Tuesday 8 July 2008

Tea Time & Picture Study


Tea time has been a regular weekly event in our home, that I have allowed to fizzle out. As we begin to look forward to the new homeschool year, I am planning to re-introduce Tea time in our home.
The focus of tea times past, where the seasons & festivals of the christian year.
We would spend the morning making fairy cakes & at afternoon tea, we would read a little relating to the season/festival, make a related craft (such as beeswax candles at Candlemas) & then enjoy tea.
This year, we will begin Charlotte MasonstylePicture Study.
My plan for our Tea times follows:
We will begin by setting the table with our best linens, Tea set & other pieces of family china. We eat dinner very early,(5pm) so i will just be serving one type of treat, such as Cherry and Almond Crunchies & something delicious to drink, such as fruit tea.
We will be studying an artist for a six week block, each week a new art work, which I will introduce at our tea time.
As we eat & drink, we will discuss the art work & I will ask the girls for a brief narration of the work. We shall be listening to Classical music, playing softly from our current composer.
I will also be using this time to instill in my girls good manners & etiquette.There wont be too many rules of etiquette, just a few, and I will explain the reason why manners are important (to treat one another with love and respect and kindness). I love the following quote:

Manners are the happy way of doing things
Ralph Waldo Emerson

So true!
Here are some examples of good manners that I would like to focus upon:
~ how to greet one another
~ no talking with your mouth full, so take tiny bites
~ don't make a lot of noise when you stir your cup
~ don't talk about what food you like and don't like
~ try a little bit of everything
~put your napkin on your lap and don't put it on the table until you are finished eating.

Once we have finished with our tea, if time allows, we shall complete a project related to our current art work from this book. or, if time is running short, will will make a quick sketch of the artwork & comlete the book's activity at another time.

Before I finish, i would like to share this great tea time resource I found. I hope you find it useful, too.

Art Experiences for Breakfast!

Colour mixing with porridge!

This activity is especially suited to preschoolers, but fun for children of all ages. It takes just a few minutes to prepare & brings art exploration into our daily experiences.
All you need is a bowl of cooked porridge & 2 shades of food colouring from the three primary colours: Red, Blue & Yellow.
Today, I used yellow & blue

I use Squires food colour pasteWhich is much more intense than liquid colour.
Divide the cooked porridge into two mixing bowls.
Add one colour to each bowl. I use a cocktail stick & dispose of it after each 'dip' so as not to contaminate the food colour. Keep adding colour until you are satisfied with the intensity of the colour.
Spoon the coloured porridge in equal amounts into your child's bowl, making sure the colours do not mix together.

Let the fun begin!
Here is a picture of our porridge when mixed by my 5 year old:

As a reminder, here are the primary colours & the secondary colours they create when mixed:
YELLOW + BLUE = GREEN
BLUE + RED = PURPLE
RED + YELLOW = ORANGE
Have fun & please send me a link to your own post if you choose to have a go :)

Friday 4 July 2008

Rose Petal Recipes


Today I am making Rose Petal Syrup. I found the recipe at this gorgeous blog
Something I want to get back to is a regular afternoon tea-time with the girls, & I shall be posting my plans soon. In preparation for our summer afternoon tea's I have collected together some recipes that feature Rose petals, Rose water or Rose Syrup. Unfortunately I did not think to record the sources of the recipes, so my sincere appologies.

Victorian Lavender Cookies with Rose Water
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon lavender, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• For Icing:
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 5 1/2 teaspoons water
• 6 1/2 teaspoons rose water
Serves / Yields
About 4 dozen
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, lavender, flour, baking powder and salt.
Drop by teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes.
While the cookies bake, prepare the icing by mixing the powdered sugar with water and rose water. Drizzle over the cookies after they have cooled.

