Iced Honey Lemon Darjeeling

It's finally warm and sunny so I hope you're ready for lots and lots of summer recipes!

I decided to kick spring and summer off with this Iced Honey Lemon Darjeeling

I used some amazing First-Flush Darjeeling from Tea Campaign Canada. I'm currently running the Instagram for this tea company and I highly recommend their darjeeling. Check out their website here: http://www.teacampaign.ca

Iced Honey Lemon Darjeeling

4 cups hot water (175F)
4 tsp loose leaf darjeeling (find the darjeeling I used here: http://www.teacampaign.ca)
2-3 Tbs honey
1 lemon

1) Measure out 4 tsp. of darjeeling and 3 Tbs of honey

2) Heat water to 175F and steep the darjeeling in 4 cups of water for 12-15 minutes (this can vary depending on your preference)

 

3) While the tea is still hot, add 2-3 tablespoons of honey and stir to help it dissolve

4) Add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice until the taste is to your liking

5) Set tea in fridge for 2-3 hours until chilled

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

For Easter this year I made a simple (but delicious!) Gluten-Free Carrot Cake.

I based this recipe off a recipe for carrot-cake cupcakes which you can find here: http://www.yammiesglutenfreedom.com

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a small cake pan (I used a spring form pan)
*If you want to make this a layer cake then you'll need to double the recipe

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar (I used a little less than this)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour (I used Trader Joe's mix)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of cloves
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup of finely shredded carrots

1) Mix together the eggs, sugar, butter, coconut oil, and vanilla
2) Mix together the dry ingredients
3) Combine the wet and dry ingredients
4) Mix in the shredded carrots
5) Pour your batter into the greased cake pan
6) Place pan in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean)

Frosting

5 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 tablespoon butter (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

*Put ingredients into a mixer and mix on high until everything is well combined
*Add more sugar or cream depending on the sweetness or texture you desire

Frost the cake and sprinkle chopped walnuts on top to finish!

Mocha Pomegranate Mousse

One of the desserts I made for Thanksgiving was this lovely Mocha Pomegranate Mousse! It turned out   very pretty and flavorful so I decided to share my recipe. If you aren't a huge pomegranate lover, no worries! You can easily substitute the pomegranate with almost any other fruit/ flavor. For example, you could try this recipe using raspberries, blackberries, lemon, peach, peppermint, or even eggnog! 

Mocha Pomegranate Mousse Recipe

Mocha Mousse Layer

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 

4 ounces milk chocolate

4 ounces coffee chocolate

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

3 tablespoons water 

2 tablespoons sugar

3 egg yolks, room temperature

1) Melt all the chocolate in a double boiler and set aside to cool

2) Crack three eggs and separate the yolks into a bowl. Set aside

3) Put the water and sugar in a small sauce pan. Stir on medium heat until it starts to bubble and become like syrup

4) Add the simple syrup (while still hot) to the egg yolks while constantly stirring 

5) Add the syrup and yolks to the chocolate and mix all together

6) Whip the heavy cream until peaks form

7) Carefully fold all the chocolate into cream until mixed together 

8) Pipe or spoon the mousse into cups/bowls and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes 

Pomegranate Mousse Layer

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 tablespoon sugar
6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream 

1) Put the water and gelatin in a bowl and set aside (allow gelatin to bloom)

2) Put the pomegranate juice and sugar in a small sauce pan and stir on medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the juice becomes more concentrated (once the juice starts to bubble, continue to stir on heat for around 5 minutes). 

3) Put the bloomed gelatin in the pomegranate juice and stir

4) mix the chopped white chocolate into the pomegranate juice. The hot juice should melt the chocolate

5) Whip the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. 

6) fold the pomegranate juice into the whipped cream

7) Pipe/spoon the pomegranate mousse onto the chilled mocha mousse

8) Put the mousse back into the fridge for at least and hour

Before Serving

1/2 cup of fresh pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup of chopped/shaved white chocolate 

1) Sprinkle the seeds and chocolate onto the cups of mousse right before serving 

A Bit of Baking

Since my brothers have come home for the summer, I've started baking again! Yesterday I made these lovely coconut macaroons and today I made brownies. The macaroons are absolutely amazing! I suggest you try them out. Both of these recipes are super quick and easy. 

Here's the macaroon recipe: http://pamelasalzman.com/coconut-macaroons/

(I used less sugar and maple syrup in place of the honey. They were plenty sweet!)

 Brownie recipe: http://www.eatgood4life.com/2013/04/the-best-gluten-free-brownies-ever.html

(Plus they're gluten-free!)