Matcha powder might be all the rage, and we’re 100% guilty of playing favourites, but today we’re going to talk about our less-celebrated Rooibos Tea Powder. Its flavour profile is earthier and nuttier (without any actual nuts), and goes so well with all the traditional ingredients and spices that we’ve come to associate with the holidays.

Using tea powders when you bake may not be conventional, but it shouldn’t be intimidating either. Once you understand their individual flavour, sensory portrait, and optimal pairings, incorporating and substituting them into your own recipes is a no-brainer.

NOTE: Keep in mind, when using tea powders you’re experiencing the concentrated form of the leaf in terms of flavour potency. The WHOLE leaf is ground and the WHOLE leaf dissolves in your respective beverage or recipe, as opposed to the more watered-down version of brewed loose-leaf tea. Less powder goes a long way. Plus, you save time and dishes by skipping steeping-steps. Win-win!

When using tea in recipes, it’s critical to understand flavour profiles and complimentary flavours. So, what’s a tea drinker looking for in a quality cup of Rooibos? Primarily “honey,” “woody,” “spicy,” and “caramel”, are the adjectives sommeliers and Rooibos distributors use to describe the perfect cup of rooibos. Of course, there are many different blends (and qualities) of Rooibos with varying flavour profiles, but in general, the pure red tisane has a natural hint of sweetness, tempered by heady earthiness.

Food Pairings

• Spices: Cinnamon, chai
• Fruits: Apples, oranges, pears, raspberries, coconut
• Vegetables: Butternut squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin
• Meat: Chicken, pork
• Sweeteners: Chocolate, vanilla, caramel

RECIPE: White Chocolate & Rooibos Powder Fudge

Photo & Recipe courtesy of http://drizzleanddip.com

You will need:

1. 2 cups sugar
2. 1 ½ cups cream
3. 2 tbsp liquid glucose
4. 1 tbsp butter
5. 1 tbsp rooibos powder
6. 100gm white chocolate

Instructions:

1. Grease or line about a 20cm x 20cm tin / container, depending how thick you want the fudge to be
2. Put all the ingredients in a pot a bring to the boil
3. When its boiling allow it to carry on boiling over a moderate heat, stirring occasionally for about 40 minutes and until it reaches 118 C on a sugar thermometer (this is the ‘fudge’ stage)
4. Take it off the heat and carry on stirring until it cools. Note: this gets harder as the fudge gets thicker and hardens. It gets to the point where it starts hardening and setting on the sides of the pot, so make sure to tip it into a lined/greased container before this happens.
5. Smooth it out and store in the fridge to set. Cut into squares.

We encourage you to try this recipe and share your photos on Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us @tealchemy and spread the love! Stay tuned for more recipes.

Click photo below to shop our Rooibos Powder.

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Best part about this Rooibos syrup? Its versatility. From cocktails to cheese, flavor is this syrup’s forte.

Uses

• Desserts & Ice Cream
• Pancakes & Waffles
• Cocktails
• Cheese & Nuts

Rooibos Syrup Cheese Guide

Unsurprisingly, rooibos syrup goes well with most cheeses, but for all the sticklers out there – that wordplay was not lost on us – we listed a few pairing suggestions:

• Blends well with creamy soft-fresh cheeses (Chevre, Mascarpone, Ricotta)
• Condiment for soft-ripened cheeses (Brie, Camembert)
• Excellent counterpoint for hard-sharp cheeses (Asiago, Romano)

Recipe: Camembert Croissant

Ingredients

• Rooibos Syrup
• Croissants
• Camembert Cheese
• Fresh figs
• Arugula

Directions

Slice croissants in half, lengthwise fill with cheese (get indulgent), arugula, sliced figs and drizzle with syrup!

Recipe 2: Fresh Berry Layer Cake

With blueberry season in full swing, this cake is the perfect summer dessert. Feel free to play with the berry ratio – the berrier the merrier!

Ingredients

• 3-quart glass trifle bowl
• 1 loaf premade angel food cake
• 2 cups of strawberries, sliced
• 2 cups of blueberries
• 1 cups of raspberries
• 1 cup whipped cream
• 1/3 cup of teALCHEMY Rooibos Syrup
• 1 lemon
• Fresh sprig of mint

Directions

1. In medium bowl, gently mix strawberries and blueberries and add 1 freshly squeezed lemon. Mix in Rooibos Syrup and stir mixture well.
2. First layer: Layer bottom of trifle bowl with ½ of this berry and syrup mixture.
3. Second layer: Spread angel food cake on top of berry and syrup mixture.
4. Third Layer: Top angel cake with 1 cup of whipped cream.
5. Fourth layer: Spread remaining ½ of berry mixture on top of cream.
6. Top layer: Top with raspberries and fresh sprig of mint.

