Your Valentine’s Day chocolates just got a tea-infused makeover.
What is Valentine’s Day without the chocolate? Like roses, champagne and oysters, chocolate is an essential part of the most romantic day of the year, whether it’s chocolate truffles or chocolate based desserts. This year, if you want to make Valentine’s Day less cliché and more original and delicious, I have an idea for you … and the secret ingredient is tea! Are you ready to impress your better half with some tea-infused chocolate goodness?
These melt-in-your-mouth, tea-infused chocolate confections are super easy to make and will wow with their irresistible texture and delicate floral notes from the White Rose tea. They are a cross between French chocolate mendiants (chocolate disks with various toppings) and truffles (made of chocolate ganache, which I used to sandwich the chocolate disks together). Aren’t they sophisTEAcated? Sprinkle them liberally with edible rose petals and enjoy with a glass of champagne or a cup of your favorite tea.
Make sure to start infusing the White Rose extract the night before so that it can properly “steep” all the flavor of the tea. Recipe yields 20-25 chocolates (depending on diameter and thickness of disks).
- White Rose Tea Extract
- 2-3 tablespoons gin or vodka (or other neutral-tasting spirits)
- 2 White Rose tea bags
- White Chocolate Ganache
- 6 oz white chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 White Rose teabags
- 2-3 tablespoons White Rose tea extract (see above)
- Dark Chocolate Disks
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), chopped
- Edible rose petals, dried
- White Rose Tea Extract - I recommend using a small glass jar with lid. Given the small amount of liquid, you might find it easier to open up the tea bags and infuse the tea leaves without the bag (it will infuse more evenly). Close jar and shake briefly. Infuse for up to 12 hours at room temperature, then strain and discard tea leaves.
- White Chocolate Ganache - In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Turn off the heat and submerge the tea bags in the hot cream. Infuse for 15 minutes. Squeeze tea bags to extract more flavor before discarding. Gently reheat cream on low heat. In a bowl, pour hot cream through a strainer over the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Add White Rose Tea extract by the teaspoon and mix gently with a rubber spatula. When it cools, whip the ganache for a few minutes with an electric mixer to give it more consistency. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before assembling.
- Dark Chocolate Discs - In a double boiler, gently melt the chocolate. Make sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water. Take off the heat and using a tablespoon, pour a small amount on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread into a round (approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter) with the back of the spoon. You don’t want the disks to be too thick. Sprinkle with lightly crushed, dried rose petals. Repeat with the rest of the melted chocolate. Refrigerate disks for 30 minutes or until set.
- To Assemble - To assemble: with a teaspoon, spread the ganache on one disk and gently top with another disk. Don’t press or the disks might break, depending on their thickness. The ganache will help them stick together. Repeat with the remaining disks and ganache. Keep refrigerated until right before serving.
If you loved these delicate desserts, try our Vanilla Chai Infused Sugar or Citrus Matcha Cheesecake Bites.
Wow, I was feeling the taste of these chocolates while reading the recipe. They sound irresistibly tasty!