Dark Chocolate Chai Sponsored Recipes

DARK CHOCOLATE CHAI COOKIES

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water to a simmer in a small saucepan and add the tea bags and 1 cup sugar. Simmer 3 minutes, then remove and discard the tea bags (to keep the syrup from getting too bitter). Boil the tea until reduced to a syrup, about 10 minutes. You should have about 1/3 to 1/2 cup tea syrup. Let cool completely.
• Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, allspice, cardamom, cloves, pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in 1/4 cup tea syrup, then the egg and vanilla, until smooth. (Reserve the remaining tea syrup for another use; see Cook's Note.) Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic and form into two 7-by-2-inch logs. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice the logs into rounds about 1/3-inch thick, discarding the very end pieces. Arrange on the baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking, until crisp and light golden on the edges, 14 to 16 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on racks.
• Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in a microwave on 50 percent power, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate into a sandwich-size resealable plastic bag and snip a tiny piece off one corner with scissors. Drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern over the cookies. Let the chocolate harden before serving.

CHOCOLATE CHAI

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the tea bag, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the tea bag and stir in the sugar and cocoa. Return to the stove over medium heat and bring just to a boil. Mix in the milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Heat through but do not boil. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream and a cinnamon stick garnish.

CHAI CARAMEL CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 20cm square cake tin and line with two strips of baking parchment. Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water) or in 20-second bursts in the microwave. Leave to cool slightly.
• For the chai caramel, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until the caramel has loosened.
• Put the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat for around 5 mins until pale and thick. Alternatively, do this using an electric whisk. Fold in the slightly cooled melted chocolate mixture using a spatula and, when fully combined, add the flour and cocoa powder. Mix until everything is combined and there are no streaks of flour. Pour into the prepared tin, drizzle over the chai caramel and gently swirl into the batter using a teaspoon.
• Bake for 25-30 mins until the brownies are set at the edges with a slight wobble in the middle. If the brownies wobble a lot, they're not done - bake for another 5 mins until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Leave to cool completely in the tin, then remove and slice into 16 squares to serve. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

VEGAN CHAI HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Pour two-thirds of the oat milk into a saucepan. Add the cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom pod and coffee. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat. Cook for 1-2 mins.
• Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the vanilla and agave. Froth the remaining oat milk using an electric milk frother or the mini whisk attachment on a hand blender. Strain the hot chocolate into two mugs, discarding the cinnamon and cardamom pod, then gently pour in the frothed milk.
• Top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and a pinch each of cinnamon and nutmeg, if you like.

CHOCOLATE CHAI CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Put nonfat milk powder in a measuring cup; stir in enough black tea to make 1 cup. Stir until milk is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and black pepper together in a small bowl.
• Sift spice mixture, flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl. Stir cooled tea mixture, oil, and egg into flour mixture until batter is just combined; fold in ginger. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4-full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cupcakes on wire racks.