Known for their exotic flavour and refreshing aroma, lychee teas have captivated tea enthusiasts and newcomers alike, earning a coveted spot among one of the most sought-after tea blends. In this post, we explore the unique flavour profiles of our specialty Traveller's Series teas infused with the enchanting essence of lychee, expertly crafted by our bartenders to tantalize your taste buds and evoke senses of wanderlust with each delightful sip.
Lychee teas are renowned for their distinct flavour profile, characterized by sweet, floral, and aromatic notes that dance on the palate. But how are these captivating flavour profiles achieved? It all begins with the infusion process. During infusion, the lychee flavouring is carefully blended with tea leaves, allowing the natural flavours and aromas to meld harmoniously when absorbed.
Introducing our exquisite Traveller's Series Lychee Teas. Crafted by our skilled baristas, these specialty teas are infused with the exotic flavours of lychee, promising to delight your senses and tantalize your taste buds with bursts of tropical delight.
Infused with the honey-like malty richness of our Traveller's Series 101 tea base, this blend offers a harmonious and unforgettable tea experience that tantalizes the senses. With every sip, you will discover delicate floral undertones as the rich complexity of our premium black tea intertwines with the sweetness of lychee.
Crafted with care and balanced to perfection, our Jasmine Lychee Tea is celebrated for its clean and rejuvenating finish on the palate. Combining the finest jasmine green tea with the tropical essences of lychee fruit, this captivating blend delivers a crisp and satisfying cup of tea that boasts the floral fragrances of jasmine blossoms.
In conclusion, from its subtle sweetness reminiscent of ripe lychee fruits to its delicate floral undertones and enticing aromatic essence, lychee tea offers a sensory experience that is both refreshing and indulgent. At The 1872 Clipper Tea Co. specialty tea bars in ION Orchard and the Singapore Botanic Gardens, we take pride in offering selection of premium lychee teas crafted with care and expertise that are sure to leave a lasting impression and ignite your passion for an exquisite tea experience.
The Darjeeling region is a tapestry of elevated, mist-laden hills that offer a nurturing terrain complemented by abundant rainfall. Within this environment, a brief window of opportunity emerges during early spring when the harvest of First Flush Darjeeling takes place. We shall explore the unique characteristics of First Flush Darjeeling and why it deserves its prestigious title.
What is First Flush Darjeeling?
''First Flush'' refers to the careful plucking of the sprouting two leaves and a bud during the earliest phase of spring growth. These leaves yield a delicate and tender quality, resulting in a flavour profile that boasts light floral notes, accompanied by a brisk and invigorating astringency. Only available for a relatively short period each year, usually during spring, this limited availability makes them highly coveted by tea connoisseurs. The distinct flavours and limited seasonal availability that define First Flush Darjeeling tea are a result of its extraordinary terroir and its exclusive harvest.
The Elegance of First Flush Darjeeling
This unique tea is often characterized by its floral aromas and notes hinting at newly sprouted leaves, which add layers of complexity with each sip.
Steeping Preparations
To fully appreciate First Flush Darjeeling, it is important to prepare it with care.
A Journey Worth Taking
The exceptional nature of the First Flush Darjeeling positions itself among the most coveted selections available. This exclusivity has led tea aficionados to regard this harvest from the Darjeeling region as the ''Champagne'' among teas. As you sip this remarkable tea, you will embark on a sensory journey through spring in every cup.
Originating from Taiwan’s tea-growing regions in Nantou County, the name “Dong Pian” translates to “winter sprout”, reflecting the special time of the year when the tea leaves are harvested. Unlike traditional oolong teas, Dong Pian Oolong is picked during winter, typically between December and February. This late harvest imparts a unique character to the oolong, which makes it stand out from other oolongs.
The Art of Cultivating & Harvesting Dong Pian
The cultivation of Dong Pian Oolong requires a great deal of patience and precision, where only the most tender and young leaves are selected for plucking. The tea bushes experience a slower growth rate in the winter season, attributed to the cooler temperatures and diminished sunlight. This allows the tea leaves to accumulate more nutrients from the soil, resulting in a tea that boasts a rich and vibrant taste.
