chamomile – The Herbal Bake Shoppe https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com Bringing herbalism & baking together Fri, 14 Apr 2017 23:32:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 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

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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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]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/chamomile-blonde-brownies/feed/ 0 Chamomile Cupcakes https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/chamomile-cupcakes/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/chamomile-cupcakes/#respond Tue, 07 Jul 2015 22:53:25 +0000 http://theherbalbakeshoppe.lettuce-design.com/?post_type=recipe&p=550
Chamomile CupcakeChamomile Cupcake
Dried ChamomileDried Chamomile
Chamomile Infused MilkChamomile Infused Milk
Chamomile Infused MilkChamomile Infused Milk

Delicate and airy, these are the perfect end of the day sweet morsel to calm the stomach and the mind.

Chamomile Cupcakes
Delicate and airy, these are the perfect end of the day sweet morsel to calm the stomach and the mind.
Servings Prep Time
18 cupcakes 1½hours
Cook Time
20minutes
Servings Prep Time
18 cupcakes 1½hours
Cook Time
20minutes
Ingredients
For chamomile-infused milk
  • 4TBS dried chamomile *
  • 1½cups 2% milk
For cupcakes
  • 1¾cup all-purpose flour
  • 1cup granulated sugar
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • ¼tsp baking soda
  • ¾cup unsalted buttersoftened to room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1TBS vanilla extract
  • ½cup sour cream
  • ⅔cup chamomile-infused milk
For chamomile icing
  • ½cup unsalted buttersoftened to room temperature
  • 3-3½cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3TBS chamomile-infused milk
Instructions
For chamomile-infused milk
  1. In a small stainless steel or glass saucepan, combine dried chamomile and 2% milk. Warm over medium low heat slowly just until under boiling, stirring with a small wooden spoon or wooden chopsticks. As milk begins to steam, decrease heat to simmer and cover. Steep for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and keeping temperature constant at about 200 degrees. It is not necessary to measure the temperature, just make sure that milk does not boil.
  2. Cool in saucepan for 30 minutes, keeping covered and then strain milk into a small bowl pressing on chamomile in strainer to extract as much of the milk as possible.
  3. Cool completely before adding to cupcake batter. May be prepared a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
  4. The milk will have turned a light yellow color from the chamomile and you will have about 1 cup of milk, which is a bit more than needed for this recipe. Try any extra in coffee or hot chocolate or just drink it, it is really nice tasting, especially if you like chamomile tea.
For cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 °F and line cupcake pan with 18 liners.
  2. Into large mixing bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Add softened butter, egg and egg whites, vanilla, sour cream and chamomile-infused milk. With mixer on medium speed, beat until smooth, small lumps may remain which are ok.
  3. Using a ¼ cup measure, pour batter into lined cupcake pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.
  4. Cool for 2 minutes in the pan and then remove cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely before icing.
For chamomile icing
  1. For icing, cream softened butter until light and fluffy. Add sifted powdered sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until creamy. Add chamomile-infused milk and mix until incorporated.
  2. Keep icing at room temperature until ready to ice cupcakes. Store iced cupcakes in refrigerator. These cupcakes also freeze well, wrap them individually before freezing.
Recipe Notes

*A note on chamomile for this recipe: I grew chamomile this year but I did not use it for this recipe. You would need to cut a lot of flowers and they are just too pretty in the garden. You certainly can use the fresh flowers though, just dry them before measuring. My first choice is to buy bulk dried chamomile from a small herb farm supplier (see chamomile plant profile). My second choice is to use organic chamomile tea bags. Each tea bag contains 2 grams of chamomile so you would need 4 tea bags. Cut open the bags and remove the chamomile, measure to be sure and then add to saucepan.

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