I had no idea what I was watching because amateur that I was, I forgot to mark my plantings. I also could not tell the difference between the prolific weeds that popped up everywhere and the herbs that I wanted to grow but sometimes didn’t.

But there was no mistaking the tiny daisy-like chamomile flowers. I was completely excited the first time I saw one bloom. For such delicacy, my chamomile has reseeded itself each year since I planted and just keeps spreading, growing taller and making more flowers. A true example of endurance. This plant has become my inspiration for I would like to endure and flourish with the herbal bake shoppe. The whole concept of baking with herbs entered my world with chamomile and vanilla cupcakes. Since, I have seen other recipes but when I first mixed chamomile into cupcake batter, I never had. So, as my chamomile blooms, it is with motivation to create delicious and well loved culinary herbal treats that I turn to brownies. These are another of my children’s favorites and they too are my inspiration as I ever strive to bake what they love and for their tasting approval. Adding chocolate chips helps, too.

Chamomile Blonde Brownies
Infused herbal butters are an easy way to add flavor and versatility to old favorites. Of all the hundreds of herbs, chamomile with its honeyed apple taste tops the list as a baking ingredient. Baked as individual brownie bites, these blondies are a blending of sweet, chocolate, and herbal calm.
Servings Prep Time
12brownies 25minutes
Cook Time
25minutes
Servings Prep Time
12brownies 25minutes
Cook Time
25minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 stick organic unsalted butter1/2 cup
  • 1/3cup organic whole milk
  • 3tbsp dried chamomile *6 chamomile tea bags
  • 2ounces white chocolate2 squares
  • 1cup organic granulated sugar
  • 1/2tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1cup organic all-purpose flour
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 1/2cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
  2. Sift flour with salt into small bowl and set aside.
  3. Combine butter, milk, and chamomile in a 3-quart saucepan. Heat on low until butter is melted, stirring occasionally. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer for 5 minutes. Mixture may begin to separate a bit which is ok. Remove from heat, cover tightly with lid and steep for 15 minutes.
  4. Line a metal strainer with cheesecloth for straining butter, milk and chamomile mixture. Pour mixture into strainer set over a 1 or 2 cup glass measure. Press on solids to extract as much butter and milk as possible. The best way to do this, although messy, is after the liquid has drained, pick up the cheesecloth and gather it over the chamomile, squeezing with your hands to extract all of the butter.
  5. There should be just a bit over a ½ cup of chamomile infused butter after straining is complete. If not, add 1-2 Tablespoons additional unsalted butter to reach the desired amount.
  6. Return infused butter to saucepan. Add white chocolate and heat on low until chocolate is melted. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth.
  7. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Cool slightly.
  8. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition until smooth.
  9. Stir in flour and salt, mixing gently until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
  10. Using a ¼ cup measure, fill muffin pan with batter. Each should be about
  11. Bake for 22-26 minutes. Test with a toothpick that when inserted will come out clean. Do not over bake.
  12. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove brownies to wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar.
Recipe Notes

*Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods all the more nourishing. For these brownies, use organic butter, sugar, eggs, and flour if available.

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dried chamomile flowers
organic sugar

brownie plate

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/chamomile-blonde-brownies/feed/ 0 Lavender Orange Chocolate Babka https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lavender-orange-chocolate-babka/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lavender-orange-chocolate-babka/#respond Sat, 30 Apr 2016 20:15:41 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1556
orange peel teaorange peel tea
2 babka loafs2 babka loafs
inside a loafinside a loaf

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

I wasn’t planning babka when I began thinking about this recipe. Babka is a sweet yeast cake that layers rich moist dough with streusel filling, especially yummy as a coffee cake. I love baking cakes with yeast more than bread. Yeast cakes are more forgiving; if the rise isn’t perfect the taste remains delicious. Also proofing yeast holds a special place in my herbal baking heart. As I experiment, there are magic moments for unlocking methods that work. Wherever there is water in a recipe, an herbal tea can take its place. This opens all kinds of doors. The first time I proofed yeast in an herbal tea I held my breath not knowing what would happen. I wondered if something in the tea would react with the yeast and it wouldn’t rise, but the opposite happened. The rise, aroma, and ultimately flavor have inspired a world of herbal baking ideas. Can’t wait to keep baking.