After being harvested, the leaves undergo a crafting process that combines traditional techniques with modern innovations. The leaves are withered, bruised and oxidized to varying degrees to achieve the desired flavour profile. Dong Pian Oolong is lightly oxidized, resulting in its distinct taste that is floral and fruity taste.
Tranquillity in a Cup
Savouring a cup of Dong Pian Oolong tea is a truly gratifying experience. As you steep the tightly rolled tea leaves, they slowly unfurl, revealing their vibrant colour and aroma. The resulting liquor, with its golden hue, envelopes your palate with a mellow floral-like sweetness and fruity notes of apples, making each sip a memorable one. Dong Pian Oolong's versatility shines through its ability to be steeped multiple times. Each infusion reveals new layers of complexity, offering a unique taste journey that evolves with each cup.
Embrace the season's tranquillity and explore the rare beauty of Dong Pian Oolong now. With its distinctive flavour profile, this tea is a testament to the art of tea brewing.
]]>What is a Hojicha?
Hojicha is a roasted green tea grinded into a fine powder. The tea leaves are first finished as green tea before being roasted over a flame to produce its signature rich and earthly taste. It has lower amounts of caffeine and thus make a great afternoon option for those who want to avoid the jolt from coffees.
How does Hojicha taste?
Hojicha may express notes that fall between fresh green olives to woodsy depending on whether they were lightly or heavily roasted.
At The 1872 Clipper Tea Co., our Hojicha ingredients are sourced for its impeccable quality and consistency from the Uji tea production areas where centuries of processing experience and techniques were perfected to ensure that only well-roasted Hojicha is being delivered. Our Hojichas served fresh at the tea bar holds true to this promise with its distinctive deep, roasty aroma and taste.
What differences does a Matcha have when compared to a Hojicha?
Unlike Hojicha, Matcha is made from shaded tea leaves that are not roasted. The caffeine levels are also higher and a well-prepared bowl of Matcha tea should have a freshly sweet vegetal aroma and expect to encounter a pleasant taste of umami.
The 1872 Clipper Tea Co. Matcha stands apart from others with its characteristically sweeter taste, only possible through the very first plucking of the tea plant’s harvest season which yields the purest and freshest tea leaves.
Give our Japanese teas a try this February!
Our signature Hojicha and Matcha teas are potent yet approachable, suitable for every taste palate. Drop by our tea bars to try and pair them with your favourite snacks or pastries for an enjoyable afternoon treat!
]]>Hence, we've come up with a simple fail-safe recipe of Chai-Chocolate Truffles, infused with our very own blend of Masala Chai. Just a warning, these are extremely addictive and you won't be able to stop at one!
Ingredients:
280g chocolate
⅓ cups full fat milk/coconut milk (vegan option)
2 tsp 1872 Clipper Tea Masala Chai
5-6 cardamom pods, crushed
1 cinnamon stick
½ tsp cloves
1 anise star
½ inch ginger, peeled and grated
Raw cacao powder, to coat
Instructions
Add the milk, tea and spices into a small sauce pan, and bring to boil over low heat.
Simmer for 5-7 minutes, strain and discard the spices and tea.
In a medium pot add the chocolate and infused milk and melt over low heat (best using bain marie).
When all the chocolate is melted, mix to combine and remove from the heat.
Set aside to cool, then refrigerate for at least an hour.
Use a tea spoon, and your palms to shape the mixture into little truffles.
Roll them on a plate with cacao powder, then store into an airtight container in the refrigerator up to two weeks.
We have collaborated with Florence Fong (@flofong), the popular Senior Food Editor from 8 Days, to create a tea-infused dessert recipe.
Using our fragrant Earl Grey tea leaves (which bagged 1 star in the 2018 Great Taste Awards), Florence has created a refreshing Lemon and Blueberry Chiffon Cake, which you and your loved ones are bound to fall in love with.
Now, let's get baking!
Lemon and Blueberry Chiffon Recipe
Lemon & Blueberry Chiffon Cake with Earl Grey Glaze
Makes two 20cm cakes
INGREDIENTS:
255g caster sugar
280g top flour, sifted
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
8 egg yolks (use eggs weighing 60g in shell)
115ml sunflower oil
86ml water
112ml fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
4 tbsp lemon zest
1 & 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Meringue:
20g corn starch
137g caster sugar
10 egg whites
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
140g blueberries, gently tossed in a pinch of flour
Earl Grey glaze:
468g icing sugar, sifted
90ml lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
8 Earl Grey teabags from 1872 Clipper Tea Co
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 165°C on conventional mode.
