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I hate cold weather.
There I said it, I haaaaaaaate cold weather.
Blame it on my tropical blood, I dread cold temperatures. Winter makes my face crease like a dried prune and my winter wardrobe of fleece, wool, sweaters, jackets and such make me look–and feel–utterly frumpy and unattractive! I love warmth and sun–80 degree Fahrenheit and 80% humidity is my natural habitat. While most people shuns away from humidity, I for one think that humidity does wonders to my complexion–it makes my skin looks perfectly dewy and glossy (perhaps it’s SWEAT?!).
I digress…
So, when it comes to cooking during this time of year, I only have one thing in my mind: foods that make me warm. Other than my claypot dishes, this almond tea with baked puff pastry (酥皮杏仁茶) has been an absolute life-saver, especially during those cold mornings and nights.
I learn this almond tea recipe from a Chinese restaurant near where I live. While it might seem hard to prepare, it’s actually quite easy to make this almond tea with baked puff pastry (酥皮杏仁茶) with store-bought ingredients such as puff pastry sheets, almond powder, and canned ginkgo nuts.
It’s great sipping the almond tea while munching away the crispy and flaky puff pastry, with a magazine or newspaper in hand. And that’s when I feel that I might actually start to like cold weather. *wink*
Other bakes goods/recipes that go well with Almond Tea with Puff Pastry (酥皮杏仁茶):
2 servings
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons sweetened almond powder
1 teaspoon honey
10 ginkgo nuts (canned)
1 cup water
1 puff pastry sheet (thawed and cut into two 4.5 in. x 4.5 in. squares)
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
Bring one cup of water to boil and add in the almond powder, ginkgo nuts, and honey. Stir well and set aside.
Transfer equal portion of the boiled almond tea into two regular soufflé dishes. Top the soufflé dishes with the puff pastry squares. Stretch the puff pastry square to cover the dish opening tight.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the puff pastry turns golden brown. Serve hot.
Cook’s Notes:
- You can get both almond powder and canned ginkgo nuts at Asian food stores.
- Fresh ginkgo nuts (pictured above) can be used. Use a nut cracker to crack the shell, then remove the skin and soak the ginkgo nuts in water for a few hours (to soften them) before use
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
hi rasa, what a clever and delicious recipe. i lobe the idea it sounds wonderful. so the tea has nuts in it? do you chew them while you drink it or leave them behind? or do they dissolve somehow. pardon, my ignorance ;)
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I like the taste of puff pastry~
yummy!
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It’s actually kinda cold right now in Malaysia with the usual year-end rainy season… so this recipe will fit in just as nicely in tropical climes when the weather turns slightly, uhm, icier? :)
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Can almost imagine you all wrapped up and huddled while drinking the steaming hot tea. hehe.
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delicious. I would like to put the spoon into the pot
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On the other hand, it’s steaming hot in Manila today (maybe cos I’ve been baking all day..)! I need a cold break! (Perfect for making pastry, haha)
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we are both tropical blooded..so i understand perfectly your point of view ..i hate cold weather too..but i guess i wont mind so much chilly weather if i have this baked almond tea with puff pastry to accompany me by :-)
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It looks so lovely and tasty. This is going to go on my must try list.
One question, does this have to use the sweetened almond powder (the one that comes in the pink can from Hong Kong)? Or can I use the non-sweetened kind where it is just almond powder and compensate with extra sugar?
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nice! It’s getting too warm in Perth though! will keep this in mind for the weird cold blasts that we sometimes have in the middle of summer!
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whoa.. am salivating! how i wish to have it right now!
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Love almond tea. And the touch of 酥皮 on smooth almond tea. Perfecto!
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sounds nice! btw, any idea where can I find canned gingko nuts?
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Didn’t know that almond tea can be served with puff pastry. Looks great, but I might try a different combination since I don’t take food with almond flavor. ;-)
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You know?
Everytime after my snowboarding trip, the only choice I had is hot chocolate.
It’ll be very nice if I have have your baked almond tea with puff pastry instead.
Very very nice.
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Sounds utterly delightful and while it may be described as simple, you make it seem very sophisticated and delicate! Mmm…would make a nice end to a Chinese themed dinner :)
Ce’nedra
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Baked almond tea with puff pastry sounds good to have when its cold. Im bookmarking your baked almond tea with puff pastry recipe.
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I missed the stall that sells Hin Jin Thng at Kimberly St- the one in front of a joss-sticks shop and few meters away from the well known Charcoal Char Koay Teow ( in front corner of a kopitiam). You’re right is great to have almond tea in Winter!I can’t find bitter almond/apricot kernels in Europe :-( so can’t make fresh tea… my luggage was too heavy carrying all the ‘food’ :-D
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