According to Regent Seven Seas, a proper afternoon tea involves the three S's: Scones, Savories and Sweets. To help you create your perfect tea, they are sharing a guest-favorite recipe for tea cakes that was especially created for the Culinary Arts Kitchen aboard Seven Seas Explorer® and Seven Seas Splendor™. Try making these delicious cakes in your kitchen to enjoy during your next tea time.
INGREDIENTS:- 1 cup almond meal flour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup fine semolina
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- A pinch of kosher or sea salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus additional for preparing ramekins
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon lavender buds
- 1 cup limoncello liquor
TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:
FOR THE CAKES
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, semolina, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk the butter, egg, vanilla, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add this mixture to the well of the dry mixture and blend into a thick batter. Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean, 7 to 12 minutes.
FOR THE DRUNKEN SYRUP
In a small sauce pan, dissolve the sugar in water over medium heat. Adding the lavender buds, increase the heat to just below a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and steep for 1 hour. Strain to remove buds and add the limoncello to the syrup. Divide the syrup into four small bowls, large enough to hold the small cakes but not much larger. Fill bowls to ¾ full and reserve any extra liquid.
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the cakes from the ramekins and soak them in the lavender syrup for about 15 minutes.
TO FINISH
When you’re ready to serve, place the cakes on plates and dust with powdered sugar.
