[S]eptember may have slipped in, but we’re still clinging to sweet summer days with this recipe for jasmine green tea avocado lime mousse. This no-bake, tea-infused treat only has you lingering by the stove for mere moments, letting the blender do all of the work to keep your summer vibe in full swing. Rich avocado lends creaminess that is balanced by the crunch of pistachios, the tart zing of lime zest and juice, the sweetness of dates and honey, and floral notes of rosewater and jasmine green tea. Don’t let the salt make you think savory, since it just lets the sweet flavors sing. But before your first bite, take a moment to eat with your eyes and admire the deep green mousse and edible flowers that send your mind to a garden scene. And if you’re having trouble tracking down perfect petals, top the mousse with fresh herbs like sweet mint or basil for an earthy surprise.
Jasmine green tea makes its way into this recipe in two ways. First, we brew a concentrated cup using a tablespoon of the jasmine scented green tea leaves. While warm, we let the dried dates rehydrate and pistachios soak in the steep, absorbing the essence of the tea. Be sure to sneak one of the tea-infused pistachios as a snack to truly taste how the floral notes have seeped into the nut, as if a flower was growing inside all along. Rather than toss the tea, we instead strain the dates and pistachios and reserve the liquor for a light simple syrup sweetened with a hint of honey. Once reduced and cooled, drizzle the jasmine syrup (that’s meant to be thin rather than syrupy thick) on the mousse to layer in delicate jasmine flavors that mingle with rosewater for a bouquet effect. Keep in mind that you’ll want to drizzle the syrup to taste in case you prefer a treat that’s less sweet. And best of all, you can use leftover jasmine syrup to sweeten an iced tea.
And best of all, you can use leftover jasmine syrup to sweeten an iced tea.
Even as the leaves begin the slow descent from the branches, we can capture summer color with the luscious green mousse and bright edible flowers in this jasmine green tea avocado lime mousse. The burst of lime juice will surely brighten your senses. Sweet notes will send you to a summer treat that’s lightened by a floral affair of rosewater and jasmine that lingers like a soft garden afterthought. Here’s to holding on to summer as long as we can.
Jasmine Avocado Lime Mousse
Makes two small cups
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 tablespoon jasmine green tea (whole leaves or pearls)
3 dried dates, pitted
4 tablespoons pistachios, shelled and unsalted
3 tablespoons honey (wildflower preferred)
zest from ½ lime
juice from ½ lime
1½ teaspoons rosewater
1 avocado
Pinch of Salt
Edible flowers
Bring one cup of water to a boil and cool to 175 degrees. Brew jasmine green tea for four minutes and strain leaves. Stir in pistachios and dried dates and let soak in green tea for twenty-five minutes. Remove the pistachios and rehydrated dates, reserving the jasmine green tea.
Pour the tea into a small pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Stir in 3 tablespoons of honey until dissolved and lower heat to a simmer for fifteen minutes until tea is reduced to approximately one-third of a cup. While the tea reduces, zest and juice one half of a lime. Once the tea has reduced, let it cool completely (pop it in the freezer to speed up the chill).
To a blender or food processor, add two tablespoons of the tea soaked pistachios, lime zest, lime juice, the flesh of an avocado, tea soaked dates, rosewater, salt and blend until smooth. Spoon the avocado mousse into two small glasses. Drizzle with tea honey syrup to taste. Roughly chop remaining pistachios and sprinkle on top along with edible flowers, or the aforementioned herbs. Enjoy.
—Story and photos by Alexis Siemons, tea writer and consultant. Alexis blogs about her steeped adventures at teaspoonsandpetals.com.
