Lemon Verbena Oat Slice

Lemon Verbena Oat Slice by New Zealand Herbal Brew

This recipe is based on a ginger crunch recipe where lemon verbena replaces the ground ginger.  Lots of variations can be made to the recipe to suit your taste or what is in your pantry; try adding ½ cup of pistachios to the base, or perhaps ½ cup of pumpkin seeds, dried apricots could also be added in place of the currants – the options are endless.

The lemon verbena adds a complex, lemony-grassy-earthy flavour to the slice which is really delicious.  Use a high-speed blender, coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to powder the lemon verbena.

Base Ingredients: 

  • 150g butter
  • 2 tablespoons golden syrup
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup desiccated coconut
  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons
    ground lemon verbena
  • ½ cup currants
  • grated zest of 1 lemon

Icing Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 8 tablespoons icing sugar
  • 4 teaspoons golden syrup
  • 2 teaspoons ground lemon verbena
  • plus desiccated coconut to sprinkle over

Method: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C. 
  2. Line a rectangular sponge roll tin with baking paper.
  3. Melt the butter with the golden syrup in a small saucepan. 
  4. Mix all of the remaining base ingredients together in a large bowl, then pour the melted butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.  
  5. Press into the tin and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden in colour.
  6. To make the icing, melt the butter and golden syrup together
    in a small saucepan.
  7. Remove from the heat and add the icing sugar and lemon verbena and mix well.  It may take a
    minute or two of mixing to incorporate the butter into the mixture. 
  8. Pour over the base and spread evenly with a spatula. 
  9. Sprinkle over the coconut. 
  10. Allow to cool completely before cutting. 

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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Elderflower Liqueur

Elderflower Liqueur by New Zealand Herbal Brew
Elderflower liqueur is a versatile and delicious star ingredient in cocktails and is great used in baking and cooking.  Add it to soda water to make a simple spritzer or drizzle it over the sponge cake in your trifle or add a teaspoon to whipped cream or icing.

Ingredients (For a same-day, small batch recipe) 
  • 1 cup vodka (37.5% ABV)
  • ½ cup Elderflower Tea
  • 45g sugar
  • 30 ml water
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
  • ¾ teaspoon lemon juice
  • (If you have the time to leave the Elderflowers to soak longer in the vodka, use ¼ cup of flowers to 1 cup of vodka and leave for a week, shaking frequently).
 
Method
  1. Begin by soaking the Elderflowers in the vodka for several hours. 
  2.  Shake frequently.  
  3. Next strain the mixture into a small pot and add the remainder of the ingredients.  
  4. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar and remove a little of the alcohol.  Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, then pour into a bottle and allow to cool before adding the lid.  

Notes: This liqueur will be shelf-stable provided you haven’t removed too much of the alcohol whilst simmering it.
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Rose & Lemon Finishing Salt

Rose Finishing Salt by New Zealand Herbal Brew

These herb salts are quick and easy to make and are a great way to add interesting flavours and a little colour to just about any meal or even baking.  This rose and lemon version is delicious sprinkled over double chocolate chip cookies, caramel slice or pork dishes.

Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon dried rose buds or a heaped tablespoon of dried rose petals
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons sea salt
Method:
  1. Begin by drying the lemon zest in an oven at 50C for 20 minutes or until dry. 
  2. Cut the rose petals from the buds, taking only the coloured petals and discarding the rest.  Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut the petals very finely. 
  3. Mix all of the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

The flavour options are endless.  Create a larger batch and use as Christmas gifts.

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Blue Butterfly Pea Lamingtons

Blue Butterfly Pea Lamingtons by New Zealand Herbal Brew

The vibrant blue colour is achieved by using Blue Butterfly Pea Flowers.  A great and totally natural food colouring!

