Tas'tea Pairings Part II

No, no you're not having a déjà brew, in this blog we are continuing some terrific pairings of chai and noms. In case you missed Tas'tea Pairings Part I, If done right, pairings can go beyond bringing out the flavor of tea and food, to release a third flavor creating a heavenly melt in the mouth dream! The art of tea pairing is still evolving in the United States and Canada but in the East, they have drunk tea with food including entrées since forever.
Let's dunk into some delightful delicacies.
*Mangalyam (Lavender & Marigold) + Lavender roasted pears with rosemary whipped cream. 
Let the floral flavors of Mangalyam tantalate your senses. Mangalyam in Sanskrit means 'Pure and Auspicious' rightly so, this blend is inspired by Madura's big Indian wedding where the venue was adorned with over 250 pounds of marigold & lavender. 
In Ayurvedic medicine marigold is known as 'The herb of the Sun', it depicts passion, and to us, it represents our passion for chai. Our curated multiflorous Lavender & Marigold infused blend will calm your mind and uplift your spirits. 
Aroma: Herbaceous, sweet & floral with a hint of camphor from lavender & alluring scent of marigold.
Taste:
Head Notes: Light hints of saffrony marigold;
Body Notes: Floral lavender & earthy black tea;
Tail Notes: Citrusy undertones
Color: Ranging from brown zero to iron brew.
We hear scent-associated memories are more pleasing than other memories, we hope you can make some lovely memories with this chai. 
All this "Pairings" talk got us thinking about fruit and we stumbled upon a delightful recipe to compliment Mangalyam chai! This recipe for Lavender roasted pears with rosemary whipped cream is from Lina at Strictly Delicious 
Lavender roasted pears from Strictly Delicious
The last of our Tas'tea pairings is a real treat. 
Our lovely friend Marinda Mucci from Mucci's Sweet Treats agreed to take time out of her busy schedule and send us a specially crafted recipe for making CHOCOLATE CARAMEL-STUFFED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES to nibble on while sipping Summer Masala Chai. 
Marinda is a talented baker from Troy, Ohio. She is famous for her delectable delights from gourmet brownies to unique pizzelles. 
Sometimes, all you kneed is love. Marinda grew up loving the time she spent baking with her family. And when you do what you love, people tend to love what you do. Trust us, we LOVE the sweet treats she makes. 
Find Marinda Mucci’s Sweet Treats year-round on the Miami County Locally Grown website
Visit her Facebook page @muccissweettreats, and stop by her booth at the Downtown Troy Farmer’s Market, Saturday mornings thru the season!
*Sugrisma (Iced Summer Masala Chai) + Chocolate Carmel-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
/Su.grIsma/ noun; Sanskrit meaning  'Fine Summer'
One hot summer day, shuffling through my spice jars I was trying to make an iced-spiced chai. I was looking for the ingredients I need to make Sanyukta Bharatam our classic masala blend but I just couldn't find everything I needed so I threw together what I had and voila, Sugrisma was born!
This "happy accident" blend has the best components of masala chai and iced chai. It is nutty, spicy, and refreshing! We like it best chilled but you can also drink it hot with a sweet treat on the side. This chai has an internal cooling effect on the heated senses of summer which was the main inspiration behind the blend. So sip and enjoy the flavors of Sugrisma. 
Aroma: Sweet with the nuttiness of cardamom and fresh grassy notes. 
Taste:
Head Notes: Gingery;
Body Notes: Cooling spice, woody and nutty;
Tail Notes: Fennel 'ish fresh.
Color: Ranging from cream to tan.
Our tea leaves are hand-picked in Assam - the land of tea gardens. Our tealicious chai is synergistically sourced, we aim to cultivate environmental stewardship, and respect cultural identity! 
Gluten-Free; Fat-Free; All Natural; Women-owned; Cruelty-Free   
Blended and packed in Philadelphia.
Shop Sugrisma here!

Tea'ps 

  • Top off your cup with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 
  • You can also blend the ice + tea + milk/ ice cream to make a "crème de thé" frappe #fancyshmancy 
  • For our vegan friends replace dairy with coconut milk / oat milk
  • For an oriental Asian twist add boba (bubble or tapioca balls)
As promised, here is Marinda Mucci's special recipe

Chocolate Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields 16-20 cookies
Time 45 min-1 hour, plus chilling time
Ingredients

1 1/3 c (162g) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 c (118g) unsweetened baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c (170g) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 c (150g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 c (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp (15 ml) milk
1 c (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
22 Rolo candies or Hershey's Caramel Kisses, unwrapped

Instructions
  1. Measure flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until combined. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk. Whisk in the vanilla extract until well combined. 
  3. Fold butter/sugar mixture into the flour/cocoa mixture until just combined. Mix in milk. Fold in the chocolate chips or chunks. 
  4. Roll the dough into balls, about 3 Tablespoons of dough each. Poke hole in cookie dough and press Rolo candy or Hershey's kiss inside. Mold cookie dough around candy to completely seal it inside. Eat leftover candies. :)
  5. Place cookie dough balls in airtight container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to 3 days. Chilling overnight or in the freezer is recommended.
  6. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Bake 6-8 balls of dough on each cookie sheet, for about 12-13 minutes (plus an extra minute or two if the cookie dough is frozen).
  7. Cool cookies on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.

Click here to download the recipe card of Iced Summer Masala Chai x Caramel stuffed chocolate cookies!

Okay, now stop dreaming of cookies and chai! Bake it happen!
Until next time, 
Tea'ta ! 
Co-authored by Sargam Merchant and Madura Chaudhari

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