Cupid's Valentine Tea 2025 Recipe

Prepare tea blend

Combine black tea leaves, dried rose petals, dried raspberry pieces and hibiscus (if using) in a teapot or heatproof container. Split the vanilla bean and scrape seeds into the blend; stir in pod or add vanilla extract.

Brew

Bring 4 cups of water to a near-boil (about 200°F / 93°C). Pour water over the blend and steep for 4 minutes for a balanced flavor (3 minutes for lighter, 5 minutes for stronger). Cover while steeping to keep aromatics in.

Sweeten and serve

Strain tea into a serving pot. Stir in honey or simple syrup to taste (about 2 tbs as a starting point). Keep warm until serving. Garnish individual cups with a lemon slice and 1 edible rose petal and a small mint leaf if desired.

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Keep all cold ingredients cold — butter should be straight from the refrigerator.

Mix dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt until evenly distributed.

Cut in butter

Add the cold cubed butter to the dry mix. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.

Fold in fruit and flavor

Gently fold in the diced fresh strawberries, chopped dried rose petals and lemon zest, taking care not to crush the strawberries too much.

Add wet ingredients

Whisk the heavy cream and the egg together in a small bowl. Pour the cream-egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together. If dough is too dry, add up to 1–2 tbs additional cream.

Shape and cut

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7½–8 inch (about 2-inch thick) round. Use a 2½-inch round cutter to cut scones, or cut into 8 wedges with a knife. Transfer scones to prepared sheet about 1 inch apart.

Brush and bake

Brush the tops lightly with extra heavy cream to promote browning. Bake for 15–18 minutes until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean. Rotate pan halfway through for even baking.

Cool

Remove scones to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving with curd and cream.

Make raspberry puree

Place raspberries and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until raspberries break down and are syrupy, about 5–7 minutes. Mash with a spoon or use an immersion blender for a smooth texture. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds, pressing to extract as much puree as possible. You should have roughly 3/4 to 1 cup puree.

Cook curd

Return 1/2 cup of the raspberry puree to a clean saucepan and warm gently over low heat. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk about 2 tbs of the warm puree into the yolks to temper, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining puree. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 5–7 minutes). Do not boil.

Finish curd

Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the cubed butter, lemon juice, and rosewater. Stir until smooth. Transfer the curd to a clean jar or bowl and chill, covered, until set (at least 1 hour).

Whip cream

Chill a mixing bowl and whisk. Pour the cold heavy cream into the bowl with powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip to soft peaks (about 2–4 minutes on medium-high speed). Keep refrigerated until serving.

To serve: Split warm scones in half. Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of chilled rose raspberry curd onto each scone half, then top with a dollop (about 1–2 tbs) of whipped cream. Sprinkle a few chopped edible rose petals and a tiny mint leaf on top for a romantic finish. Dust the assembled scones lightly with powdered sugar just before serving.

Place scones on a pretty platter alongside the teapot of Rose & Raspberry Tea. Provide lemon slices and extra honey/simple syrup for guests to adjust sweetness. Serve 2 scones and 2–3 small teacups per person for an indulgent afternoon tea experience.