Ingredients
  • Sponge cake (I made a vanilla sponge using the Fielders Sponge Cake Recipe and added the seeds from one vanilla pod to the mixture)
  • 10 Blue Butterfly Pea Flowers (ground)
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons cornflour
  • 1 vanilla pod (seeds only needed)
  • 2 cups desiccated coconut (approximately)
  • Whipped cream to fill and serve with the lamingtons
Method
  1. Start by removing the calix (green part) from each flower.  You will need approximately 10 flowers.  Using a mortar and pestle, grind the flowers into a powder.  This may take a few minutes.  Sieve out the larger pieces.
  2. Next, add the Blue Butterfly Pea powder and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
  3.  Once boiling, reduce the heat and add the icing sugar and vanilla seeds.  Allow to simmer for a few minutes.
  4. Mix the cornflour with 1-2 tablespoons of cold water.  You need to be able to pour the mixture.
  5. Stirring rapidly, add the cornflour mixture to the saucepan and continue stirring until it thickens.  Ideally you want the consistency to be that of a runny gravy.  Add a little more cornflour mixed with cold water if needed.
  6. Once the cornflour has been cooked through and the mixture is clear, remove it from the heat and allow to cool completely.
  7. Cut your sponge into squares and dip each square into the glaze ensuring all of the sponge is covered.  Lift out and drain off the excess glaze.
  8. Quickly place the sponge into the coconut and roll until well covered.
  9. Place on a rack and allow to set.
  10. Repeat until all sponge pieces are completed.
  11. Once set, take a sharp knife and cut a “v” shape from the top of the sponge.
  12. Pipe cream into the gap, then place the “v” shape of the sponge on top.
  13. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Blue Butterfly Pea Lamingtons by New Zealand Herbal Brew
Blue Butterfly Pea Lamingtons by New Zealand Herbal Brew
Blue Butterfly Pea Lamingtons by New Zealand Herbal Brew
Certified Organic Blue Butterfly Pea Tea by New Zealand Herbal Brew

Ashwaganda Chai

Ashwaganda Chai by New Zealand Herbal Brew

Ashwaganda (Withania somnifera) is regarded as an adaptogenic herb and has traditionally been used as a tonic to support stress and recovery from illness and to promote overall wellbeing.

Mild and earthy in flavour, adding Ashwaganda to a caffeine-free chai drink is a great way to incorporate it into your daily routine.  This recipe makes approximately two large mugs of chai.

Ashwaganda Golden Chai Ingredients
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger chopped
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 tablespoon Ashwaganda
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon liquorice root (optional)
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 cup milk of your choice
Method
  1. Place all ingredients except the milk into a saucepan and bring to a simmer then turn off the heat. 
  2. Allow the tea to steep for five minutes. 
  3. Whilst steeping, froth the milk or heat it in a separate pot. 
  4. Strain the tea and divide between the mugs. 
  5. Top up with the hot milk and sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg.
Ashwaganda Rose Chai

Replace the turmeric with 1 heaped tablespoon of dried rose buds or petals and 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence.

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Spearmint Lamington Cake

Spearmint Lamington Cake by New Zealand Herbal Brew

This is a modern take on a classic recipe using Spearmint Tea.  You could use any of your favourite herbal teas to create the glaze for this recipe – the options are endless.

It is best to use a day-old sponge, so make the sponge the day before or you can place it in the fridge just before applying the glaze to held firm up the sponge.

To make a gluten free version, replace the 2 teaspoons of plain flour with 2 teaspoons of buckwheat flour and ensure the icing sugar is also gluten free.