Lavender Orange Chocolate Babka
Babka making Tips: 1. Make these scrumptious loafs over a three day period. First day, make the lavender syrup and chocolate filling, this takes about 30 minutes. Start with lavender tea and while steeping process filling. Store both refrigerated. Second day, make the yeast dough and pop in refrigerator overnight. Third day, assemble babka loafs and bake.
Servings Prep Time
2loafs 1-2hours
Cook Time
30minutes
Servings Prep Time
2loafs 1-2hours
Cook Time
30minutes
Ingredients
For lavender syrup
  • 1tablespoon lavender powderedusing buds is also ok
  • 8oz hot water
For chocolate filling
  • 1cup dark chocolate chipsI used Ghirardelli
  • 1stick organic unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2cup organic powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/2cup unsweetened cocoa powderi used Dagoba
  • 1 organic egg
  • 1/2tsp cardamom powder
  • 1-3tbsp whole organic milk
For babka dough
  • 1/2cup orange peel teasee preparation below
  • 4 1/4cup all-purpose organic flour
  • 1/2cup organic granulated sugar
  • 1tbsp instant yeastrapid rise, SAF brand
  • 2tbsp orange zest, grated and choppedapproximate measurement of one orange
  • 3 organic eggs
  • 3/4tsp kosher salt
  • 2/3cup organic unsalted butter, room temperature
For orange peel tea
  • 1tsp dried orange peel
  • 8ounces hot water
Instructions
For lavender tea
  1. Prepare strong lavender tea. Heat water in tea kettle. Combine powdered lavender and hot water in a tea brewing vessel such as a French coffee press. Steep for 20 minutes.
  2. Strain lavender tea, measuring 6 ounces. Combine with sugar in small saucepan and bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes without stirring. Cool completely.
  3. May prepare up to two days ahead and store in a glass jar refrigerated.
For chocolate filling
  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Puree 1-2 minutes until a soft paste is formed. It is ok if some chocolate pieces remain.
  2. This does not have to be completely smooth but should be spreadable. If it is too thick, add room temperature whole milk, 1 teaspoon at a time and pulse to incorporate. Transfer to bowl and set aside until ready to use.
For babka dough
  1. Combine flour, sugar, yeast and orange zest in bowl of electric mixer. Fit with dough hook. Blend on low just a minute or two to combine.
  2. Add eggs and ½ cup orange peel tea. Mix on low speed until ingredients come together. Add additional orange peel tea, 1 tablespoon at a time with mixer running and continue mixing until dough forms a mass.
  3. Cut butter into tablespoon chunks. With mixer running on low, add salt and then butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until completely incorporated into dough.
  4. Increase speed to medium. Mix for 10 minutes until dough becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Scrape down sides as necessary. After 10 minutes of mixing, is dough is not smooth, add 1 tablespoon of flour to help shape dough.
  5. Coat a large mixing bowl with oil. I used avocado oil. Transfer dough to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight. Dough will only rise slightly and this is ok.
For orange peel tea
  1. Prepare orange peel tea. With a vegetable peeler, pare three long strips of orange rind. Place on small parchment lined baking sheet and place in 200°F oven for approximately 25-30 minutes until begin to curl and harden.
  2. Cool completely and place in tea brewing vessel such as a French coffee press with 8 ounces of hot water. Steep for 15 minutes.
For babka assembly
  1. Prepare 2 9x4inch loaf pans. Grease with butter or oil. Line bottom of each pan with rectangle of parchment paper.
  2. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut in half with a sharp knife. Work with one half at a time, keeping the other refrigerated.
  3. Flour a flat surface well for rolling. I used a large cutting board placed on top of a clean kitchen towel, which keeps the cutting board in place while you roll.
  4. Roll the dough into a rectangle 10 inches in width and 10-12 inches in length. If dough breaks, push it back together and try to keep the edges straight. Spread half of the chocolate filling mixture evenly over the dough leaving a ½ inch border on all sides.
  5. Brush the end farthest away from you with a bit of water. Beginning at the end closest to you, roll the dough up tightly and seal the moistened end. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet.
  6. Repeat with second half.
  7. Freeze dough rolls for 15 minutes to facilitate easier cutting.
  8. Remove one dough roll from freezer. Trim a ½ inch off one end of the roll and reserve. With a sharp knife gently cut the roll lengthwise leaving the cut end connected. Position each cut half next to each other on the surface with the cut side facing up. Beginning at connected end, twist the two halves over and around each other always trying to keep the cut ends facing out. Do this as best you can, it does not have to be perfect.
  9. Transfer twisted dough into prepared loaf pan, shaping it like an “S”. Put trimmed end of dough into the empty space.
  10. Repeat cutting and twisting with second half of dough and transfer to second loaf pan in same manner.
  11. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise at room temperature for 1 ½ hours.
  12. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake 30 minutes until inserted toothpick goes in to babka smoothly without resistance. Check after 20 minutes, if appears to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
  13. When babka is done baking remove from oven and immediately brush with lavender syrup all over and allow to soak in to cakes. It will seem like there is too much syrup, but it will be absorbed into cake while it cools.
  14. Cool in pan for 30 minutes then remove to cool completely on wire racks. Slice to reveal swirls of chocolate filling in layers of tender dough. Babka can be wrapped and frozen.
Recipe Notes

This is a perfect weekend baking project because the steps do not actually take that much time and allow for lots of time for other life things.

Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods more wholesome and nutritious. For this cake, use organic flour, sugars, butter, eggs, orange, and cocoa powder if available.

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lavender powder
cardamom powder
organic sugar

chocolate babka loaf

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lavender-orange-chocolate-babka/feed/ 0 Tulsi Chocolate Cranberry Bundt Cake https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/tulsi-chocolate-cranberry-bundt-cake/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/tulsi-chocolate-cranberry-bundt-cake/#respond Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:11:12 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1368
tulsi chocolate cranberry bundttulsi chocolate cranberry bundt
powdered holy basilpowdered holy basil
cranberriescranberries
bundt right out of ovenbundt right out of oven
slice with tulsislice with tulsi
cake with slicecake with slice

Authenticity.

I am nutritionist by profession, an aspiring herbalist, love the concept of cooking, and dream of being a baker. It makes me happy to have the Herbal Bake Shoppe as a platform to mix all of this together. The baker dream part means I don’t get it right most of the time, but will keep working on that. When I discussed with my herbalist mentor this venture, he suggested it was important to maintain processing the herbs in traditional ways, as teas or tinctures for examples, to get any effect at all. I understand his point and have been working on ways to incorporate herbal water, alcohol, or oil infusions into the recipes I create. This cake is not perfect, but it is timely and uses a widely available herbal tea. The texture is lovely, but the taste not as chocolaty as I imagined, also not as sweet or even enough cranberries. The tulsi flavor comes through making it more like a mild spice cake. I am going to make it again and attempt a better result, but I am posting to ask for your input. What do you think of a mild, not so sweet, touch of sour cranberry chocolate cake? Would you even make a cake using tulsi tea? Do you like the idea of using herbal preparations in baking or is that an extra step you would not take? And specific to this recipe, if you were to bake it, how much cocoa powder would you add; what measure of cranberries? Please leave a comment below and thank you so much for supporting my journey with your input!

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Tulsi Chocolate Cranberry Bundt Cake
Tulsi, also known as holy basil, blends sweet and fragrant tones into this not so perfect cake. It could be more chocolaty or packed denser with cranberries, but it's lightness may be just the perfect complement to the sugar of the holidays. Post a comment below to tell me what you think!
Servings Prep Time
12-16slices 20minutes plus 2 hours for rise
Cook Time
40minutes
Servings Prep Time
12-16slices 20minutes plus 2 hours for rise
Cook Time
40minutes
Ingredients
For tulsi tea *
  • 3teaspoons tulsi, dried and powdered3 tea bags
  • 12oz hot water
For glaze
  • ¾cup organic powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1-2tbsp organic whole milk
  • 1tbsp organic unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/2tsp chocolate extract
For bundt cake
  • 3 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour
  • 6tbsp cocoa powder (Dagoba)
  • 3/4cup organic granulated sugar
  • 3/4cup organic coconut sugar
  • 1/2tsp salt
  • 2packages active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2cups organic unsalted butter, softened
  • 1cup hot tulsi tea
  • 4 eggs
  • 1cup organic fresh cranberries, cut in half
  • 1/3cup dried cranberries, chopped
  • 1tsp lemon zest, grated
Instructions
For tulsi tea
  1. Tulsi is also known as holy basil. Brew strong tea using 3 tea bags to 12 ounces of hot water or 3 teaspoons dried, powdered tulsi with 12 ounces of water. Steep for 20 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid and pour into small saucepan to keep warm over lowest heat setting
  2. Tea can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance, kept refrigerated and then gently warmed prior to adding to batter.
For Bundt cake
  1. In bowl of electric mixer, combine 1 cup flour, cocoa powder, sugars and salt. Stir well until thoroughly mixed through. Add yeast and stir. Cut butter into large chunks and add to flour mixture with hot tulsi tea. Beat on low for 2 minutes.
  2. Add eggs and additional 1 cup flour, beat this time on high for two minutes more.
  3. Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and then damp kitchen towel and allow to rise for 1 hour.
  4. Stir in fresh and dried cranberries, lemon zest, and additional 1½ cups flour. Mix with wooden spoon to create a smooth cake batter.
  5. Recover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and damp kitchen towel and let rise an additional hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bundt pan with olive oil cooking spray to thoroughly coat. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. Test with toothpick to assure it comes out clean.
  7. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely
  8. Prepare glaze by combining all ingredients, stirring until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.
Recipe Notes

Tulsi is also known as Holy Basil or Sacred Basil so may be sold under these names as well.

Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods more wholesome and nutritious. For this cake, use organic flour, sugars, butter, eggs, and cranberries if available.

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/tulsi-chocolate-cranberry-bundt-cake/feed/ 0 Hops Brownies with Hershey’s Bar Icing https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/hops-brownies-with-hersheys-bar-icing/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/hops-brownies-with-hersheys-bar-icing/#respond Tue, 20 Oct 2015 16:18:57 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1266
two brownies with hops flowerstwo brownies with hops flowers
hops from blue apronhops from blue apron
iced hops browniesiced hops brownies

About a month ago an advertisement postcard from Blue Apron appeared in my mailbox. This visionary company strives to increase home cooking by making it easier to fit making dinner into our busy lives. Each week a box of ingredients for three dinners that serve either two or four is delivered to your doorstep. Hello Fresh and Plated also offer this service. I make dinner almost every night for my family. I know from experience it gets tough sometimes. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about Blue Apron’s service. Besides, I have been conceptualizing the possibility of sending ingredient boxes for the herbal bake shoppe recipes. I could not resist seeing first hand how Blue Apron operates.

My reaction: totally impressed. The box came beautifully packed; everything was there for three entire dinners all with clear recipe instruction cards and bright attractive photos. Individually packaged ingredients were clearly marked. The food was fresh and in pristine condition. Most importantly perhaps, the recipes tasted good, delicious. I skipped the next week because the meal selections seemed those my kids would not like. This past week I received my second box. Same reaction: totally impressed, but also surprised and excited because included as an ingredient for one of the side dishes was a package of dried hops flowers! Blue Apron is after my heart using not just regular herbs like parsley, cilantro, garlic, pepper flakes, but also one that people may not think to use in cooking. My goals for the herbal bake shoppe are right up this alley.

Last spring I was experimenting with hops myself and made these brownies because hops seemed a perfect herb addition to a day end dessert. Hops, best known for its use in beer, has traditional use as a relaxing, sleep aid. I chose brownies as a medium because they are my son’s favorite. I think he fell asleep a bit earlier after trying them. I was not trying to do that, just hoping he would offer me an opinion. The fact that he ate them was a good sign.

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Hops Brownies with Hershey's Bar Icing
Beer crafters consider the bitterness of hops an essential balance to the sweetness of the brew. That perfectly translates to a spicy addition to a classic confection. Just as taste is not the only motive for drinking a beer, eating a brownie made with hops brings a tiny sigh of relaxation. It’s a dual end of meal benefit.
Servings Prep Time
12brownies 20minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
35-40minutes 25minutes for making hops tea
Servings Prep Time
12brownies 20minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
35-40minutes 25minutes for making hops tea
Ingredients
For hops tea
  • 1 tbsp dried hops flowers
  • 12ounces water
For brownies
  • 3/4cup cocoa powder (Dagoba)
  • 1/2tsp baking soda
  • 2/3cup organic unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2cup hot hops tea
  • 2cups organic granulated sugar
  • 3 organic eggs
  • 1 1/3cup organic all-purpose flour
  • 1/4cup organic coconut flour
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 5-6 Hershey's chocolate bars4-6 ounce bars
Instructions
For hops tea
  1. Combine dried hops flowers and water in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce to lowest heat setting, cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover tightly with lid. Steep for 15 minutes.
  2. Strain hops tea through a fine sieve, pressing on hops flowers to extract as much liquid as possible. Rinse saucepan. Measure ½ cup of hops tea and return to saucepan. When ready to use in brownie batter, heat tea until comes to boil.
For brownies
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9 inch square pan by measuring a 12 inch piece of aluminum foil, turn pan upside down and place foil shiny side down over pan and shape by turning down sides and corners. Remove foil, turn pan right side up and place shaped foil into pan, pressing gently into place. Coat foil with butter either very soft or melted and spread all around with pastry brush or crumpled wax paper.
  2. Combine butter and chocolates into top of double boiler and place over hot water in bottom on moderate heat. Cover and heat until almost completely melted. Remove from heat, stir, and allow to sit covered until completely melted. Stir in hops tea and allow to cool slightly.
  3. In electric mixer, beat eggs for on high speed 30 seconds, no more, just until frothy and a bit increased in volume. Decrease to low speed, gradually add sugar, beating only 2-3 seconds after each addition. Add vanilla extract, salt, and chocolate mixture, scraping sides with rubber spatula and beating just until barely mixed.
  4. Add flour, continue to scrape bowl with spatula and beat until mixed. Stir in chocolate chips. It is important not to over mix batter to assure moist and fudgy consistency of brownies.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake for 35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out barely clean. Do not over bake.
  6. As soon as brownies are removed from oven, place Hershey bars in a single layer onto warm brownies and as they melt, spread with an offset spatula to smooth and coat for a thick chocolate icing.
  7. Cool on wire rack for 45 minutes then refrigerate until completely cool before cutting. Slice with a sharp knife into 16 2inch squares and dust with powdered sugar. These can be wrapped individually and freeze nicely.
Recipe Notes

*Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods all the more nourishing. For these brownies, use organic butter, sugar, eggs, and flour if available.

Shop this post:
organic granulated sugar

**I am not advertising for the companies I mention, just describing my personal experience with them.

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/hops-brownies-with-hersheys-bar-icing/feed/ 0 Dandelion Fudge Brownies https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/dandelion-fudge-brownies/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/dandelion-fudge-brownies/#respond Wed, 23 Sep 2015 15:37:31 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1196
dandelion fudge browniedandelion fudge brownie
dandelion pureedandelion puree
cut browniescut brownies

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Dandelion Fudge Brownies
Eating leafy green vegetables takes on a whole new meaning here in these fudgy treats. They may not offer a full serving, but that would depend on how many brownies you eat.
Servings Prep Time
16brownies 25-30minutes
Cook Time
30minutes
Servings Prep Time
16brownies 25-30minutes
Cook Time
30minutes
Ingredients
For dandelion leaf puree
  • 1 bunch dandelion leaf greens(1-2 cups)
  • 1tbsp organic unsalted butter
  • 1-2 tbsp water
For brownies
  • 4ounces (1 stick) organic unsalted butter
  • 2ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 2ounces semisweet chocolate
  • 3/4cup dandelion leaf puree
  • 2 organic eggs
  • 1 1/2cups (300g) organic granulated sugar
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8tsp kosher salt
  • 3/4cup organic all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1/2cup milk chocolate chips
  • powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
For dandelion puree
  1. In medium saucepan, bring 1 inch water to boil, add chopped dandelion greens and cover. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Alternately, dandelion greens can be steamed over boiling water for 5 minutes.
  2. Immediately remove from heat and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Place steamed dandelion greens into food processor with melted butter, process until pureed, adding water as needed to obtain smooth consistency.
  3. This does not have to be totally smooth, a coarse puree will work fine.
For brownies
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9 inch square pan by measuring a 12 inch piece of aluminum foil, turn pan upside down and place foil shiny side down over pan and shape by turning down sides and corners. Remove foil, turn pan right side up and place shaped foil into pan, pressing gently into place. Coat foil with butter either very soft or melted and spread all around with pastry brush or crumpled wax paper.
  2. Combine butter and chocolates into top of double boiler and place over hot water in bottom on moderate heat. Cover and heat until almost completely melted. Remove from heat, stir, and allow to sit covered until completely melted. Stir in dandelion puree and allow to cool slightly.
  3. In electric mixer, beat eggs for on high speed 30 seconds, no more, just until frothy and a bit increased in volume. Decrease to low speed, gradually add sugar, beating only 2-3 seconds after each addition. Add vanilla extract, salt, and chocolate mixture, scraping sides with rubber spatula and beating just until barely mixed.
  4. Add flour, continue to scrape bowl with spatula and beat until mixed. Stir in chocolate chips. It is important not to over mix batter to assure moist and fudgy consistency of brownies.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake for 35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out barely clean. Do not over bake.
  6. Cool on wire rack for 45 minutes then refrigerate until completely cool before cutting. Slice with a sharp knife into 16 2inch squares and dust with powdered sugar. These can be wrapped individually and freeze nicely.
Recipe Notes

*Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods all the more nourishing. For these brownies, use organic butter, sugar, eggs, and flour if available.

