Category: Blog

An exquisite, Tea-Inspired evening was held at The Nautilus Maldives, where the 2^nd and 3^rd Generations of the Dilmah Family crafted and presented the First Serving of the limited edition, seasonal, Single Estate Teas from their very own Dunkeld and Craighead Estates.

The guests were given the unique honour of experiencing the exceptionally delicate Queensberry Estate Seasonal Floral Pekoe: a complex seasonal tea with a soft aroma offering a beautiful floral liquor.

 Fine teas paired with delectable bites overlooking a Maldivian sunset made for the perfect evening for the guests of The Nautilus.

Click here to view tea-inspired recipes. 

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The Path to Immunitea

Did you know that the steaming cup of tea in front of you not only tastes great, it also does wonders for your body! This includes improving your immunity and keeping you away from nasty flus, as research suggests that drinking tea can boost your immune system. 

Your immune system is the first line of defense against disease-causing germs all around you, so fostering a strong system can prevent you from falling sick often. 

This is where Tea comes in! Research suggests that drinking tea can enhance your immune system, due to the polyphenols and theanine present in tea. 

The fresh, tender shoots of tea, which then become Black Tea, Green Tea and Oolong Tea, contain significantly high amounts of polyphenols. As a tea grower that understood the importance of quality and how it affects our health, Dilmah’s Founder Merrill. J. Fernando pioneered the concept of Single Origin Tea with Dilmah Tea – Tea that consists of only the two first tender leaves and a bud – containing the greatest concentration of immunity-boosting benefits. 

Experts recommend drinking 4 – 5 cups of Tea a day to truly unlock the powers of a boost in immunity, and we’re here to help! 

Dilmah’s publication ‘Immunity Inspired by Tea’ is a comprehensive recipe booklet and guide into different ways of incorporating tea in your diet and meal plans. Mixed with other powerhouse ingredients and superfoods, the benefits of your cup of tea are not only further boosted, it also turns into a delicious gastronomy or mixology masterpiece that will leave your tastebuds teangling for more!  

Flip through their amazing recipes such as the Goji Berry Cashew Chocolate, Turmeric, Almond Protein Ball; a stunning Aioli made with Peach Black Tea; Gazpacho shots made with Dilmah’s Tangerine, Rose and Grapefruit Infusion; and Ginger and Mint coolers, among many others. 

With a range of both, gastronomy and mixology, tea-inspired recipes tailored to boost your immunity, Dilmah’s recipe booklet is an important must-have in your cooking arsenal! 

Happy brewing! 

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Have you started your festive cookie baking yet? One of the most popular cookies that occupy a significant place in the world market for biscuits is sandwich cookies. The cream sandwiched between the crunchy cookies or the wafer sheets, enhanced the deliciousness of the cookies and wafers. Chocolate or other coatings enrobed the cookies create mouth-watering desserts that are well worth leaving room for!

Have you ever wonder what are the ingredients in cream fillings? Essentially, the cream filling contains sugar, fat and flavouring. Fat is the most important component in cream fillings and is carefully selected to provide the cream specific characteristics. The characteristics that cream fillings should have are as follows:

1. Quick setting (fast rate of solidification)
2. Firm at usage temperature and no leaking out from the sandwich
3. Good melting properties in the mouth to avoid waxiness
4. Free of trans-fats
5. Bland in taste to facilitate the addition of flavourings

The cream flavours are vary from indulgent flavours such as vanilla, chocolate and hazelnut to fruity flavours.

Palm oil is the preferred fat for cream fillings formulations basically due to its ability to provide all the above characteristics that are required to produce a good quality cream fillings. If you are concerned about your health, especially the risk of consuming trans-fats and high saturated fat, the palm-based trans-fat free and low saturated fat cream filling is available in the market. Palm-based cream fillings possess the following characteristics:

1. The cream is smooth and creamy
2. Solidifies sufficiently as it contains sufficient solid fat
3. Stay firm at room temperature and able to hold biscuits together
4. Quickly melts in the mouth leaving no waxy after taste

Palm oil is a source of natural fat 

Palm oil is extracted from the flesh (mesocarp) of oil palm fruits and has a balance fat content of 50% solid fat and 50% liquid oil. Various trans-free fats can be derived from palm oil through physical fractionation, without the need to undergo a hardening process using hydrogen called hydrogenation. Besides cream fillings, palm fats are also suitable for use as a milk fat replacer in ice cream mix, caramels and toffees. Picture below shows the applications of various palm fats in food and nutraceutical products.   