Sponge Recipe Ingredients

This recipe is from the Edmonds Fielder’s Cornflour packet

  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1/2 cup cornflour
  • 2 teaspoons plain four
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
Sponge Method
  1. Preheat the oven to 190C.
  2. Select a pair of matching baking pans to use – this recipe fits into 2 x 20cm sandwich pans, however you can select four mini pans and equally distribute the batter between each of the matching pairs of pans)
  3. Line your pans with parchment paper.
  4. Separate the eggs.  Beat the whites until soft peaks form.
  5. Gradually add the caster sugar and continue beating until it has dissolved. 
  6. Slow the mixer and add one egg yolk at a time, ensuring each one is well incorporated before adding the next.
  7. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl.
  8. Sift the cornflour, plain flour and baking powder into the bowl – do not bang the bowl.
  9. Use a metal spoon and fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, careful not to overmix it.
  10. Spoon the batter into the pans and use your scales to weigh the pans to ensure the mixture is even in each of your pans.
  11. Use a spatula to carefully spread and smooth out the mixture and top.
  12. Bake for 12 minutes, then check the sponges to see if they spring back when lightly pressed.  If not, continue baking for a further 3 minutes, then check again. 
  13. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave on a rack in the pan for a few minutes, then take a small and sharp knife and run the knife around the inside of the pans to loosen the sponges, then remove them from the pans and leave on the rack until completely cooled.
  14. When cooled, remove the parchment from the base.
Spearmint Glaze
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Spearmint tea
  • 3 tablespoons boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cups desiccated coconut approximately
Glaze  Method
  1. Begin by making the Spearmint tea.  Add the tea to an infuser and  pour the boiling water over the tea and allow to steep for 2 minutes.
  2. Strain and squeeze out all of the liquid.
  3. Add the butter and stir until it has melted.
  4. Add the vanilla essence.
  5. Next sift the icing sugar into the tea mixture and stir well.
  6. Holding the sponge in one hand, carefully spoon the glaze over the sponge, turning it as needed and coating the entire top and sides.
  7. Then take the sponge and dip it into the desiccated coconut, brushing the coconut up the sides until the whole top and sides are coated.
  8. Place on a wire rack and allow to set.  Repeat with the remaining sponge cake.
Spearmint Sponge Cake Assembly – Whipped Cream
  • 200ml double cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 1 tablespoon icing sugar
Assembly Method
  1. Whip the cream until it holds nicely.  Spoon into a piping bag and pipe onto the bottom cake.
  2. Add the top cake and sprinkle a little extra coconut over to give the appearance of an even topping.
  3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Blue Coconut Ice Blocks

Blue Coconut Ice Blocks by New Zealand Herbal Brew

Just in time for summer!  Blue Butterfly Pea Tea is the star ingredient used to create the vibrant blue colour in this recipe.  Use any of your favourite herbal teas in place of the Blue Butterfly Pea Tea and vanilla essence to create your own unique flavours of ice blocks.

Blue Butterfly Pea Tea has a mild, slightly grassy flavour is a best used as a colourant in beverages, desserts and baking or used as a dye.  It will change from blue to cerise pink with the addition of lemon juice which can be a fun experiment for kids.

Ice Block Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons Blue Butterfly Pea Tea
  • 3 tablespoons boiling water
  • 400ml coconut cream
  • 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (depending on your taste preferences)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
Chocolate Coating Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 tablespoons toasted, shredded coconut to sprinkle over
Method
  1. Make a tea by adding the boiling water to the Blue Butterfly Pea Tea. 
  2. Allow to steep for five minutes, then strain and squeeze all of the liquid from the flowers. 
  3. Next, add the coconut cream, maple syrup and vanilla essence to the tea and mix well. 
  4. Pour into ice block moulds, place a stick in each mould and allow to freeze for a couple of hours until set. 
  5. You may need to adjust your ice block sticks when the mixture is partially frozen.
  6. Once frozen completely, make the chocolate coating by mixing all of the coating ingredients together and heating gently until the coconut oil has melted. 
  7. Mix well. 
  8. Working individually, spoon the coating over the ice block, then sprinkle over the toasted coconut and place onto a lined tray. 
  9. Repeat until they are all completed, then place in the freezer for 5 minutes to set, or until you are ready to enjoy them.
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Chocolate Spearmint Toffees

Chocolate Spearmint Toffees by New Zealand Herbal Brew

Just in time for the festive season, this recipe can be made using any of your favourite herbal teas, but is delicious and refreshing made with Spearmint tea. 

These make a great Christmas gift and you can use milk, dark or white chocolate to cover the toffees then add any toppings such as salt, toasted coconut or roasted chopped nuts.  The toffee recipe is from the Edmonds Cookbook 1986 edition.