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/dandelion-fudge-brownies/feed/ 0 Lavender Honey Flourless Chocolate Cake https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lavender-honey-flourless-chocolate-cake/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lavender-honey-flourless-chocolate-cake/#respond Tue, 07 Jul 2015 22:50:41 +0000 http://theherbalbakeshoppe.lettuce-design.com/?post_type=recipe&p=545
Lavender Honey Chocolate Cake SliceLavender Honey Chocolate Cake Slice
Lavender Honey Chocolate Cake SliceLavender Honey Chocolate Cake Slice
Lavender Honey Chocolate Whole CakeLavender Honey Chocolate Whole Cake
Making Lavender HoneyMaking Lavender Honey
Dried Lavender BudsDried Lavender Buds
Lavender HoneyLavender Honey

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

When I was in college I obsessively bought cookbooks somewhat because cooking fascinated me and I dreamed of doing it well. I joined a book club that automatically sent a cookbook each month allowing you to send it back or keep it. One month I received Maida Heatter’s Book of Great American Desserts. I did not really want this book as I had never heard of her, but I missed the deadline to send it back, paid for it and it was mine. I had no idea that I had just purchased a baking treasure. Now I realize that there are many possible explanations for baking failures. Of course, the obvious is you did something wrong. But it may also be the recipe. Never ever when I bake from Maida Heatter’s recipes, do they disappoint. Each time they succeed, look right, and are delicious. She is a true master of cookbook writing and I am not the only one who so thinks. She has won many awards. One very smart food blogger dedicated a website to baking through step-by-step many of her cakes, breads, cookies, etc. http://madaboutmaida.blogspot.com/p/about-maida-heatter.html

She is a true inspiration and I hesitate to touch any of her recipes, but as I search for ways to make herbs taste good and incorporate them into life, I keep going back to her books as a guide for I trust them like no other.

The floral lavender addition peaks through the dense, rich flavor of this cake just barely imparting it a bit of mystery. If preparing the lavender honey, plan to make the honey about 2 weeks before making the cake so it is ready when the time comes to bake. (see note below)

Adapted from Maida Heatter’s Cakes (Robert Redford Cake)

Lavender Honey Flourless Chocolate Cake
Servings Prep Time
12-16people 40minutes
Cook Time
70minutes
Servings Prep Time
12-16people 40minutes
Cook Time
70minutes
Ingredients
For cake
  • 1¼ cup almond meal
  • 12oz semisweet chocolate chips(I used Ghirardelli)
  • 1½sticks organic unsalted butterroom temperature
  • ½cup lavender honey*
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 10 organic eggs, separated
  • ¼tsp salt
For icing
  • ¾cup heavy cream
  • 12oz semisweet chocolate chips
For lavender honey
  • 3TBS dried lavender flower buds
  • 1cup organic honey
  • cheesecloth and kitchen twineoptional
For whipped cream
  • 1cup organic heavy cream
  • 1TBS lavender honey*
  • ½tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For cake
  1. Adjust rack of oven one third up from bottom. Preheat to 375 °F. Butter pan on bottom and sides, line bottom with a round of parchment paper cut to fit inside pan, then butter paper and dust bottom and sides with a bit of almond meal, shake out excess.
  2. In a food processor or coffee grinder, grind almond meal to a fine powder and set aside.
  3. Place the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler, add about 2 inches of water to bottom and warm on medium heat to melt chocolate on top. Cover top with a paper towel to absorb any steam, then cover with lid. As chocolate begins to melt, stir and remove from heat. Let stand, stirring occasionally until completely melted.
  4. Dry bottom of pan so no moisture gets into chocolate and transfer melted chocolate to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
  5. In electric mixer, with paddle attachment, beat butter until soft. Gradually add lavender honey, beating until smooth, then add vanilla and beat a few seconds to combine. Then begin to add egg yolks, two or three at a time, beating after each addition. The mixture will look curdled which will go away after other ingredients are added, so just beat until the yolks are mixed into the butter and honey.
  6. Add melted chocolate and beat until mixed through. Scrape sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add almond meal and beat to mix. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, the largest you have.
  7. Wash the bowl of the electric mixer well and wipe out with a dash of white vinegar. Now add egg whites and salt to bowl and beat with beater attachment. Beat for approximately 5-7 minutes until just barely stiff, they should stand up straight when the beater is raised.
  8. With a rubber spatula, fold about a quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Gently, fold in a second quarter of the egg whites. Continue to add egg whites, gently folding in to just blend the mixtures. This will make a large amount of batter.
  9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 375 °F for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 °F and bake for an additional 50 minutes (70 minutes total baking time). Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center, it should come out clean.
  10. Turn off the oven and open the door. Let the cake cool in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove it to a wire rack and cool completely. The cake will sink in the center during the cooling.
For Icing
  1. In a heavy saucepan, cook heavy cream over moderate heat until just warm and a wrinkled skin forms on the top.
  2. Add chocolate chips, reduce heat to low and stir with a small wire whisk until smooth. Cool by transferring to a small bowl to stop the cooking and stir occasionally. Icing will slightly thickened.
For whipped cream
  1. Place bowl and beater of electric mixer into refrigerator to chill.
  2. Once cold, add heavy cream, lavender honey and vanilla extract and whip until holds a soft shape but not stiff. Whipped cream can be made ahead, refrigerated and whipped slightly with a wire whisk just before serving.
To Assemble Cake
  1. To remove cake from pan, cover with a wire rack and turn pan over onto the rack. Remove the pan and parchment paper.
  2. Cover cake with another wire rack and turn over again. The cake will most likely not look level on top. With a long, thin, sharp knife trim the top to make level.
  3. Transfer cake to a cake platter or dish. Cut four 10x3 inch strips of wax paper and slide each under one side of the cake to protect the platter from icing as it may drip over the sides of the cake.
  4. Pour the cooled icing over the top of the cake, carefully spreading so that only a small amount drips over the sides of the cake. Spread until top is smooth. Remove the strips of wax paper.
  5. I like to refrigerate the cake so the icing hardens a bit, but you do not have to do this. Serve with big spoonfuls of whipped cream.
Recipe Notes
Lavendar Honey Infusion Methods

