This holiday season, we’re delighted to bring you another Christmas recipe from Elise Pulbrook, MasterChef semifinalist and cookbook creator. Elise’s Chamomile Blossom Panna Cotta adds a festive touch to your table, highlighting Tea Drop’s Chamomile Blossoms, available individually and in our Wellness Brews and Restful Retreat Gift Packs as part of our limited-edition Christmas Collection, crafted to bring calm and warmth to the season.

Imagine a luscious panna cotta that’s light, creamy, and elegantly infused with chamomile, paired with delicately poached apricots. With its beautiful aroma and soft, floral flavors, this dish is perfect for a holiday dessert, spooned out with fresh or poached seasonal fruit for a delightful finish.

Chamomile Blossoms Panna Cotta Recipe

Serves: 8 | Prep time: 10-15 minutes plus 30 minutes infusing | Setting time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

• 150ml full cream milk
• 850ml thickened cream
• 5 heaped tablespoons Tea Drop Chamomile Blossoms
• 100g honey (orange blossom honey is ideal)
• 4 gelatine leaves (from a pack where 15 leaves weigh 25g)

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, combine the milk, cream, chamomile blossoms, and honey. Bring to a gentle heat, stirring occasionally to submerge the chamomile. Just before boiling, turn off the heat and let the mixture infuse for 30 minutes.

2. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 3 to 5 minutes until softened.

3. Reheat the infused mixture until it’s nearly boiling. Remove from heat and strain one cup into a heatproof bowl. Squeeze out the gelatine leaves and whisk into the warm liquid until dissolved. Add back the remaining strained liquid and discard the tea blossoms.

4. Stir the mixture over a bowl of iced water to cool. Pour into a 1L fluted dish or individual moulds. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

5. To unmould, dip the bottom of the mould in hot water for 5 seconds and turn onto a plate. Serve with chamomile-poached apricots or fresh berries.

Chamomile-Poached Apricots Recipe

 

Ingredients:

• 500ml water
• 250g sugar
• 2 heaped tablespoons Tea Drop Chamomile Blossoms
• 1 vanilla pod (optional)
• 500g apricots, halved and stoned

Instructions:

1. Place apricot halves in a clean, heatproof jar.

2. In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, chamomile, and vanilla. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5–10 minutes to infuse.

3. Strain the syrup over the apricots, discarding chamomile and vanilla pod, then seal the jar. Let cool, and refrigerate for at least 1 day to deepen flavours.

 

As the cold weather sets in, we’re popping on the kettle and drinking lots of delicious tea to keep warm and hydrated. 

Is there anything better than a warm cuppa on a gloomy winter's day? Whether it’s a tea to kick-start your morning, a 3pm pick-me-up, or that cosy cup of joe to help you unwind at night - tea can brighten any day!

But did you know that there are different teas to suit each time of the day and that each blend is full of immunity boosting ingredients that can help promote winter wellness?

Our best teas for winter is packed in small batches to ensure the freshest taste with every brew. Take a look at some of our favourites that will be seeing us through the winter:

Morning

If, like us, you struggle to get out of a warm bed on a winter's morning, drinking a cup of tea is a great way to put that spring in your step. Welcome in the day with the sweet & spicy aroma of Malabar Chai. A harmonious blend of spices blended with whole leaf black tea, it boosts blood circulation & is high in antioxidants. Add milk to enjoy as a cosy Chai Latte, with the caffeine & spices giving you a delicious kick start to your day.

Mid-Morning

Refresh your taste buds with a steaming cuppa of Honeydew Green.  The perfect choice for the mid-morning hours when you need increased concentration and focus. This single origin green tea is combined with honeydew pieces and apricot flavour for a fresh & fruity tea experience. With all the healthy benefits of antioxidants, it’s the perfect healthy ‘pick me up’ if you're feeling down this cold & flu season.

Lunch Time

Though Peppermint tea is a winner at all times of the day, it’s the perfect lunchtime treat to help refresh your taste buds and as an ideal palate cleanser. It can also work wonders to help digestion and leave us feeling more balance and relaxed. Its decongestive powers and ability to ease nasal congestion comes from the menthol in the peppermint leaves & when inhaled through the hot steam of the tea, helps us to breathe more easily when congested. 

Afternoon Tea

Citrus & spice is always nice! Press the reset button with a zesty cuppa of Lemongrass Ginger tea, ideal for doing away with those classic after lunch sugar cravings. The infusion of lemongrass, ginger, rosehip and hibiscus makes for a refreshing and calming brew that reduces bloating and aids with digestion, perfect as a relaxing cuppa on a cosy winter afternoon.

Bed Time

On a cold winter's night, is there anything better than a relaxing cuppa of Chamomile Blossom to help you unwind after a long day? A perfect blend of chamomile flowers, rose petals and lavender buds, it has powerful antioxidants that activates the brain receptors and encourages a restful night of sleep, even when a sore throat or stuffy nose threatens to get in the way. So slip into pure bliss with this soothing tea and say hello to a great night's sleep! 

Our blends are packed in small batches to ensure the freshest premium tea with every brew, so keep warm and have a healthier winter with our guide to best teas for winter.  Explore our range now.