Rambling Rose Cupcakes - Adorable, Elegant Cupcakes!
The cupcake itself is more of a chiffon style than a regular sponge & dries out quickly so don't freeze them or store longer than 48 hours.
16 -24 cupcakes or mini muffins

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES
• 1 cup cake flour
• 2 tablespoons cake flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch cream of tartar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 cup pistachios
FOR THE FROSTING
• 4 egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rose water
• 1-2 drop pink food coloring
FOR DECORATING THE CUPCAKES
• 16-24 dried rosebuds or paper tea roses
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios
Directions
2. Make the cupcakes:.
4. Heat oven to 325°F Line cupcake or mini muffin pans with papers.
6. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl and using a handheld whisk, blend the flour, baking powder & salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
8. If using a stand mixer, add the milk, sunflower oil, egg yolks, rose water and lemon zest, & beat on low speed for one minute. (If using hand mixer, whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. ).
10. Make a well in the flour mixture, add the egg mixture, and, using a spatula, stir the mixture for 30 seconds to fully combine all the ingredients. This mixture will be thick.
12. In a clean metal bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar and sugar and beat on high speed just until the whites hold stiff peaks.
14. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the beaten whites and fold well to combine. Add the whites and pistachios to the bowl with the flour mixture and fold well to combine, making sure that there are no streaks left.
16. Fill each cup of the muffin pan ¾ full with batter. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean, about 10 minutes for minis muffins and about 15 minutes for regular cupcakes.
18. Make the frosting:.
20. Set the bowl of a stand mixer over a pan of simmering water. Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl. Whisk the mixture until the sugar has dissolved, the whites are starting to thicken and turn white, and the temperature is about 110°F (You don’t need to be exact – just whisk for about 2 – 2 ½ minutes and you should be fine.).
22. Attach the bowl to the mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on high speed until the whites are completely cool – this will take about 8 minutes.
24. (You can do this step and the next using a handheld mixer, but it will take a littke longer & be more tiring!)
26. Once the whites are cool, add the butter one piece at a time, completely incorporating each piece before adding the next.
28. When you have added almost all of the butter, the mixture will start to separate and appear curdled, but don’t worry – just keep beating and add the rest of the butter, and it will come together. I promise. Continue beating until the frosting is smooth and silky.
30. Add the rose water and 1 drop of the food coloring. Beat well to incorporate. The frosting should be a very pale rose pink color.
32. Assemble the cupcakes:.
34. When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost each one using a large angled star tip – to make the frosting look like a rose. If you dont have one, spoon some frosting on to the cupcake & swirl caredully with a fork.
Decorate each cupcake with a dried rosebud or paper tea rose and sprinkle a little bit of the reserved crushed pistachios around the rosebud.


Rose Petal Iced Tea

SERVES 4 -6 , 1 jug (change servings and units)

Ingredients
• 3 large roses (petals only, white bases removed)
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons rose water
• 1 drop pink food coloring (just a TINY DROP)
• 3 green tea bags
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Directions
2. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil. Add the rose petals and lemon juice then turn off the heat and allow it to sit for 8-10 hours.
4. Strain the 'rose water' into large jug. Remove petals & discard.
6. Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil, remove from heat and place in the tea bags. Brew for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags, and add the granulated sugar to the tea. Stir.
Allow the tea to cool then add the 2 tsp rose water, the food colouring and stir. Serve well chilled over ice.

Rose Petal Tea Cake

SERVES 4 (change servings and units)

Ingredients
• 1/4 lb butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons dried rose petals, rinsed and thinly sliced
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• 1 drop pink food coloring
Directions
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Grease a small rectangle cake mold.
6. Blend butter and sugar with your hands until fluffy. Then add flour little by little.
8. Add rose petals, rose water, food coloring and eggs.
10. Blend well until mixture is completely smooth.
Pour dough into mold and bake for about 30 minutes or until edges start to be golden and tip of knife inserted comes out dry.

Rose Water Cookies

12 -24 cookies (change servings and units)

Ingredients
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon light cream
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• sugar, for sprinkling
Directions
2. Mix all ingredients together until a firm dough forms.
4. Form a roll with the mixture and wrap in cling film.
6. Chill for at least an hour, then slice thinly.
8. Heat oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
10. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick parchment paper. Arrange cookies so that there is enough space for them to spread.
Sprinkle lightly with sugar and bake for about 10 minutes, or until they are just turning brown on the edges.