Long-Infusion Method
Put lavender into glass jar with lid, pour honey over flowers and stir with a wooden chopstick or popsicle stick. Cover with lid and allow to sit in a cool, dark place for 1-2 weeks. Stir daily with chopstick or popsicle stick. Strain through cheesecloth, squeezing to get as much honey out as possible.

Short Heating Method
Cut 2 pieces of cheesecloth into 6x9 inch rectangles then fold in half, divide lavender into 2 parts and place each in center of folded cheesecloth, fold as a package and tie with kitchen twine. Pour honey into top of double boiler and add lavender packages, tying twine to the handle of the saucepan and cut so none hangs over the edge of pan. Warm 2 inches of water in bottom of pan and lightly simmer for 40 minutes. Do not allow honey to boil or overheat and stir frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool, remove lavender packets. Squeeze packets to get as much honey out as possible. Alternately, lavender flower buds can be added directly to honey and once heating is finished strained through a cheesecloth prior to cooling.

Lavender Honey Already Prepared
Lavender honey already prepared is available for purchase, it is easy to find online and usually costs $10-$20. I found several options on Amazon and it is also sold in specialty food stores, even Whole Foods.

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lavender-honey-flourless-chocolate-cake/feed/ 0 Lavender Peach Coffee Cake https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lavender-peach-coffee-cake/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/lavender-peach-coffee-cake/#respond Tue, 07 Jul 2015 21:17:33 +0000 http://theherbalbakeshoppe.lettuce-design.com/?post_type=recipe&p=536
Lavender Peach Coffee Cake One PieceLavender Peach Coffee Cake One Piece
Lavender Peach Coffee Cake IngredientsLavender Peach Coffee Cake Ingredients
First Layer — Lavender Peach Coffee CakeFirst Layer — Lavender Peach Coffee Cake
Second Layer — Lavender Peach Coffee CakeSecond Layer — Lavender Peach Coffee Cake
Third Layer — Lavender Peach Coffee CakeThird Layer — Lavender Peach Coffee Cake
Lavender Peach Coffee Cake Out of the OvenLavender Peach Coffee Cake Out of the Oven
Lavender Peach Coffee Cake on TrayLavender Peach Coffee Cake on Tray
Lavender Peach Coffee Cake on Tray with CoffeeLavender Peach Coffee Cake on Tray with Coffee

The mingling of lavender with fruit. Just as a backup singer adjusts her pitch to the tune of the lead vocalist, so lavender harmonizes beautifully with the peach. Maida Heatter, “the queen of desserts” calls this layered pastry a kuchen, which is the German word for cake. It is reminiscent of pie, with a cakey crust, a fruit filling and a crumby topping. It resounded the perfect coffee cake to me. Pondering that complementing duo, I flavored three of the layers with lavender, the sweet yeast dough, the crumb topping, and the icing but the taste still just peaks through because of how well the peaches balance it.

There is a tradition in Germany called Kaffee and Kuchen. Friends and families gather mid afternoon, especially on Sundays, anywhere for coffee and cake and conversation. Conversation! In my home with three teenagers who sometimes barely utter a hello as they immerse themselves in their own lives (totally normal I know), this sounds so good. The idea of a homemade cake to share with my special confidantes, inspired me to add the herb of attraction, lavender, to this kuchen, enticing them to my home for a good cuppa, a treat, and talking.

