Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Vanilla Bean Simple Syrup

I tend to stay away from sweet coffee drinks; I prefer cappuccinos and freshly brewed coffee with a little bit of cream. There are a few places here in the Mission that tempt me with their sweeter coffee drinks though. What makes Coffee Bar's vanilla bean latte and Sightglass's vanilla cold brew so great? Homemade syrup.

Big name companies use syrups to flavor their drinks with a ton of preservatives and artificial flavors. Lucky for us, delicious and natural simple syrups are easy to make at home. No need to pay $4 for a vanilla bean latte...you can make it right at home!

This is the perfect gift to bring to your best friend's holiday party or to your next dinner party as a hostess gift. The syrup lasts for two weeks in the fridge, meaning the hostess will be thinking about your generosity long after the party. Pour the syrup into a nice bottle, and tie it with a ribbon for show. 

Simply syrup is equal parts sugar and water. This recipe adds a vanilla bean to boost its flavor. You can find a mint simple syrup here. Add it into coffee, tea, or cocktails this holiday season.

Vanilla Simple Syrup

Makes one bottle

1 vanilla bean

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

Take the vanilla bean and slice it open. Scrape out the seeds, and throw the seeds and the pod into a small pot.

Add in the sugar and water to the pot, and then heat over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Let the syrup cool in the pot, and then pour into a bottle. Tie with a ribbon. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 

French Yogurt Cake

I've always had an obsession with tea parties. I love the frilly lace tablecloths, the delicate vintage teacups, and the dainty sugar cubes that I add to my Assam tea.

Lately, I've been dreaming of hosting a tea party for friends to celebrate spring. Unfortunately, my house is not that accommodating for tea parties--we don't have very much common space. 

However, this French yogurt cake would be at the top of my list of things to serve at a spring tea party. It is very similar to a pound cake, but instead of butter it uses greek yogurt. The result is a delicious, light cake that would go impeccably well with a cup of tea. 

To make the cake even more festive, top with fresh fruit!

French Yogurt Cake

From Bon Appétit

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat pan with vegetable oil spray. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess.

Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. 

Using your fingers, rub sugar with lemon zest in a large bowl until sugar is moist. Add yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract; whisk to blend. Fold in dry ingredients just to blend. 

Pour batter into prepared pan, and then smooth the top of the batter. Bake until top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. 

Let pan cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack to cool completely.

Tea Time and Chocolate Chip Scones

At the age of six, I fell in love with tea parties.  For my sixth birthday party, my family surprised me with a "tea" party.  There were crust-less sandwiches, flouncy dresses, and tea cups filled with...lemonade.  Two years later, I was celebrating my birthday again, but this time with real tea, and my father dressed up as a butler.  And fittingly enough, I spent my 10th birthday in London at a tea dance. A big brass band, the Waldorf Hotel, and a high tea?  Clearly, my birthdays peaked at age 10.

Nowadays, I still love the tradition of tea time.  Tea time is always four o'clock in the afternoon.  And you should always serve tea with something delicious, like these scones. 

These chocolate chip scones epitomize the exact type of recipes I want to showcase on this blog.  These scones are ready to eat in under 20 minutes, require no backing skills, and can be personalized however you choose.  Thrown in some currants instead of chocolate chips, or candied ginger, or chopped up toasted almonds!  The options really are endless.

Now go make these scones, and watch an episode of Downton Abbey.

Cream Scones

from the Wall Street Journal

makes about 20 scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar, plus 2-3 tablespoons for sprinkling

1 1/3 cup chocolate chips

1 cup heavy cream, cold

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Over a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/3 cup sugar.  
3. Add heavy cream to bowl and use an electric mixer to blend on low until ingredients are just combined.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Dump dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead very briefly.  Roll dough out to a 1-inch thickness.  You can use a 1 or 1 1/2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out scones.  I rolled the dough into a 1 inch thickness, and then cut out triangles.  
6. Place scones about 1 inch apart on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.  Reroll dough scraps and repeat process until all dough has been used.  
7. Use a pastry brush to paint tops of scones with melted butter, then sprinkle with sugar.  Place baking sheet in center of oven and bake until scones are golden, 12-15 minutes. 
8. Let scones cool on a baking rack.  Serve room or at room temperature.  
9. Scones can be stored in an airtight container up to 24 hours, or in the freezer up to 12 weeks.