Meadowsweet Cream Cake

Method

1. 1
   Fill two empty tea bags each with 1 tablespoon of the dried meadowsweet flowers. Alternatively, use several layers of cheesecloth to tie the flowers up into a bundle. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the heavy cream. Heat the cream just until warm. Add the tea bags or bundle and allow to cool. Transfer the cream along with the tea bags to a container. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. The cream needs to be well chilled before whipping.
2. 2
   Fill another empty tea bag or cheesecloth bundle with 1 tablespoon of the meadowsweet. Add the tea bag and milk to a saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat the milk just until hot, but before it simmers. You don’t want the milk to simmer or boil which could result in reducing the amount of milk. When the milk is hot, remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 20 - 30 minutes.
3. 3
   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8″ spring form cake pan with a piece of parchment paper. Spray the inside liberally with non-stick spray. Set aside.
4. 4
   In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the eggs, sugar, and honey. Whip on high speed for about 5 minutes until the egg mixture is pale yellow and very thick. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and beat on low just until combined.
5. 5
   Rewarm the milk before adding to the batter. Remove and discard the tea bag, gently squeezing out the excess milk. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the milk. Heat just until the milk is hot and the butter melts. Do not let it boil or simmer.
6. 6
   With the mixer running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the hot milk, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides of the mixer. Continue mixing until all the milk has been added. Scrape down the inside of the mixer to make sure the batter is smooth and completely combined.
7. 7
   Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until done. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean and the top springs back when touched. Let the cake cool on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes and remove from the pan. Cool the cake completely.
8. 8
   Place the remaining tablespoon of meadowsweet into an empty tea bag or cheesecloth bundle. In a small saucepan combine the honey, water, and meadowsweet tea bag. Place over medium high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the honey is dissolved. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 15 to 20 minutes. After steeping, remove the tea bag, squeezing gently to remove as much liquid as possible.
9. 9
   Remove the tea bags from the cream. The cream will be thick and look slightly clotted – this is normal. Transfer the chilled cream to a mixer and beat with a whip attachment. Add the icing sugar and whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Add the mascarpone cheese and beat just until combined.
10. 10
    To assemble, split the cake in half. Arrange both halves with the cut sides facing up. Brush the honey syrup liberally over the cut side of each cake layer. Place the bottom layer on a serving platter. Top with a thick layer of the whipped cream topping and the remaining cake layer. Spread the remaining whipped cream topping over the cake. Chill until ready to serve.
11. 11
    Top the meadowsweet cream cake with a pile of fresh berries and fresh flowers to garnish. Enjoy!