Adapted from Maida Heatter’s Great American Desserts

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Lavender Peach Coffee Cake
Servings Prep Time
8-10people 75minutes
Cook Time
40minutes
Servings Prep Time
8-10people 75minutes
Cook Time
40minutes
Ingredients
For topping
  • ½cup organic light brown sugar
  • ¼cup organic unsifted all-purpose flour
  • ¼cup organic almond meal
  • 3TBS organic unsalted buttersoftened to room temperature
  • ⅛ tsp lavender powder
For cake batter
  • 4-5 organic medium peaches*peeled and sliced thinly
  • 2cups organic unsifted all-purpose flour
  • 1cup organic granulated sugarplus 1 extra teaspoon*
  • ½cup organic unsalted buttersoftened to room temperature
  • ¼cup organic milk
  • 2 organic large eggsroom temperature
  • 2TBS warm water
  • 1½ tsp active dry yeastnot a full packet
  • 1TBS baking powder
  • ½tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼tsp almond extract
  • ½tsp salt
  • 1 rind of large lemonfinely grated
  • ¼cup chocolate chips or raisinsoptional
For icing
  • ¼tsp lavender powder
  • 1TBS boiling water
  • 1cup organic sifted powder sugar
  • 1½ tsp lemon juice
Instructions
For topping
  1. In small bowl, cream butter with large spoon until soft. Add sugar and beat to mix.
  2. Add flour, almond meal, and lavender powder beating until crumbly. Set aside to top cake before baking.
For cake batter
  1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
  2. Butter 13x9x2-inch cake pan and place in freezer until ready to use for batter. This will make it easier to spread bottom layer of cake in pan.
  3. In small bowl, combine warm water, 1 teaspoon sugar, and yeast. Stir with a knife just to mix and set aside.
  4. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and lavender powder. Set aside.
  5. In large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter until soft. Add remaining ½ cup sugar, beat to mix. Add yeast mixture, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts, and lemon rind. Beat on medium high speed to mix which may make batter look curdled, but this is ok and will change as soon as dry ingredients are added.
  6. Decrease speed of mixer to low, add ½ of dry ingredients, then milk, then rest of dry ingredients, beating to combine after each addition. Once well combined, begin cake assembly.
For icing
  1. Place lavender powder in small bowl and pour in boiling water, stir to dissolve.
  2. Add powdered sugar and lemon juice and stir with rubber spatula until smooth and thick and just barely thin enough to drizzle on cake.
To assemble cake
  1. Remove baking pan from freezer. Pour ½ of cake batter (approximately 1¼ cups) into pan and spread with rubber spatula into a very thin layer covering whole bottom of pan.
  2. Line sliced peaches in rows to cover bottom layer of batter. Peaches should be just barely touching each other. If using chocolate chips or raisins, sprinkle on top of peaches.
  3. Using 2 teaspoons, place the rest of the batter on top of the peaches, working to cover as much of the fruit as you can. Use one spoon to pick up a spoonful of batter, the second spoon to push off onto fruit. Once you have used up all of the batter, there may be some small spaces showing which is ok.
  4. Using your fingers, sprinkle the topping mixture over the batter to completely cover. Bake for 35-40 minutes until top is browned.
  5. While cake is baking, prepare icing. Do this right at the end, in the last 5 minutes of baking.
  6. As soon as cake is removed from oven, use a rubber spatula to drizzle icing in thin lines all over the cake. The icing will sink into the cake topping.
  7. Cool cake in pan on wire racks. Once cooled to room temperature, place pan in refrigerator for 1-2 hours until cold. Slice into squares. Store in refrigerator. Coffee cake slices can be individually wrapped and frozen.
Recipe Notes

If peaches are ripe, it may be easier to blanch them for peeling. To blanch peaches, bring a water to boil in a saucepan deep enough to cover two peaches at a time. Have a large bowl of ice water ready. Place 2 peaches at a time into the boiling water with a slotted spoon. Boil for 1-2 minutes depending on ripeness of peaches. Lift peach out of water with slotted spoon and if skin feels loose when you touch it with a finger, place in ice water until cool enough to handle. Starting at the stem, peel off the skin with your fingers. If needed, peaches can be returned to the boiling water. Slice peeled peaches into thin slices. If peaches are not very ripe, I think it is easier to use a thin, sharp paring knife to peel and slice them.

Using organic ingredients in your baked goods makes them all the more nourishing. For this recipe, use organic butter, sugar, flour, eggs, milk, and peaches if available.

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