Processing and uses of palm oil after crude palm oil is processed

Palm oil has high oxidative stability

Palm-based cream filling is suitable for long-term storage as palm oil is highly tolerant to oxidation by surrounding air or high temperatures and does not turn rancid easily. 

Smooth and creamy

The type of fat crystals present affects the creaming abilities of fats. Beta prime (β’) fat crystals, which are smaller, more stable, and equally distributed, are present in palm oil. This plays a significant role in its creaming property’s perfection. 

Stay firm at room temperature and able to hold biscuits together

Solid fat in food plays many important roles such as improve appearance, enhance taste, provide better texture and enhance stability. It was found that palm-based cream is more stable than dairy creams, especially in hot climates. The good proportion of solid fat content in palm oil contributes to the consistency of the creams and does not easily oiling out during storage.    

Melts in the mouth leaving no waxy aftertaste

Solid fat that melts entirely near body temperature is required for the use in biscuit cream to keep the cream’s consistency while preventing a waxy aftertaste. The melting temperature of palm-based fat for biscuit cream formulation are around 36^oC-39^oC which are very close to body temperature.    

Does not contain harmful trans-fat

Trans-fat is formed in high concentration during oil hardening process, specifically partial hydrogenation. Partial hydrogenation of oil is done by adding hydrogen molecule to the oil under high temperature condition with the presence of catalyst. This process converted the natural cis-unsaturated form of the oil to an artificialtrans-unsaturated form which turns the oil into solid state without changing its unsaturated fat content. Partial hydrogenated oil became popular in 1950s-1970s as it was believed to be a healthier alternative to high saturated fat vegetable oils and is widely used in food manufacturing. However, by late 20^th century, trans-fat from partially hydrogenated oils has been discovered to have a more deleterious impacts on health than saturated fats, notably heart health, according to a large body of scientific research. Since then, numerous initiatives to reduce artificial trans-fat intake have been taken by health organisations across the world.

On the other hand, palm oil is modified using fractionation controlled by crystallisation (reduced temperature gradually to allow it solidify) and followed by physical separation using filtration. Two types of fats are obtained from this process namely, palm olein (liquid part) and palm stearin (solid part). These fat products can be further fractionated to produce even more fractions and are free of trans-fat. Palm oil is available in different fractions and characteristics, thus is versatile and diverse in its applications.

Sustainable source

The palm oil industry is one of the most highly regulated agricultural sectors in the world. For instance, Malaysia’s palm oil sector ensures compliance with policies that prohibited deforestation, peat development, and exploitation. In Malaysia, oil palm is planted on legal agricultural land. Through the national standard, Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification Standard (MSPO), Malaysia promotes the expansion of the sustainable palm oil industry. The MSPO certification standard promotes sustainable palm oil production while balancing the need for wildlife conservation, environmental protection, and the livelihood of oil palm-dependent populations.

Visit Malaysian Palm Oil Council’s website and follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to learn more about palm oil’s nutritional and economical advantages as well as environmental sustainability.

24 Days of Luxury Tea Inspired Christmas Recipes

What could be a better present than the gift of food – from our hearts and hearths, to yours! 

This Christmas, Dilmah spreads love, joy and the gift of kindness in sharing some of our stellar recipes combining our stunning teas and infusions with savoury and sweet ingredients resulting in gastronomic masterpieces fit for royal-tea! 

There is a tea for every moment, for every mood, and for every occasion. There is a tea for every fruit, vegetable and meat, a tea for every culinary style and a tea whose unique personality matches every person’s individual taste. 

Tea gastronomy and mixology brings out the best in teas while bringing out the best in the dish it is paired, cooked or baked with, or mixed into. With the sophistication of tea and the aura of opulence and rich heritage it commands, tea lends itself well to be placed as an essential ingredient in the modern world. 

