Chai Chocolate Custard With Ginger Cream Recipes

CHAI CHOCOLATE CUSTARD WITH GINGER CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Combine all spices and place in a mortar. Using the pestle, crush them. Set aside. In a medium saucepot, combine the heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Bring to a scald. Pull from heat. Add the crushed spices and allow to infuse for about 10 minutes. Add the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. At this time mixture should be heated slightly, the tea added and infused for 10 minutes. After the infusing process, add a small amount of warm mixture the yolks and temper. Add entire yolk mixture back to the custard, stir. At this point the entire mixture should be passed through a chinois. Pour custard base into desired ovenproof dishes. Fill about 2/3 full allowing room for the ginger cream. Bake in a water bath just until set. Allow the custard to sit at room temperature to cool for about 30 minutes. Chill.
• For the Ginger Cream: Combine heavy cream, milk and sugar. Bring to a scald. Pull from the flame. Add ground ginger and allow to infuse for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, presoak a gelatin leaf in cool water. Pass milk mixture through a chinois. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Cool mixture in ice bath while stirring. Just before it sets, pour ginger cream over the top of the baked chocolate custard. The top should be smooth and just the white should be showing. Chill and allow the Ginger Cream to set.

CHAI ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine coriander, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon in a small skillet over medium-high. Cook, swirling pan frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Combine toasted spices, milk, ginger, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to just under a boil, then remove from heat and let stand 45 minutes. Return to a simmer; add tea. Remove from heat; let steep 10 minutes. Strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve (you should have about 2 cups; if not, add more milk); discard solids.
• Prepare a large ice bath. Return mixture to saucepan and add 1/2 cup sugar; bring to a simmer. In a large bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 cup sugar into egg yolks. Gradually whisk in half of milk mixture. Pour back into pan and cook over medium, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 5 to 6 minutes. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Add heavy cream. Place in ice bath. Let chill, stirring occasionally, at least 30 minutes. Refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve ice cream soft from machine, or freeze in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. If frozen for more than 4 hours, let ice cream stand at room temperature 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

CHAI ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium-sized pot, place 1/2 of the sugar, the tea and spices (spice amounts may be adjusted to your taste). Add the milk and stir well. Boil gently for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced minimally.
• While the tea is warming, whisk together egg yolks, remaining sugar, and pinch of salt.
• Pour the chai mixture slowly through a seive into the eggs, whisking vigorously (otherwise the eggs will curdle).
• Return the mixture to the pot (after removing chai sediment). Heat the custard, stirring gently, until about 170 degrees F. Monitor carefully, as the eggs will scramble if too hot!
• Place pan in an ice-bath to cool quickly, then cool in the refridgerator for about an hour.
• Transfer to ice-cream maker and freeze according to directions.
• If using, stir in chocolate chips near the end of the freezing process.

CHAI POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• For custard:
• Combine first 7 ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 15 minutes to develop flavor.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Place six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Pour cream mixture through fine strainer into medium bowl. Discard solids in strainer.
• Whisk egg yolks, brown sugar, and orange peel in 4-cup measuring cup to blend well. Gradually whisk in cream mixture. Pour custard into custard cups, dividing equally (cups will not be full). Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups. Cover baking pan with foil. Pierce foil in several places with skewer to allow steam to escape.
• Bake custards until softly set (centers will move slightly when cups are shaken gently), about 30 minutes. Remove custards from water. Cool on rack. Chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)
• For topping:
• Beat whipping cream and sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Place dollop of whipped cream atop each pot de crème and serve.

CHAI TEA CAKE WITH GINGER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Begin cake by combining water, 3 tea bags, ginger root, cardamom pods, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
• Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; mix well.
• Mix flour, baking soda, cardamom, and salt with remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon cloves in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, one half at a time; stir to combine. Strain hot tea and slowly pour into the batter and stir until smooth; batter will be thin. Pour into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
• While the cakes are cooling, combine water, sugar, and tea bags for simple syrup in a small pot over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar has dissolved, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Brush simple syrup over cooled and leveled cakes until the majority of the cake has absorbed the syrup. Do not oversoak the cakes; you want enough syrup to soak in and keep cakes moist and flavorful without flooding them. Place cakes in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until ready to decorate.
• Combine cream cheese, butter, and ginger for frosting in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and blend until smooth. Frost cake.