Tag: Dessert by Deb

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Dessert by Deb’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie by Dessert by Deb
Herbal Infusion / Flavoured
$6.50 for 25g

First Impressions

Arriving in my bimonthly subscription box from Dessert by Deb, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie came in a matte gold pouch with a polka dot label. The pouch is sealed (and resealable), and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie is part of Dessert by Deb’s Little Country Kitchen Collection. It’s an herbal tisane with a name that invokes a certain idea of aroma and taste.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie consists of: honeybush, cacao nibs, Canadian maple, cinnamon, and dark chocolate. The aroma is strongly cinnamon and chocolate, and it reminds me a lot of a cookie. I don’t get oatmeal vibes, but the chocolate really makes itself noticeable.

Preparation

Dessert by Deb recommends steeping Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie in 212°F (100°C) water for 6 to 7 minutes. I opted to do an initial steep of 7 minutes.

First Taste

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie steeps to an orange-brown, with a slight oil slick across the top – which I would attribute to the cacao nibs and dark chocolate, which naturally contains oils. The aroma is chocolatey, with hints of vanilla and floral notes. I find it has some nice cinnamon notes to it, that reminds me of baked goods.

A Second Cup?

I attempted to resteep Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie, but found the flavour didn’t compare to the initial steep. So I would recommend steeping Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie just the one time.

My Overall Impression

I liked Dessert by Deb’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie. I found the flavour to be nice with the chocolate chips, and the cinnamon. I would think the cookie flavour would come across better if there was also vanilla in the mix, just to oomph up the flavour. I would like it with some sweets, and cookies. The sweetness in this blend is just the right balanced with the rest of the flavour profile.

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Dessert by Deb’s Maple Chai Sticky Buns

Maple Chai Sticky Buns by Dessert by Deb
Black Tea / Flavoured
$6.50 for 25g

First Impressions

Maple Chai Sticky Buns came as part of my bimonthly subscription box from Dessert by Deb. This black tea blend came in a bright shiny purple metallic pouch with a white and black label. The blend itself is quite pretty, and you can see it through the clear front of the pouch. The aroma of Maple Chai Sticky Buns is primarily cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. It has that heavy spice flavour that you expect to find in a chai blend, with hints of maple syrup throughout.

Maple Chai Sticky Buns consists of certified organic: black tea, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, Canadian maple, cardamom, honey, bee pollen, and calendula petals. It makes for a very pretty blend, what with the pale green of the cardamom and the bright yellow from the calendula petals.

Preparation

Dessert by Deb recommends steeping Maple Chai Sticky Buns in 212°F (100°C) water for 5 to 6 minutes. I opted to do an initial steep of 5 minutes.

First Taste

Maple Chai Sticky Buns steeps to a nice golden orange. The aroma is strongly ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, with hints of maple throughout. It makes for a smooth cup of tea, with a nice level of sweetness that I imagine comes from the honey and maple syrup. The black tea base lends itself well to the chai blend, because it has a light touch of astringency that balances well against the sweetness from the honey and maple syrup, and also the heat from the warm ingredients (i.e. ginger).

A Second Cup?

I resteeped Maple Chai Sticky Buns once (second steep), adding an additional 30 seconds for the subsequent steep. The flavour is best with the initial steep.

My Overall Impression

I loved Dessert by Deb’s Maple Chai Sticky Buns. This black tea blend has a great aroma, with those warming spices that you expect to find in a chai blend. The maple adds a nice level of sweetness, I think what would really make me think more of baked goods (sticky buns) would be perhaps some vanilla extract or vanilla bean in it. The flavour profile makes it a nice autumn/winter tea, and chai makes for a nice tea latte option.

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Dessert by Deb’s Strawberry Jam & Toast

Strawberry Jam & Toast by Dessert by Deb
Green Tea / Flavoured
$6.50 for 25g

First Impressions

Strawberry Jam & Toast came as part of my bimonthly subscription box from Dessert by Deb. This green tea blend came in a pale gold metallic pouch, that’s sealed and resealable. Strawberry Jam & Toast is part of the Little Country Kitchen Collection, and the packaging has a colourful polka dot label.

Strawberry Jam & Toast smells of toasted rice and berries. It reminds me a lot of a genmaicha with a berry twist. Strawberry Jam & Toast consists of organic: green tea, natural strawberry flavour, popped roasted rice, strawberry & papaya pieces, freeze-dried raspberries, rosehips, and hibiscus. It’s a very pretty blend, with many bright colours! I enjoyed looking at it and seeing the lovely colours in the pouch.

Preparation

Dessert by Deb recommends steeping Strawberry Jam & Toast in 200°F (93°C) water for 4 to 5 minutes. I opted to do an initial steep for 4 minutes, I try to avoid oversteeping green teas when I have the ability to.

First Taste

Strawberry Jam & Toast steeps to a pinkish orange hue, the aroma of this green tea blend is primarily strawberry and other berries. There’s a pleasant sweetness from the steeped tea, that isn’t overly sweet. There’s a good amount of strawberry flavour, and the popped rice in the blend makes me think of a genmaicha – and does remind me of toast. It lacks the sweetness needed to make me think of jam, but I do think it has a great strawberry/berry flavour.

A Second Cup?

I attempted to resteep Strawberry Jam & Toast, but found that the flavour to be watered down compared to the initial steep. I would recommend Strawberry Jam & Toast to the initial steep for maximum flavour enjoyment.

My Overall Impression

I loved Dessert by Deb’s Strawberry Jam & Toast. The flavour reminds me a lot of a genmaicha with strong berry flavours that do very well when steeped. I really enjoyed how the strawberry plays with the popped rice. It makes for a smooth cup of tea – with no bitterness, no astringency. This is another blend that I’m looking forward to having when it’s hot out, because I imagine that the fruity flavours will do well with being iced. The strawberry really shines through in this tea.

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