We think its safe to say everyone loves a sweet bite of something after dinner. Matcha is known for its distinctive aroma and flavour. So we brought our love for matcha and white chocolate and made our version of matcha truffles. You can never go wrong with a truffle or two - or an entire box. We are not judging. 

Ingredients (aprx. 20-25 serves)

• 100ml heavy cream
• 2 tbsp Tea Drop Matcha Powder
• 250g white chocolate, chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Topping Ideas (optional)

• Chocolate coating white/dark/milk
• Chocolate sprinkles
• Chopped nuts
• Coconut flakes

How to make

In a heat-proof bowl add heavy cream, vanilla extract and matcha powder and whip together.

note : add matcha powder using a fine mesh strainer to make sure there are no clumps.

Add the chopped chocolate to the bowl and melt over simmering hot water at very low heat. Stir to become a uniform colour.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Use an ice cream scoop and portion out truffle onto parchment paper.
Roll each truffle between your palms till you create a perfect ball, don’t worry our hands got messy too.
If the truffles get too soft don’t worry, place in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Coat truffle with preferred topping (this is optional).

Enjoy!

 

Did you know that when we call spiced teas chai latte, in India chai is simply known as tea? A chai is a combination of black tea and spices. Chai Latte is a tea that simply shouldn’t be missing from any authentic tea-lover’s pantry.

Tea Drop Chai Latte Range

Hand crafted and blended to perfection, each of our delicious Chai options is a rich & harmonious marriage of whole leaf black tea and spices, creating a superior flavour that’s guaranteed to be the perfect drink any time of the year.

We source our teas and ingredients directly from origins and are made in small batches right here in the heart of Melbourne, so our chai is always fresh. Learn more about our cozy and delicious chai options below.

Traditional Chai Latte

This deliciously rich powder blend makes a creamy and aromatic chai bursting with traditional spices, comforting black tea flavours. The perfect pour as a gluten free latte or chai frappe.

Want to know how to make traditional chai recipe? Click here to find out more! Traditional Chai Latte - Watch Video

Honey Spiced Sticky Chai

Made right in the heart of Melbourne, this artisanal chai brew is blended in small batches and infused with whole leaf black tea, ginger, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, black pepper & Redgum honey sourced from the flourishing Redgum forests of Australia, to give the blend a whole new level of spice and an enhanced flavour profile.

 A light to medium sweetness that perfectly blends the black tea and spices together in a subtle smokey finish. So, prepare to experience pure bliss with every sip of our Honey Spice Sticky Chai.

How to make a traditional chai recipe using our Honey Spiced Sticky Chai

• Place 2tbsp of sticky chai to jug.
• Cover the chai with hot water (30ml) and allow to brew for 1-2mins.
• Pour in 150ml milk of your choice and steam to 68C.
• Strain into warm glass and garnish with chai sprinkles.

Watch Video

Chai Concentrate

If chai latte is your “go to” everyday coffee alternative, then our Chai concentrate is the perfect choice.

Our Chai Concentrate is a slow brewed blend of whole leaf single origin black tea, fresh spices and kithul treacle; a traditional Sri Lankan ingredient known as the maple syrup of the East. Left simmering for the perfect period of time, this Chai is strained and conveniently bottled in 100% recycled glass for an authentic quality taste ready to enjoy. No preservatives are added and its vegan friendly.

So easy and quick to make. No mess and don’t need to wait. If you have a little espresso machine even more so easier to make.

How to make a traditional chai recipe using Chai Concentrate

• Pour 35ml of Chai Concentrate and 140ml milk of your choice.
• Steam together to 68C.
• Pour into a warm glass.
• Garnish with chai sprinkles.

Watch Video

Malabar Chai Tea

If you don’t like having milk and looking for a chai tea or masala chai, this is the option for you.

Malabar Chai tea is one of Tea Drop’s signature classics. It is a tea of spicy & complex body, with a deliciously smooth finish. The superior flavor is due to superior ingredients including pure black tea, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, rose petals & ginger. Our Malabar Chai tea is available in plant-based pyramid tea bags or loose leaf tea.

Tips on frothing the milk at home

Most find frothing the milk the hardest step when making a homemade chai latte. You don't have to have a fancy espresso machine or a milk frother to whip up frothy milk. You can create the creamy texture simply by whisking or blending. Whisking works best for dairy-based milks while blending is best for soy, coconut, and nut-based milks.

• Whisk - Heat the milk on medium to high heat. Use a hand mixer or a metal whisk to vigorously beat the milk. It should take just a few minutes to have frothy milk.
• Blend - Use an immersion blender to froth your milk. For best results, blend the milk before heating it on the stove. Alternatively, you can shake the milk in a large glass jar or a cocktail shaker. Once you add heat, the milk will froth and foam in minutes.

 Health benefits of drinking a chai

• As the chai latte has black tea and contains caffeine. It’s a delicious pick me up for the day and an energy boost in the afternoon.
• Aids in digestion
• High in antioxidants
• Helps reduce pain and inflammation

Give it a chai

Explore and enjoy our range of healthy and delicious chai latte blends. Perfect for making them in the comfort of your own home. Get ready to spice up your day with these rich and creamy blends, that provide immune boosting effects and a clean kick of energy for the perfect pick me up. Give it a chai today.