Syrup Used in This Recipe:

Visit the Tea Boutique by clicking on the syrup below

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With great new tea inspired recipes to try this summer, you’ll be staying hydrated and refreshed, as you learn about all the different types of healthy foods you could incorporate into your mixed drinks. With such different exotic and vibrant blends to choose from, this summer you’ll be spending most of your time making concoctions for your family and friends.

One of my favourite spices to add to cold tea is ginger. This spicy root is chalk filled with benefits your body craves. One of the main benefits to ginger is that it improves the absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body. This makes it easier for your body to act like a sponge and absorb all the rich nutrients’ and vitamins you take throughout the day. It also includes anti-inflammatory properties that aids in relief.

Try it!

Try teALCHEMY’s Peppermint tea, a mellow vegetal aroma with a smooth, lingering sweet finish. Top it off with grated ginger roots for that spicy and light taste.

Another great leaf to add to your tea this summer is mint. Known for having the ability to freshen breath, mint offers a multitude of health benefits, one being that is helps assist in healthy digestion. Like a cool breeze across a vast ocean, this refreshing green treat also helps alleviate nausea and headaches while improving memory loss. This natural plant-based remedy can be easy to incorporate into your daily lifestyle.

Try it!

Try teALCHEMY’s Citrus Splash, a refreshing blend of orange and pineapple flavours creates summertime cooler or a wintertime summer reminder. As a garnish, top it off with strawberries and a sprig of mint.

Ginger and mint are amazing when added separately or blended together, but another top-tier treat is the classic, brightly lit yellow lemons.

This vibrant and powerful citrus packs a punch when eaten. It also provides your body with the right benefits to keep you feeling hale and hearty. Lemons are alkalizing for the body and help balance the body’s natural ph levels. Rich in vitamin C and flavonoids, it fights against infections like the common flu and colds.

Try it!

Try teALCHEMY’s Sweet Bloosom Green, light and refreshing with notes of cherry and rose. Spruce it up with half a lemon wedge.

Those are just some of the effortless recipes available to try this summer. Try something new; challenge yourself to feature new fruits and spices into your tea regiment and see what kind of alchemist you become. Stay hydrated this summer and remember, Stay cool, stay fresh and drink some tea!

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One of the blends that have recently gained popularity is Oolong Tea. ‘Oolong’ comes from the Chinese name ‘wu long’- ‘wu’ meaning black and ‘lung’ meaning dragon.

There are a number of varieties of Oolong; among them are Dung Ti and Ti Kuan Yin. The latter is named after the Chinese Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin. There’s a great story behind this tea. Legend goes that in Fujian Province- China, there was an old crumbling temple with a statue of Guanyin. Each day, a poor farmer would pass the temple on the way to his fields. Seeing its poor condition, he developed a habit of sweeping the temple and lighting incense a few times per month. Finally, one day Guanyin appeared to him, and told him of a cave where he would find treasure. Waiting there he found a single rare tea plant. From this plant, he became known for the finest teas in his land!

Many tea enthusiasts love Oolong for its depth of complex flavours and aromas. All Oolongs are great to pair with smoked foods, lightly spicy or curried dishes and buttery desserts. Oolong’s taste generally falls in the range between green and black teas because it’s only partially oxidized. The particular level of oxidization depends of the desired style of Oolong. Finished teas can vary in colour from blue-green to brown.

If you have a sweet tooth, try an Oolong after dessert as well. The polyphenols in Oolong may actually support healthy teeth. Just like Green Tea, Oolong boasts plenty of antioxidants that are effective at removing toxins from the body, and some say, will promote healthy skin. In fact, a 2001 trial study of the affects of Oolong for people struggling with skin conditions (eg. Eczema) found that most often, these conditions improved significantly after introducing Oolong tea for just a few weeks.

You should know that Oolong is also loaded with other health benefits. It’s a popular addition to weight loss programs because it contains the antioxidant catechin, which can boost your metabolism for up to 2 hours post consumption. Did you know Oolong may be even better at calorie-burning than green tea?

Once you try it, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to Oolong!

Head over to the Tea Boutique to try one of our Oolong Tea blends. If you’re looking for a fun way to incorporate Oolong Tea into food, check out this fun recipe for Oolong Tea Macaroons HERE.

