Delicious Recipes Using Earl Grey Tea

There’s always time for tea and there’s always room for cake

Anonymous

Tea is one of those magical discoveries that we can not only enjoy as a beverage, hot or iced but we can also use in cooking and baking. I have put together some delicious recipes using Earl Grey Tea in particular, but really so many other teas can be used if you prefer a different flavouring. Earl Grey is one of my favourite teas, I love the aroma of the bergamot seated against a full bodied black tea. It is one of my ‘go to’ teas when I need to take a break. One of my favourite treats is a London Fog Latte, just a little bit special – click on the link and it will take you straight to the recipe.

Earl Grey Tea Blend, or Earl Grey’s Mixture as it is also known, was named after Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey, British Prime Minister 1830-1834. Known as Viscount Howick when he succeeded his Uncle as third Baronet of Howick in 1808. He was the author of the 1832 Reform Bill, prominent Whig politician and worked on the abolition of slavery within the British Empire in 1833. According to records Earl Grey was gifted a tea flavoured with bergamot oil as a diplomatic gesture. It is said that the Earl was very taken with this flavouring and would drink nothing but this type of tea from then on.

Earl Grey tea is typically a black tea base with the oils from the rind of the fragrant bergamot fruit added. Other flavours such as lavender, different citrus or even cornflowers are sometimes added to complement the bergamot, but traditionally an authentic Earl Grey tea only has the addition of bergamot. Lady Grey tea is often described as being slightly lighter and more subtle in flavour than Earl Grey tea. Bergamot is a fragrant citrus fruit from the Citrus Bergamia plant. Prolific in the Mediterranean area, the fruit is about the size of an orange, yet similar in color to a lime but with a bumpy skin surface. Bergamot has a very distinctive, heady fragrance and taste.

Earl Grey Syrup:

Delicate flavours perfect for serving over pancakes, waffles, French toast or to give a plainer style of cake a lovely lift as a drizzle. Can also be used in smoothies and cocktails, just add a dash for something a little different!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Caster Sugar
• 1 cup Fresh Cold Water
• 3 Tablespoons of Loose Leaf Earl Grey Tea or 3 Earl Grey tea bags

Method:

• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir gently over high heat until sugar dissolves
• Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 3-5 minutes, until starts to thicken and form a syrup like texture. Add the tea leaves or tea bags and set aside to cool for around 30 minutes
• Strain the tea leaves from the syrup carefully or discard the tea bags
• Store the syrup in an airtight container or bottle and refrigerate for up to 1 month
• Makes 1½ cups
• Presenting this in a pretty bottle with a label makes a beautiful and simple homemade gift. Perfect for a housewarming, end of year thank you or Christmas present.

Earl Grey Tea Infused Cream:

The rule of thumb here is about 1 1/2 teaspoons of fragrant Earl Grey tea leaves to 1 Cup of Cream.

• Pour 1 Cup of Fresh Liquid Cream into a medium sized bowl
• Stir the Earl Grey tea leaves through the liquid cream
• Cover and refrigerate for 8-12 hours to infuse the flavours fully
• Strain the cream, pressing on the leaves to extract as much of the cream and flavour as possible
• Discard the tea leaves
• Add a little more liquid cream if required
• Whip and use straight away or refrigerate until required
• Beautiful accompaniment to afternoon tea with scones, pikelets, crepes or meringue baskets. Or how about a dollop on top of your London Fog Latte ♥

Earl Grey Tea Loaf:

This is my all time favourite tea loaf to whip up and enjoy with lashings of butter and a pot of freshly brewed black tea.
You will need to think ahead with this one, the dried fruit needs to soak overnight prior to mixing and baking.

Ingredients:

• 175g Dried Currants
• 175g Sultanas
• 300ml freshly brewed strong hot Earl Grey Tea
• 275g Self Raising Flour or Plain Flour and Baking Powder
• 225g Muscovado or Light Brown Sugar
• 1 large Egg, lightly beaten
• Oil, Baking Spray or Butter to grease a loaf tin

Method:

• In a medium sized bowl place the dried fruits and pour over the hot Earl Grey tea
• Stir gently, cover and leave to soak overnight. The dried fruit absorbs the tea and becomes nice and plump with a beautiful infusion
• The following day preheat your oven to 150deg Celsius or 130deg Celsius Fan Bake or Gas 3 1/2
• Prepare your loaf tin, grease and line with baking paper
• Sift flour into the bowl of fruit and tea
• Add sugar and beaten egg
• Mix together thoroughly. It is ok if there is a little extra liquid in this recipe
• Pour mixture into prepared loaf tin and smooth
• Bake for 1 3/4 hours or until lightly browned and just firm to the touch. I check mine from around 1 1/4 hours as each oven heats differently
• Leave in tin for 10-15 minutes before removing and placing on a cooling rack
• Once cooled store in an air-tight container
• Serve sliced into thick chunks with butter and of course a wonderful cup of tea
• This loaf does freeze well, if it lasts that long!

Earl Grey Tea Biscuits or Cookies:

Ingredients:

• 115grams of softened (not melted) Butter
• 150grams Plain Flour
• 40grams Icing Sugar
• 1 tablespoon good-quality Earl Grey tea leaves, finely ground
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 180°C fan-bake
• Line 2 baking trays with baking paper
• In a large bowl beat the butter and icing sugar together until pale, light and fluffy
• Add flour, ground tea leaves, salt and zest, and mix together until completely combined
• Wrap the dough in glad-wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour
• Lightly flour the bench surface and roll out the dough to a thickness of ½cm
• Use cookie cutters to cut out the cookies
• Place the cookies on the baking sheets approximately 3cm apart to allow for spreading
• Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the bottoms are just golden
• Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack
• Store in an airtight container
• Enjoy with a freshly brewed pot of black tea

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