Elena Kalmykova, pastry chef at several Michelin-starred establishments, poetically describes three tea and pastry pairings.
Sunshine on a plate
Apricot, forest honey, tagetes flowers. One spoonful, and I think of a fermented wulong with notes of dried fruit. Together, they evoke a ripe, full, vibrant summer.
Peruvian dark chocolate, Georgian black tea
A melt-in-the-mouth, intense, almost raw slice; a dense, sweet tea, in perfect harmony. Two powerful flavors that do not overwhelm each other, but elevate each other. Nothing more, nothing less.
Hōjicha and citrus light
A sun-kissed cake, where the tenderness of caramel embraces citrus fruits. Alongside it, a cup of hōjicha with notes of warm wood and hazelnut, which brings out the sweetness and awakens the liveliness of the zest. A moment suspended between fire and light.
Elena's recipes
1. Vanilla and rosemary cake (16 cm cake pan)
🧈 Ingredients
- 3 eggs — 160-170g
- Sugar — 70g
- Flour — 170g
- Baking powder — 6g
- Salt — 1g
- Whole milk — 70g
- Unsalted butter — 90g
- Vanilla sugar — 15g
- Rosemary — ¼ sprig to infuse the butter
👩🍳 Preparation
Melt the butter with the milk, add ¼ sprig of rosemary, leave to infuse for 15 minutes, then remove completely.
Whisk the eggs with the sugar and salt for 3–4 minutes until you obtain a light, airy texture.
Mix gently.
Sift the flour and baking powder, fold in 2–3 times without overworking.
Pour in slowly, mix with a spatula.
Butter a 16 cm cake pan, bake at 165–170°C for 25–35 minutes (depending on the oven).
2. Rosemary whipped ganache OR vanilla (more fragrant, but milder)
🧈 Ingredients
- White chocolate — 80g
- Heavy cream 33% — 200g
- Rosemary — 1 whole sprig OR Vanilla — ½ pod
👩🍳 Preparation
Heat 100g of cream with the sprig of rosemary.
Cut the pod in half and use the seeds. Turn off the heat, cover, and let infuse for 20 minutes. Bring to a simmer and pour over the white chocolate, mixing well.
Add the remaining 100g of cold cream.
Mix, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Just before using, whip until you get a soft, airy texture that's not too firm.
Once the cake has cooled, decorate it with the ganache, cocoa nibs, walnut kernels, lemon zest, and goji berries.
Enjoy!
Feel free to tag us in your creations!
@lydiagautier.thes.tisanes | @chef_elenakalmykova