Blood Orange Chai Mochi Cakes

It's Mother's day soon, so I thought I might put up this post as an idea for what to make for that special lady in your life! I saw that blood oranges are still being sold at supermarkets, but no idea if we're kind of done with the citrus season :P I made these a while ago so I do apologize!

My mum and I absolutely love mochi and it's chewy texture, so I wanted to make some mini cakes and add some flair to it. The chai pairs really well with the oranges and when the blood orange slices dry in the oven, it looks so pretty!

I'm keeping this short because I actually have to study... But, I hope you spend a lovely day with your mum. Love you mum! Also just found out that she reads my blog soo.... ;)

I used a tea strainer from Dreamfarm, which works like a dream to steep chai loose leaf tea in the milk!

Blood Orange Chai Mochi Cakes

makes 8 mochi cupcakes

1.5 cups sugar
1.5 cups glutinous rice flour
1.5 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp chai spice (mix of cinnamon, ginger powder, anise, pepper)
1 cup whole milk (coconut milk will work too)
3 tbsps loose chai leaves (or 3-4 chai tea bags)
3 tbsp butter, room temp
2 medium eggs, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 blood orange
2 blood oranges, sliced
demerara sugar

1. Heat milk in a small saucepan and add tea bags. Once it starts to ripple/simmer but not bubble, take off heat and let tea bags steep for 10 mins. Take out tea bags and cut butter into little chunks. Add this to the flavored milk and stir until it melts. Heat a little if necessary to melt. Set aside to cool
2. Preheat oven to 350 and grease muffin pan. You can use liners but the mochi sticks to it a lot.
3. In a large bowl, mix sugar, glutinous rice flour, baking powder, salt and chai spices
4. Once butter/milk is cool, whisk in eggs, vanilla and zest. Pour this into dry mix and stir together until no lumps remain
5. Pour batter 3/4 up prepared muffin pan and add thinly sliced blood oranges on top. Sprinkle demerara or raw sugar on top generously
6. Bake for 40-45 mins or until mochi is cooked through. Leave to cool completely in the pan 

I developed this recipe for Dreamfarm; all opinions expressed are my own. I love their cute and innovative kitchen tools and especially their clever names :) Thank you for the support!

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Mango Chai Tiramisu

I'm on my surgery rotation right now, so I don't have much to update you on about my life. Mostly because it's really boring and consists of waking up at the crack of dawn and standing in the OR all day. Although, I'm on cardiothoracic surgery right now and I get to poke and jab at beating hearts. I even shocked one today right in the chest :O! Speaking of hearts...it's almost V-day! I don't usually do anything, because it's a pain in the butt to eat with other lovey-dovey couples (who should really get a room) and prices at restaurants are ridiculously expensive. I'm planning on spending Vday ordering wings and pizza!!

Anyway, I wanted to put this recipe up since I've been getting questions about the recipe after I posted a photo on instagram. I know it's been months since I said I was going to upload this post, but at least I did it!!

Mango Chai Tiramisu

makes a 8x8" tiramisu cake

20-22 lady finger biscuits
1 tbsp chai spice mix (like this one if you want to DIY)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp dry milk powder
1 cup hot water

4 oz mascarpone cheese (about 1 cup)
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

1.5 cups mango, diced
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp meyer lemon jam (or use some lemon juice)

1. Make sure you have enough biscuits for 2 layers for a 8x8" square pan. Line the biscuits in the pan so they fit tightly on the bottom. Cut any pieces so that it fits to make a flat layer. Set aside the biscuits
2. In a shallow bowl, mix chai spices, sugar, milk powder and hot water together. Let cool (This will smell ridiculously spicy but it tones down over night)
3. In a mixing bowl, whip mascarpone cheese, cinnamon, ginger and powdered sugar together until fluffy. Place in a large bowl and then whip up heavy cream until soft peaks form and then whip in vanilla extract. Carefully fold mascarpone mix to the whipped cream until no streaks remain
4. In a blender, blend cubed mango, sugar and lemon jam together
5. Assembly: Dunk lady finger biscuits into the chai for about 7 seconds top and bottom. Lay them down like you had previously planned. Once they are in a nice layer, add 1/2 the mascarpone mix and flatten into a neat layer with a offset spatula. Next, spread all the mango over the mascarpone
6. Dunk lady finger biscuits again to make the second layer. Cover with the rest of the mascarpone. Tent pan with foil while taking care not to touch the surface and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (but best overnight)
7. Serve chilled with cubed mango and chai spice sprinkled on top!

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Persimmon Chai Cake

Two weeks until I'm back to sunny palm tree filled Los Angeles. I feel like I do a lot of complaining about the weather in Richmond... what can I say? We're a little stuck-up about the weather. I'm hoping to go to the beach and get some surfing in! Hopefully, I haven't forgotten how to use my muscles. I feel like I have wasted away half my body from sitting in a chair 24/7 :(

Just wanted to post this recipe before our an exam on Friday. I had a lot of chai packets so I wanted to make a tea infused cake. Plus, a lot of dried persimmons lying around. Makes a very moist and subtly cinnamon-y spicy cake. Definitely a success! I also learned saying tea and chai is redundant... I've been schooled!

Persimmon Chai Cake

makes 1 loaf

1stick 2tbsp unsalted butter
3-4 teabags of chai (I used 3 twinings ultra spicy chai)
Scant 1 cup white sugar (like 2 tbsp less than a cup)
1 2/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
6 oz (1 single serving cup) plain Greek yogurt
2 eggs
1.5 cup of dried persimmons, chopped (fresh would work well too)

1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a loaf pan with baking paper
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium heat with the teabags in it. Let it sit for about 10 mins
3. Meanwhile, mix all the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, spices, baking powder & soda) in large mixing bowl
4. Squeeze the butter out of the teabags. Careful not to rip them though! Add yogurt and beat eggs until blended
5. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until just mixed. Fold in the chopped persimmons.
6. Bake for 1 hr - 1hr 20 min. Top may brown at 1 hr but inside the cake might not be done (test with a knife through the middle). You can cover the top with foil until it's done in the oven

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