Using the finest of Ceylon Teas in the process of cooking with tea adds a new dimension of taste, texture and flavour to food, bringing depth and harmony in the union of tea and food. 

And with Christmas around the corner, there is promise of joy and celebration in the air. Here are a collection of Christmas recipes (one for every day of the month leading to the festivities!), to help you plan your Christmas meals, drinks and everything in between, with jolly good food and Dilmah Tea to add just the right amount of festive cheer!

Relish familiar seasonal favourites with a surprise addition such as our ‘Ceylon Cinnamon Spice Tea’ Eggnog; wow your guests with a succulent lamb burger complemented perfectly with a chutney made of Dilmah’s peppermint, cinnamon and clove tea; elevate an ethnic dish of comforting kheer served best on cold mornings, with a stunning syrup made with our Blueberry and clove tea; and add pizazz to your dinner table with a Ceylon Silver Tips ‘t-Champagne’.

With 24 recipes and pairing ideas, this e-publication is sure to put a smile on your face. ‘Tis the season to be jolly and celebrate with your loved ones, so put on your aprons– we’ll bring the tea, you bring the jolly good times to brew!  

For more tea inspired Christmas recipes, see below:

ABOUT WORLDCHEFS

The World Association of Chefs’ Societies, known as Worldchefs, is a dynamic global network of 110 chef associations worldwide. A leading voice in the hospitality industry, Worldchefs carries 91 years of history since its founding at the Sorbonne by the venerable Auguste Escoffier. Representing a mobilized international membership of culinary professionals, Worldchefs is committed to advancing the profession and leveraging the influence of the chef jacket for the betterment of the industry and humanity at large.

Worldchefs is dedicated to raising culinary standards and social awareness through these core focus areas:

Education – Worldchefs offers support for education and professional development through the landmark Worldchefs Academy online training program, a diverse network of Worldchefs Education Partners and curriculum, and the world’s first Global Hospitality Certification recognizing on-the-job skills in hospitality; 

Networking – Worldchefs connects culinary professionals around the world through their online community platform and provides a gateway for industry networking opportunities through endorsed events and the biennial Worldchefs Congress & Expo;

Competition – Worldchefs sets global standards for competition rules, provides Competition Seminars and assurance of Worldchefs Certified Judges, and operates the prestigious Global Chefs Challenge;

Humanitarianism & Sustainability – Worldchefs Feed the Planet and World Chefs Without Borders programs relieve food poverty, deliver crisis support, and promote sustainability across the globe.

For more information about Worldchefs, visit us at www.worldchefs.org.

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Cooking with Tea: Tea-Inspired Dishes

In a world of spices and condiments, tea is an unlikely star; it is not the first thing that would come to your mind when reaching to season a spatchcock chicken, or for flavoring broths and stews, or even to put in cakes and scones. 

Sometimes the unlikeliest of heroes, the subtlest additions, are the ones that make the most lasting of impressions. 

Tea is just that. Tea has the ability to dignify and elevate a dish – any dish, any cuisine, any course. Tea, like most spices adds a sensorial aspect to food, but unlike other spices, there are different types and flavours of it which can enhance flavour and texture of food depending on which tea you decide to go with. 

Tea has a further functional aspect in helping to emulsify fats and help body functionality, especially in digestion. This is an herb which has a natural synergy with food so the possibilities of tea gastronomy and in using it when cooking, are endless! 

But with all things tiny but mighty, tea packs a punch so use it judiciously as its flavour contribution can be potent, just like many herbs. When cooking with tea, always aim to add new depth to flavour, and never to overwhelm the dish.

Treat it tenderly: over-brewing can bring out many bitter polyphenols, and tea can burn easily, especially when used as a smoking agent. 

Uses of Tea: Gastronomy 

Tea can function as a rub, marinade, smoking ingredient or can even be added directly to the cooking pot to impart dimension, depth and subtlety to familiar dishes. Many chefs claim that tea’s tannins help to tenderise meats in a manner similar to red wine. For instance, the Chinese have used Black Tea to flavour and colour hard-boiled eggs, or to smoke duck.

