Jasmine Shortbread

Submitted by: Cordelia Stipe

Great for afternoon tea or coffee. Also a great addition to a food gift basket.

Ingredients:
* 4 sticks (1 lb.) unsalted butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
* 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
* 3/4 tsp. salt
* 2 Tbsp. jasmine tea, finely chopped or ground
* 1 Tbsp. freshly grated orange zest (optional)

Directions:
Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add vanilla, flour and salt. Beat on low speed until well combined. Stir in the tea and, if desired, orange zest. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; press each into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes (or up to 1 day).

Preheat oven to 300oF; place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove one disc from refrigerator and let it warm 10-15 minutes. Unwrap and roll out the dough, on plastic wrap, with lightly floured rolling pin to about 1/4' thick. Dip cookie cutter into flour to keep it from sticking. Cut out and transfer with a spatula to prepared pan (I prefer a round, scalloped edge cutter). Bake until edges are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer cookie sheet to cooling rack. When cool, peel off parchment paper; cookies may be kept at room temperature, in an airtight container, up to 10 days.

Any unused dough may be frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Jasmine Cheesecake

Submitted by: Anna Blatz

Classic New York cheesecake infused with jasmine tea, served with a raspberry/jasmine sauce.

Ingredients:
1 pound cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons tea, jasmine, whole leaf, dry
1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional
3 large eggs
3 tbs and 1 tsp jasmine tea, brewed strong
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups sour cream
3/4 cup shortbread cookies, crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted

Sauce:
24 ounces raspberries, frozen
2 teaspoons jasmine tea, moderate strength
2/3 cup sugar, optional

Directions:
At least 24 hours in advance: Mix 2 cups of sugar with 2 tbs. jasmine tea leaves. Seal airtight, and let infuse until ready to use. This will provide enough sugar for the cheesecake and sauce.

Butter and line with paper an 8 in spring form pan. Wrap the outside well in two layers of foil, and set in a pan deep enough hold 1 inch of water. Toss short bread crumbs with butter, and pat into bottom and slightly up sides of the pan. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift sugar to remove tea leaves (if desired). In a large mixing bowl, beat togther cream cheese and sugar and salt until very smooth. Beat in cornstarch, if using. Beat in eggs one at at time, scraping sides of bowl down between each egg and beating thoroughly between each addition. Add the tea and vanilla, and beat well. Finally, beat in sour cream until just blended.

Pour batter into prepared springform pan, and pour very hot water into larger pan until it comes 1 inch up the sides of the spring form. Bake for 45 minutes, then turn oven off - do not open to check during baking. Let the cheesecake rest in the oven for one hour with out opening, then remove it from the water bath, and let cool on a rack for another hour. Refrigerate overnight.

Sauce:

In a fine mesh sieve over a deep bowl, allow raspberries to thaw completely. Press out as much juice as possible, and carefully cook down to 1/4 cup. Push crushed rasperries through the finest sieve or mill screen you have to remove as many seeds as possible. You should have about 1 cup of puree. Mix puree with the reduced juices and tea, and taste for sweetness - adjust with remaining infused sugar. A few drops of lemon juice may also be used if desired.

Unmold the cheesecake carefully, and serve with raspberry jasmine sauce.

Jasmine Tea Poached Pears

Jasmine Tea takes a trip down Pear lane with this delicate amaretto and balsamic vinegar treatment to poaching pears.

Ingredients:
1 can pear halves rinsed (in water or syrup)
1 cup Jasmine Oolong Tea (made with two tsp of tea and brewed for 8 min)
1/3 cup Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp amaretto
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil then back down to medium or slightly more and simmer for 15 minutes or until the pears soften.
Remove pears and chill (or set aside if you want it hot, it's good both ways)
Strain the remaining sauce and return to a simmer until it starts to thicken into a syrup stir occasionally and check often. Approx - 10 min - 20 min
Divide pears evenly onto two plates and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a slice of angel food cake for the full package.

Drizzle the sauce all over everything and save the leftover sauce for any ice cream that may survives the night, pancakes for breakfast the next morning or even each other. Why not?

Chocolate Jasmine Bon Bon Cake

Experience the rich decedence of choclolate paired with a hint of delicate Jasmine. This flourless chocolate cake is filled with white chocolate parisan cream and is surrounded in a shell of chocolate glaze.

Ingredients:
1 heaping tablespoon Jasmine tea
1/3 cup boiling water

Cake: 2 2/3 c semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
1 cup half & half (minus 3 tablespoons)
1 c sugar
8 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla

Filling:
1 3.3 oz. package white chocolate flavored instant pudding mix
1 1/2 c cold whole milk
1 c heavy whipping cream

Glaze:
1 c semi sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons half & half
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons white corn syrup

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease 2 9' cake pans or spray with Bakers Joy

Steep tea directly in boiling water for 15 minutes, strain leaves and reserve liquid.

In a sauce pan heat chocolate chips, butter, cream, sugar, and drained tea leaves (you do not have to squeeze out all the liquid), over low heat until chips are melted.
Stir until smooth.
our into a large mixing bowl. Cool.
In another mixing bowl, beat eggs on high about three minutes, until light & fluffy.
Beat into chocolate mixture 1/3 at a time until well blended.
Stir in vanilla.
Divide evenly into pans and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Refrigerate layers until cold.

While layers are baking; mix pudding, milk and three tablespoons of steeped tea with a wire wisk appox. 2 minutes until thick. Set aside.
Beat heavy cream until very stiff with a mixer.
Fold pudding into cream and refrigerate untill layers are cool.

You will notice the layers will deflate and leave a 1/2' indention with a ridge around the edges...place the first layer indention side up and fill with cream mixture.
Place second layer indention side down over first layer.
Place glaze ingredients in a sauce pan and heat on low until melted and smooth.
Frost cake top and sides with warm glaze.
Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Garnish with white chocolate curls if desired.