In a large bowl, combine 255g caster sugar, flour, salt, baking powder & baking soda. Whisk to combine.
Add egg yolks, sunflower oil, water, lemon juice, zest & vanilla. Whisk by hand till thoroughly combined. Set aside.
To make meringue, combine corn starch with 137g caster sugar. Using a stand mixer with whip attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until almost creamy.
Gradually add sugar and corn starch mixture in three additions. Increase speed to medium-high and whip till meringue reaches medium-stiff peaks.
Using a spatula, gently fold in 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk batter until just combined, followed by the next 1/3.
Add remaining 1/3 meringue to yolk batter, and pour blueberries on top of meringue. Fold quickly until just combined.
Divide batter equally between two ungreased 20cm chiffon tins.
Run a chopstick around the edges of each tin, smoothen tops with spatula.
Bake cakes until golden-brown & a skewer inserted into the center of each one emerges clean, about 50 - 55 mins.
Invert cakes onto a rack and cool completely, upside down in the tins.
Once cool, cut around edge & base with a thin-bladed knife to release cakes from tins.
Earl Grey glaze:
Once chiffon cakes are unmoulded, whisk icing sugar, lemon juice and tea leaves (cut open teabags and pour out its contents) till well blended.
Place cakes on a wire rack set over a piece of foil. Pour glaze over the tops of both cakes, allowing it to drip around the sides. Use a palate knife to smoothen the surface.
Allow glaze to set at room temperature, about 20 mins, before serving.
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Peach Tea Granita Recipe
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
500ml of hot water
2 sachets of The 1872 Clipper Tea Co. Peach Tea
3 tbsp of simple syrup (1 part sugar, 1 part water)
Equipment:
baking tray
large fork
Instructions:
Steep the peach tea bags in hot water for 7 minutes and stir in the simple syrup. Leave the tea mixture to cool and adjust sweetness to taste. Once cooled, pour the tea into the baking tray and put it in the freezer.
Freeze for about 1 hour and rake with a fork. The mixture may not be completely frozen, but the idea is to rake the icy top layer. Repeat this step every half hour until there is no liquid left but only fluffy granita. Serve immediately or keep in freezer to be eaten later.
]]>Not only does this tea scrub smell amazing, it'll exfoliate your skin and make you feel fresh like a daisy, smelling like a thousand bucks! Better still, it only requires a few simple ingredients and takes about 15 minutes to make!
Here is a DIY recipe our tea masters have put together, to showcase the versatility of tea.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp of 1872 Clipper Tea's Lavender Grey blend
1/2 cup coconut oil (extra virgin olive oil is always a good idea)
1 cup white sugar
10 drops of lavender essential oil (optional)
In a large mixing bowl, add sugar and blend with coconut oil till there are no lumps. Add Lavender Grey tea and essential oil and mix for 1-2 minutes more. Scoop into a jar and seal tight, store in a cool dry place.
]]>We have modified the recipe using our own Eternal Garden (rose black tea) blend.
Now, time to roll up your sleeves and impress any tea lover with these fragrant bites!
Recipe for Rose Pistachio Tea Cookies
Ingredients:
300g all-purpose flour
200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100g granulated sugar
1 tbsp Eternal Garden Tea (ground)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp dried rose petals + more for sprinkling
45g pistachios, roughly chopped
A pinch of salt
1. Combine flour and salt and set aside.
2.Cream butter and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla essence and mix well. Once the mixture is combined, add in the Eternal Garden Tea and chopped pistachios. Wrap dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight to attain a crisp texture.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease your tray or line it with parchment paper.
4. Roll out your dough on a floured work surface (to prevent it from sticking) to a thickness of 0.5cm. Cut out the dough using a cookie-cutter of your choice and sprinkle dried rose petals on top. Should the dough get sticky, put it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
5. Bake cookies for 10 to 15 minutes or until they start to get golden brown around the edges. Once ready, let them cool on a wire rack before serving.
Bon appétit!
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