Pre-Spring Perfumed Tea Party Recipes

Here are just a few recipes to kick off a pre-spring perfumed food celebration.

Petitgrain Sur Fleur Neroli Shortbread

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
1 cup unsalted butter, softenend
4 drops White Lotus Aromatics' bergamot organic, Italy essential oil
10 drops White Lotus Aromatics' petitgrain sur fleur neroli, Morocco essential oil
3/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour or 2 cups sifted unbleached flour

Cream the butter with the brown sugar and drop in the essential oils and blend until fluffy. Slowly add in flour by spoonfuls and blend well. Wrap dough in parchment or waxed paper and put it into the refrigerator for at least an hour or until thoroughly chilled. Roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut into triangles and place onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve with hot tea or coffee for dunking. Baked shortbread can be kept frozen for up to 6 months.

Orange Summer Cake with Orange Blossom Icing (for six)

This is a small cake that will feed six, and even eight if the pieces are cut small enough. The orange blossom absolute in the icing carries through the entire flavor experience of the cake. Bon appetit!

7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup cake flour or all-purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
5 drops White Lotus Aromatic's bitter orange Ivory Coast essential oil, or 5 drops White Lotus Aromatic's organic red mandarin, Italian essential oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla tincture in organic alcohol
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 cups milk or heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of your cake pan so that it fits exactly. Butter the sides of the cake pan as well as the parchment paper and dust with flour. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl with an electric mixer, or in your Kitchen Aid, cream the butter until smooth, then slowly add in the sugar, then the eggs, the orange eo and the vanilla. Mix for 3 or 4 minutes. With the mixer on, alternate blending in the flour and then the milk, until all ingredients are combined, and mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and cook for about 20-25 minutes until done. Cool.While the cake is baking, clean up your mixer or Kitchen Aid and begin the icing.

Icing

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 tblsp cream cheese, cut into small pieces
1 stick unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1 drop White Lotus Aromatic's Orange Blossom Absolute, Tunisian
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla tincture in organic alcohol

Mix the sugar and heavy cream until the sugar dissolves, but not so quickly the cream whips up. While still mixing, add in small pieces of the cream cheese until incorporated, then do the same with the butter. Add the Orange Blossom Absolute and vanilla and whip until well mixed. The icing should be well blended and thinner than a regular frosting. Place the icing into the refrigerator until the cake cools. Once the cake is cooled, pour or glop the icing onto the center of the cake and spread the icing outward. Serve with iced lavender Earl Grey tea or, if you're feeling a little adventurous, with shots of Hangar One Mandarin vodka. Essential oils and absolutes are very concentrate so do not be tempted to add more than what this recipe indicates. In this case, more is not better.

Special thanks to L. C. for the Hangar One connection