Afternoon Tea Cup Cake

Directions

1. 1
   Pre heat oven to gas mark 7
2. 2
   The pistachios need to be ground as finely as possible. I would recommend using a food processor. When I was practicing this recipe I had just moved house and couldn't find any of my kitchen apparatus so I wrapped the nuts in baking parchment and used a wine bottle as a rolling pin. Needs must.
3. 3
   Put the ground pistachios, sugar and butter in a mixing bowl and combine.
4. 4
   Once this is all creamed together add the flour, baking powder and the eggs.
5. 5
   Put the milk in a sauce pan with the tea and heat gently for around 10 mins. Don't let the milk boil. Once the milk tastes and smells of the tea add it to the cake batter.
6. 6
   Put the batter in the tea bowls, you only need to fill the bowls half way because they rise quite a lot, and place in the oven.
7. 7
   The cakes take around 20 mins to cook. Once cooked take out to cool.
8. 8
   Whip the cream. Roughly chop the raspberries and mix them into the cream with a metal spoon.
9. 9
   Add the cream to the top of the cakes and garnish with a rose bud.
10. 10
    Enjoy with a strong black tea like Da Hong Pao.