From teas to desserts: 5 ways to cook with angelica
What's the story
Angelica is a multifaceted herb with a sweetly aromatic character, and it can be a game-changer in vegan cuisine.
This article delves into five creative ways to weave angelica into your culinary tapestry, amplifying flavors and infusing a dash of herbal enchantment into your dishes.
From soothing teas to dreamy desserts, unearth the transformative potential of this underappreciated gem in vegan cooking.
Tea time
Sweeten your teas naturally
Angelica root can serve as a natural sweetener in teas.
Just add a small piece of dried angelica root along with your tea leaves when brewing.
It adds a subtle sweetness and a lovely aroma, eliminating the need for added sugars or artificial sweeteners.
This works particularly well with herbal and green teas, allowing angelica's delicate notes to shine.
Baking bliss
Elevate your baking
Add ground angelica seeds to your baking recipes for a secret ingredient that will leave everyone guessing.
A teaspoon added to cake or cookie batter imparts a distinctive flavor and a fragrant warmth that pairs beautifully with both chocolate and fruit-based desserts.
Angelica is especially complementary to citrus flavors, making it a perfect addition to lemon cakes or orange-infused shortbread cookies.
Flavor infusion
Create herbal infusions
Angelica leaves and roots are ideal for making infused oils and vinegars that add a gourmet touch to salads and marinades.
To create your heavenly infusion, simply steep fresh or dried angelica in olive oil or vinegar for two weeks in a cool, dark place.
You'll be left with a fragrant condiment that brings depth to dressings or serves as an aromatic base for vegan marinades.
Soup seasoning
Enhance your soups
The roots of the angelica plant can be a secret weapon seasoning in your soups and stews.
By adding chopped fresh or dried root as you cook, the broth absorbs the herbal notes without overwhelming the other flavors.
It's especially good in vegetable soups, where it adds an earthy undertone that pairs perfectly with root veggies like carrots and parsnips.
Sweet synergy
Craft homemade herbal syrups
For the culinary adventurers who enjoy crafting their own secret ingredients, angelica syrup is a game-changer.
Simply boil equal parts water and sugar with chopped angelica root. Let it simmer until thickened, then strain out the solids.
This golden elixir is perfect for drizzling over pancakes, mixing into mocktails, or glazing your favorite baked goods. It adds a touch of sweetness and a hint of herbal mystique to any dish.