Earl Grey Teacakes Recipes

EARL GREY TEA CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a small saucepan, and then steep 2 of the Earl Grey tea bags in the hot milk for half an hour.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease or line a 9x5 loaf pan.
• If your honey is semi-solid, melt together with the butter. Using an electric mixer cream together butter, honey and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
• Add flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
• Remove the teabags from the milk making sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Add infused milk, lemon zest and tea powder from 2 bags and mix until well incorporated.
• Fill batter into prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil towards the end of baking time.
• Combine all ingredients for the syrup and set aside. Let the loaf cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on a wire rack. Poke holes into the top and brush syrup on while still warm.
• Store any leftover syrup in a glass jar in the fridge. A couple teaspoons of syrup make a great addition to a cup of brewed tea.
• Let the loaf cool to room temperature before slicing into it.

EARL GREY TEACAKES

Steps:

• Put the fruit and zest in a bowl and cover with the hot tea. Leave to steep overnight.
• Heat the milk in a small pan until hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat and add the butter, swirling the pan to help the butter melt and cool the milk. Leave to cool to hand temperature. Tip the flour, mixed spice, sugar, yeast and ½ tsp salt into a large bowl. Pour in the warm milk mixture, the egg and 1 tbsp of the tea from the soaked fruit. Mix with a wooden spoon to combine, then tip onto your surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth and elastic, adding a little more flour if the mixture is too sticky. Place in a clean, oiled bowl and cover with cling film, then leave in a warm place to rise for 2 hrs until doubled in size.
• Flour 2 large flat baking trays, knock all the air out of your dough and add the soaked fruit (drain the fruit first if you have any liquid left in the bowl). Knead the fruit into the dough until well distributed - you may need to add a little extra flour if the fruit makes the dough too sticky. Break into 6 pieces and shape into balls. Place on the floured baking trays, well spaced apart, and squash each down lightly with the palm of your hand. Cover loosely with oiled cling film, then leave to prove for 30 mins-1 hr, until doubled in size.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Uncover the teacakes and bake for 25 mins, swapping the trays over halfway hrough cooking, until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the base. Brush each one with a little apricot jam and return to the oven for a further 1-2 mins. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Serve warm from the oven or split and toasted, topped with lashings of butter. Will keep in a tin for up to 4 days.

TEA CAKES WITH EARL GREY ICING

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 24-cup mini muffin pans with paper liners. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Whisk until smooth, then remove the bowl; keep the water simmering in the saucepan. In another bowl, whisk the sugar, flour and salt; mix into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs, one at a time, then whisk in the vanilla until smooth.
• Divide the batter among the prepared cups, filling each three-quarters of the way. Bake until the cakes spring back when touched, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool on a rack.
• Meanwhile, make the icing: Whisk the sugar, egg whites, lemon juice and salt by hand in the bowl of a stand mixer. Empty the tea bags and add the loose tea to the bowl, then set the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk until the mixture is hot and the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until the mixture holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag, snip the corner and pipe the icing onto the cupcakes.

EARL GREY TEA CAKE WITH DARK CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE ZEST

Steps:

• Prepare the frosting: In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup/120 milliliters heavy cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the tea, remove from the heat, cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, and chill the remaining cream until completely cold, at least 1 hour.
• Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, tea, baking powder and salt.
• In large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the orange zest and beat to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the flour mixture on low, until just combined, then beat in the milk. (Don't overmix.) Add the chocolate and fold it in using a spatula. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake just until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then tip the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.
• To finish the frosting, add the remaining 1/4 cup/60 milliliters cream and the confectioners' sugar to the tea cream. With an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream mixture until medium-stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mascarpone and beat just until stiff peaks form. (Do not overmix.) Top the cake with the frosting to serve. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; let come to room temperature before serving.