Refreshing Mint Sweet Tea

A delicious and refreshing sweet tea iced drink that is perfect for hot summer days! Super easy and quick to make using ingredients you can find at home. I’ve been making this a lot these days because it is just blazing hot here in Hawaii and because my mom constantly requests that I make it. I infused the tea with mint just ’cause I have a mint shrub in my yard. You don’t have to use it, but I recommend that you do because it gives the tea a great flavor and that cooling sensation that you can’t get anywhere else. My mom also planted lavender, so I took the liberty of using that as well! And let me tell ya– it is seriously delicious. The lavender resonates throughout and soothes the senses giving it a whole ‘nother flavor profile. Will definitely be using it again! Anyways, off to the recipe!

Ingredients

5 cups of water

1 cup of sugar (raw, granulated white– whatever sweetens your cup of tea. Ba Dum Tsh!)

3 Lipton tea bags

1 cup fresh mint tea leaves

Optional

1 (stem/bundle) fresh lavender flowers or 1 tsp dried lavender

Instructions

1. Bring 5 cups of water to a simmer in a pot and add in the sugar to dissolve.

2. Turn off the heat, add tea bags and let them steep for 10-15 minutes. You can even leave it there for an hour if you’d like!

3. Add the mint leaves and lavender– none, one, or both and let it sit for a few minutes to infuse the flavors.

4. Transfer to a pitcher and fill with water to desired sweetness. It will be very sweet if left as is, so  I recommend diluting it with cold water to lessen the sweetness. An additional 2 cups of water is perfect for me!

5. Refrigerate! Or pour it over ice, garnish with a mint leaf, and enjoy!

Also, if you’d like a milky consistency, add a little evaporated milk or condensed milk and ta-da! MILK TEA! I love both versions!

Enjoy!

Filipino Leche Flan

A staple dessert dish in the Philippines is leche flan, a creamy custard that I’d say is most comparable to creme brûlée. After telling my aunty, who lives in the Philippines, of my noble but catastrophic attempt at making this custard, she laughed at first, but later insisted that I learn her technique in making this dessert before I left for Hawaii. It’s so simple.

Ingredients

Custard

12 egg yolks

1 can or 12 oz. condensed milk

1 can large evaporated milk

1 tbsp. fresh calamansi juice or lemon juice (any citrus, really)

1 tbsp. vanilla extract (optional)

Caramel

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp water

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, heat water and sugar on low-medium. When sugar is dissolved and golden brown, quickly pour the sugar into each aluminum ramekin and spread evenly by tilting it using tongs (because it’s extremely HOT!). You don’t have to use the container I used– a porcelain ramekin (which is more widely used here) will do the job!

2. Separate the yolk from the white by cracking the egg open, transferring it to your hand, and ever so carefully juggling the yolk so that the white will fall in between your fingers. Do this 12 times.

3. Whisk the egg yolk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and calamansi juice in a bowl until smooth. Add vanilla extract.

4. Strain the custard mixture using a fine sieve to get rid any undissolved particles. This is extremely important in order to have a very smooth custard.

5. Transfer evenly into the ramekins, cover with aluminum foil, and place in a steamer for 45 minutes. Make sure the steamer is boiling at medium to low heat.

Note: If you don’t have a steamer, you may bake it in a water-bath inside a pre-heated 325 degrees oven. Basically, you fill a large tray about half way with water and place the ramekins on top.

6. Check to see if it’s done by pressing gently on the top of the custard and if it’s firm and a little bouncy, it’s perfect. You do not want to over cook these! They become hole-y inside. After, leave to cool and when ready to serve, just go over the sides with a knife, put a plate over it, and flip!

The caramel should be melted on the bottom and slide off the sides of the flan when flipped creating this pool of golden saucy goodness.

I went a little fancy for the photoshoot. I cut out a squiggle (“S” shape) on the container instead of cutting around the perimeter. This gave it an oblong Yin and Yang-esque shape. I only used the “Yang” part, as seen in the picture. Then, I carefully arranged segmented oranges (which were extremely sour!), and put some candied orange peels and a sugar “heart”on top (except the bottom of the heart broke off).

The orange peels seriously tasted like Fruit Loops.

Hope ya’ll try this one. Feel free to ask me any questions!

Happy eating!