[MaymeRachael]

Usually, you don't ramen at a tea party...
Here's another...

Vanilla Bean Loaves
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups vanilla sugar (1 split vanilla bean stirred into 1 pound of sugar; let sit for a few days)
1 vanilla bean
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
8 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vanilla Syrup (see recipe below)

Heavily butter or spray two similarly sized loaf pans, and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Using a paddle attachment in your mixer, cream butter and vanilla sugar until mixture is pale and fluffy. Scrape the vanilla bean and flick its seeds into the mixer, along with the vanilla extract and eggs; beat to mix.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into another bowl. Add to the batter and mix just until smooth ()a few turns of the paddle should do it. Take the bowl off the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the bottom and fold the mixture a few times, to make sure everything is blended.

Divide the batter between the two prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the pans around, and bake an additional 25 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer comes out almost clean.

While the loaves bake, prepare the syrup.

When loaves are done, cool for 10 minutes on baking racks, then turn them out of their pans and set back on the racks. Place the racks over parchment paper or a baking sheet and brush generously all over (bottoms, tops, and sides) with the Vanilla Syrup. Brush a couple of more times as they cool. Cakes may be wrapped and frozen, if you can resist eating one right away.

Makes 2 loaves.


Vanilla Syrup:
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 vanilla beans, split and seeds scraped

In a small pan dissolve the sugar in water over medium heat. Add the vanilla beans and stir a little so the seeds and fragrance disperse. Take the pan off the heat.
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I LOVE THIS ONE!!!!!!!!

Rose Petal Jam

1/2 pound pink or red edible rose petals*
2 cups sugar, divided
4 1/2 cups water
Juice of 2 lemons (approximately 1/2 cup)

*All roses that you intend to eat must be free of pesticides. Do not eat flowers from florists, nurseries, or garden centers. In many cases these flowers have been treated with pesticides not labeled for food crops.

Clip and discard bitter white bases from the rose petals; rinse petals thoroughly and drain.

Place rose petals in a bowl and sprinkle enough sugar to coat each petal. Let set overnight.

In a saucepan over low heat, place remaining sugar, water, and lemon juice; stirring to dissolve sugar. Stir in rose petals and let simmer 20 minutes. Increase heat medium-high and bring to a boil; continue boiling for approximately 5 minutes until mixture thickens and the temperature on a candy thermometer reaches 221 degrees F, or until a spoonful dropped onto a cold plate jells and holds its shape.

After boiling, transfer the jam into hot sterilized jars. Fill them to within 1/4 inch of the top, wipe any spilled jam off the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Cover, label, and store in a cool place.

Makes 1 pound of jam.