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 tablespoons Spearmint tea
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon butter  
  • approximately 250g of chocolate for coating, plus any toppings
METHOD
  1. Make the tea by adding a cup of boiled water to the Spearmint tea and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. 
  2. Strain and measure the tea, adding more water if needed to make up one cup. 
  3. Add the tea to a saucepan along with the sugar, vinegar and butter and slowly bring to a boil without stirring. 
  4. Boil until hard ball stage is reached then pour into a well-buttered dish and allow to set. 
  5. Break into pieces, then coat in melted chocolate and add your favourite topping.
  6. Store in an airtight container in a cool location for up to one week.
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Spearmint Marshmallow Slice

Spearmint Marshmallow Slice by New Zealand Herbal Brew

If you are a vegetarian or even vegan, the marshmallow part of this recipe is amazing.  

I used aquafaba (chickpea liquid) but you can also use egg white instead. 

Using agar- agar to set the marshmallow creates a velvet-smooth marshmallow that holds welland can be used on its own and cut into pieces, then rolled in coconut to create marshmallow sweets or used as shown below with a biscuit base, bringing back childhood memories.

Base Ingredients: (base recipe is based on Allyson Gofton’s Creative Biscuits & Slices cookbook)
  • 125g butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
Base Method:
  1. Cream butter and sugar then add egg and beat until incorporated. 
  2. Sift flour and baking powder and add to mixture along with vanilla. 
  3. Mix well and press into a lined 20cm x 30cm tray. 
  4. Bake at 180C for approximately 18-20 minutes. 
  5. Cool completely before adding the marshmallow.
Marshmallow Ingredients:
  • ½ cup aquafaba or equivalent egg white
  • ½ tsp cream of tartar
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 T agar-agar powder
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 T spearmint essence (see our website for essence recipe using spearmint tea)
  • green food colourin
  • 1/3 cup desiccated coconut approx.
Marshmallow Method:  
  1. Mix the aquafaba with the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. 
  2. While this is beating, add the water and agar-agar to a pot and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. 
  3. Next add the sugar to the pot and continue stirring until the mixture clears and begins to
    thicken – it needs to still be pourable.
  4. Remove from heat and while the mixer is on, slowly add the liquid to the aquafaba mixture. 
  5. Next add the spearmint essence and food colouring. 
  6. Beat until incorporated. 
  7. Pour the marshmallow onto the cooled base and use a spatula to smooth the top. 
  8. Sprinkle the coconut over the marshmallow.
  9. Allow to set firmly (30 minutes or so), then cut into squares and store in the refrigerator.

Notes: Any of your favourite essences can be used in place of the spearmint essence. 

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Spearmint Essence Recipe

Spearmint Essence by New Zealand Herbal Brew

The easiest way to extract flavour from herbs and spices and to create a shelf-stable product, is to use alcohol.  Alcohol is both a very effective a solvent and preserving agent. 

To create an essence, choose your alcohol from vodka, being the most commonly used, or Bacardi, which has a slight vanilla flavour or another spirit, then select your herb and add it to the alcohol and allow it to steep for anywhere from a few days to weeks or months.

Making vanilla essence using Bacardi is quick and easy. Fill a small jar or bottle with Bacardi, e.g. an old maple syrup bottle is good.  For a bottle of that size you will need to add two vanilla pods that you have cut open and scrapped the seeds from.  Add the pods and the seeds to the bottle, shake and allow to steep in your pantry for a month or two before using.  Leave the pods in the bottle and as you near the bottom of the bottle, top it up again with Bacardi and add a new pod.  I usually have three or four bottles on the go so there is always a spare bottle on hand.

 

Spearmint Essence Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup of Vodka (any vodka over 30% ABV is ideal)
  • 1 tablespoon of spearmint tea

Method:

  1. Add the ingredients to a clean jar or bottle and allow to steep for 2-3 days. 
  2. Strain and discard the spearmint tea, then re-bottle the essence into a clean bottle or jar. 
  3. Be sure to label your essence.

This will keep indefinitely in your pantry and can be used to flavour icings, marshmallow or coconut ice, or other baked goods. 

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