Tea in Appetisers, Mains & Savouries

Pique your guest’s palate with interesting flavours in tea-infused appetisers. Tea can function as a surprise element in food, especially the ones that come in uncommon flavours. As much as there is a tea for every mood, there is a tea for every occasion; tea in food can not only enhance flavour but also enhance an occasion – Roast Duck with Blueberry and Pomegranate Tea Sauce is one such example, perfect for elaborate dinners!

Tea for Dessert

Tea is a delightful addition to spice up and spruce up any dessert. From Matcha cheesecakes bursting with flavour to tea-inspired puddings, explore new flavours with common desserts with the surprise element of tea. Infusing Macarons with Green Tea is a refreshing take on a classic dessert while using Berry Tea gives your palate a taste of spring; Rose with French Vanilla Tea in Panna Cotta makes a delicious and fragrant dessert that would definitely have guests wanting more; and Earl Grey Tea makes for a flavourful addition to be speckled into cookies, scones and even cakes. 

Tea can further be used in dips, dressings, in jellies, jams, sorbets and sauces; and to drizzle over and enhance desserts and truly elevate them. 

Tea to Enhance Aroma

Tea can also be simply cooked in, to enhance aroma and sometimes even mask unpleasant odours that might arise from cooking certain foods. For instance, Jasmine Tea is often used to soften the inherent fishy scent in certain seafood dishes. Contemporary cooking sometimes employs Green Tea’s distinct taste to lend another flavour dimension to meats. Oolong Tea can be used in glazes; dried seafood can be rehydrated in Herbal and Green Teas; and fish can be poached in Black or Green Tea. 

With so many ways to use tea in cooking your food, it’s only fit-tea-ing that you find ways to use it in your dishes to elevate them and take them to all-new gastronomic heights!

Learn more about tea on the School of Tea E-Learning platform, visit https://www.dilmahtea.com/all-about-tea/school-of-tea-e-learning.

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There is a tea for every mood, moment and celebration – we all know that by now. 

But did you also know that regardless of which tea you go to, almost all of them are perfect for baking! 

The versatile and diverse nature of tea and the many multidimensional aspects and flavour profiles that come with it, have led chefs around the world to try their hand at combining tea with baking – thereby producing truly gastronomical masterpieces.

Tea infused food and drink are experiences in themselves, as they offer many elements to a dish – tea is not just an accompaniment during evening snacks but a key ingredient of the snack itself. Often, you may taste individual notes of the tea in the dish, other times they subtly blend in offering just a hint of flavour. Whatever you may be looking for, tea elevates your dish by bringing out depth in flavour and character. 

Traditional black tea is the most consumed and common type of tea around the world. Without compromising the goodness in tea, black tea has been infused into a range of flavoured teas that you can use to bake with. 

Some of the flavour profiles include fruity, spicy, minty, tangy, citrus, sweet, creamy, floral and herbal and can be found in our wide range of flavoured teas and infusions. 

Black tea is a perfect baking ingredient. Try your hard at making a warm, moist Apple cake with cumquat glaze, utilizing Dilmah Ceylon Supreme or any Dilmah Black tea. Or, how about Cardamom Scented Almond Friands, moistened with a syrup made with aromatic Dilmah Italian Almond Tea that adds not only flavour but a lovely sheen to the cakes providing a perfect balance between almond, cardamom and citrus flavours.

Among the notable creations that caught our eye in recent times, is Museum Art Hotel’s (New Zealand) brilliant tea infused strawberry mille feuille filled with silver jubilee Ceylon strawberry tea infused crème patisserie, and served with tea syrup and frozen strawberries.  

Similarly, Shangri-La UAE also jumped on the bandwagon of tea infused bakes, with their new take on a classic favourite, the New York t-cheese cake. The cookie-based cheese cake is revived with the flavour of Dilmah’s spring time chocolate mint tea, to give a lovely twist to a classic tea time favourite.

For more tea inspired gastronomy and mixology recipes and ideas, please visit Tea Recipes | Home | Tea Inspired Recipes

*Links for the recipes mentioned: 

Apple cake with cumquat glaze: Glazed Apple Cake Recipe | Food | Tea Inspired Recipes

Cardamom Scented Almond Friands: Almond Meal Friands Recipe | Food | Tea Inspired Recipes