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The history of the tea ceremony reveals some secrets about mindfulness. Zen Buddhism played a major role in the development of the tea ceremony.  In fact, the history of Zen and the practice of tea drinking have developed side by side and have greatly influenced one another.

The story goes that Shuko, a budding student of Buddhism was expelled from his temple for his failure to follow orders, his tendency to fall asleep while meditating and his overall restlessness. His problems followed him as he got older and became a Zen priest. Finally, he begged a renowned doctor to find him a cure for sleepiness. The doctor ordered him to drink green tea. The tea worked and his meditation practice grew deeper. From then on, Shuko studied tea ceremony and became a devoted tea enthusiast. Word spread of the powers of tea, and soon it became a common meditation aid in monasteries. The monks developed formal tea rituals to suit the monastic life, and eventually, the drink spread outwards to the surrounding towns.

Tea is known to help us with tranquility and concentration while also keeping us alert and focused. This is the affect of a combination of properties found in the Camellia sinensis plant: caffeine, polyphenols and theanine. The stimulant caffeine helps to keep us alert. Tea also contains theanine, a psychoactive amino acid. There has been evidence to suggest that theanine increases calm, improves cognitive performance and, in synergy with caffeine, actually improves our mood.

Interestingly, studies in the Japanese population, where green tea is very popular have found overall, green tea is associated with lower levels of psychological stress than in cultures where green tea is uncommon.

For those who feel too mentally activated by caffeine, some herbal remedies will provide similar affects. Blends with active ingredients like kava kava, lemon balm, lavender and passion-flower will promote calm and reduce nervousness.

Whether you’re a meditator or just want some more Zen in your day, replacing common high sugar drinks with tea remedies can really help. So be mindful of what you drink! And know that tea has a long history of helping us finding peace of mind.

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This recipe uses the following tea:

CHOCOLATEY MINT ROOIBOS (visit the tea boutique)

Zulu

Yields: 1 Cocktail

• 1 tumbler glass (if the glass is thin, muddle the mint in a pint glass and transfer afterwards)
• 4-5 oz Chocolatey Mint Rooibos iced tea (see here for how to prepare iced tea)
• 1 oz amaretto
• 1 oz vodka
• shaved chocolate for garnish
• mint leaf for muddling
• crushed ice

1. Make a strong brew of Chocolatey Mint Rooibos tea (double the tea to water ratio – 2 tsp tea leaves for 6 oz boiling water)
2. Store in fridge to cool
3. Mix the vodka with the iced tea in a cocktail shaker with ice if you have one. Otherwise simply stir the vodka into the iced tea with ice
4. Voila! Sip away.

Tea Used in This Recipe:

Visit the Tea Boutique by clicking on the tea below

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This recipe uses the following tea:

ROOIBOS POWDER (visit the tea boutique)

Unsweetened Rooibos Powder Latte

Yields: 1 Latte

• 1 Latte Mug
• 1/2 tsp rooibos powder
• 4-5 ounces cold milk
• 1 tbsp hot water

1. Sift Rooibos Powder into an 8 ounce latte mug
2. Mix in hot water using the back of a spoon, making a smooth paste without any lumps.
3. Steam milk until the desired temperature, add to Rooibos Powder
4. Garnish with ground nutmeg or chocolate
5. Enjoy!

Tea Used in This Recipe:

Visit the Tea Boutique by clicking on the tea below

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This recipe uses the following tea:

MATCHA (visit the tea boutique)

Matcha Smoothie

Yields: 1 Latte

• 16 oz glass
• blender
• 1 tsp matcha
• sweetener (optional)

1. Top off a 16 oz glass with ice and then fill it with your favorite milk (dairy and non dairy work well).
2. Pour into a blender.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of teAlchemy Matcha (or more).
4. Add sweetener to taste (if desired).
5. Blend until smooth.
6. Sip and enjoy!

Tea Used in This Recipe:

Visit the Tea Boutique by clicking on the tea below

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This recipe uses the following tea:

MATCHA (visit the tea boutique)

Unsweetened Matcha Latte

Yields: 1 Latte

• 1 Latte Mug
• 1/2 tsp matcha
• 4-5 ounces hot water

1. Sift 1/2 teaspoon of teAlchemy Cooking Grade Matcha into an 8 ounce latte mug.
2. Mix 1 tablespoon of hot water into the Matcha using the back of a spoon or a Matcha whisk, making a smooth paste without any lumps.
3. Steam 4-5 ounces of cold milk (either dairy or non-dairy) until the desired temperature, add to Matcha
4. Sip and enjoy!

Tea Used in This Recipe:

Visit the Tea Boutique by clicking on the tea below

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