Blushing Rose Lemonade

Ingredients
• 5 1/3 cups water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/3 cups fresh lemon juice (about 6 to 7 lemons)
• 2 1/2-3 1/2 teaspoons rose water (use the lesser amount for a more subtle flavor)
Directions
2. Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring just until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Remove from heat and let cool.
6. Add to pitcher and stir in lemon juice.
8. Add rose water to taste.
Chill well before serving.


Rose Water Thins
perfect when served with mint tea.
SERVES 60 (change servings and units)

Ingredients
• 1 cup slightly salted butter
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon light cream
• 300 g plain flour (all-purpose)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• caster sugar, for sprinkling
Directions
2. Preheat the oven to 190`C/375`F/Gas 5.line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
4. Soften the flour and mix with the other ingredients to make a firm dough. Mould the dough into an even roll and wrap into waxed paper. Chill until firm enough to slice very thinly . This will take 1hr-1hr30mins.
Arange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, alllowing them to spread while baking.Sprinkle with caster sugar and bake for10 mins until edges are a turning brown.



Rose Petal Drop Scones
2 1/4 cups unbleached plain flour

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt 

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 

1/3 cup unsalted pistachio nuts, coarsely ground

1 cup thickened cream 

1 tablespoon rose water 

2-4 tablespoons rose petals, finely shredded
Preheat oven to 220C. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter and mix until crumbly. Stir in the pistachios. Combine the cream and the rose water. Stir in the shredded rose petals. Add the cream-rose mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until a soft dough forms. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 2 dozen.
Icing: 
1 cup icing sugar 
1 tablespoon rose petal jam 
2 teaspoons rosewater
Combine the icing sugar, rosewater, and the jam. Whisk until smooth. Add another teaspoon of rose water if the icing is too thick. Drizzle over warm scones. Arrange on a platter and garnish with fresh roses. Sprinkle with shredded beach rose petals.


Rhubarb rice pudding with rosewater

The melting creaminess of this rice pudding — simmered on the hob rather than baked — seems to be have been made in heaven specifically for the sweet-sourness of rhubarb. 


Feeds 2 to 4. Takes 45 mins. 


800ml milk

100g short-grain or arborio rice

50g sugar 

1tsp clear rosewater syrup or extract

½tsp vanilla extract

1tsp cornflour 

1 extra tbsp milk 


FOR THE RHUBARB 


400g rhubarb stalks

3tbsp soft brown or caster sugar 

2tbsp orange juice

1tsp rosewater syrup or extract 


Place the milk and rice in a heavy-based saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat just before the milk comes to the boil and cook gently, uncovered, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until each grain of rice is tender but still shapely, and the pudding is the consistency of thick soup. The milk should just “flutter” on top. 
In the meantime, wash the rhubarb well, discard any leaves, and chop into 2cm lengths. Combine with the sugar, orange juice and rosewater in a covered saucepan and simmer for up to five minutes until soft. 
Discard any skin that has formed on top of the milk, and add the sugar, rosewater and vanilla extract. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. 
Mix the cornflour to a paste with an extra tablespoon of milk. Add the cornflour paste to the rice, stirring well, until the rice thickens. 
You now have a choice: add the rhubarb, stir it through, and pour the pudding into four shallow dessert plates. Or layer the rice pudding and the rhubarb in heatproof glass bowls for a pretty effect. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Rose Walnut Cookies
3/4 cup walnuts

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour  (I used1 cup all-purpose and 1/2 cup brown rice flour)

1/2 tsp. baking powder 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 

1/2 cup confectioners sugar 

1 egg yolk 

2 tsp. rose water or rose syrup 

1/2 tsp.vanilla extract
Rose syrup or rose water 

confectioners sugar


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
Toast the walnuts until golden brown and fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool, then chop about half of the nuts and pulse the remaining nuts in the food processor until finely ground. 

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and nuts together in a medium bowl and set aside. 

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, egg yolk, rose syrup and vanilla extract together in a mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture gets light and fluffy. 

Add the flour mixture to make a crumbly dough.  

With a tablespoon, scoop out 1-inch pieces of dough and roll into balls. Place the cookies on greased baking sheets. Bake until the cookies set and start to brown, about 12 minutes. 

Remove cookies from the oven and immediately brush them with rose syrup and dust with powdered sugar. Let cool and enjoy