Holiday Fare
Masala Chai Pumpkin Custard
Ingredients
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
pinch salt
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 cups 2% milk, whole milk, or half and half
2 tbsp loose leaf Masala Chai Black Tea
Whipped cream (optional)
Ingredients
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
pinch salt
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 cups 2% milk, whole milk, or half and half
2 tbsp loose leaf Masala Chai Black Tea
Whipped cream (optional)
Directions
- Mix the Masala Chai Black Tea and milk in a small bowl and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours or more. This is a cold brew technique to infuse the milk with the Masala Chai flavor.
- After the milk has infused for at least 24 hrs, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. (If you are serving the pumpkin custard in a pie crust, pre-bake your pie crust first and then change the oven temperature to 375 degrees.)
- In a medium size bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar. Add the spices and salt and mix.
- Strain the milk through a small sieve to remove the Masala Chai Black Tea. Pour the strained milk into the bowl with the egg, sugar, and spice mixture. Add the pumpkin. Mix together until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a medium size sauce pan and heat on the stove until it is hot to the touch. Do not boil.
- While the custard is heating on the stove. Prepare the ramekins. Spray 10 small ramekins with baking spray. Place the ramekins in a water bath. I placed the ramekins in two 9x13 cake pans and filled the cake pans with water. Make sure the water comes, at least, half way up the side of the ramekins.
- Once the custard is finished heating, ladle 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup pumpkin custard into each ramekin. Bake for 30-40 minutes until custard shakes like Jello.
- Top with whipped cream and serve warm or at room temperature.
"A Royal Irish Cream Tea"
Prep Time 5 minutes, Cook Time 10 minutes,Total Time 15 minutes
Ingredients:
3/4 cup Full Cream Milk
2 tbsp Sugar
1 and a half Teaspoon Ellen's Organic Irish Breakfast Tea
a pinch Himalayan Pink Salt
Whipped cream to garnish
a pinch Cinnamon powder to garnish
3/4cup Water
Instructions:
1. In a saucepan, heat the water up to boiling and add Ellen's Organic Irish Breakfast tea leaves.
2.Turn the stove off and let the tea leaves steep for 5 minutes. Strain the tea leaves, leaving a rich Irish Breakfast tea liquor. For a stronger tea liquor, increase the brew time to 7 minutes.
3. In a clean saucepan, heat the milk, along with the sugar and salt.
4. Once boiled, pour the milk into a blender, along with the Irish Breakfast tea liquor.
5. Blend the entire beverage, for about 20 seconds or until it is frothy and bubbly.
6. Pour into two mugs, garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle with less than a pinch of cinnamon powder.
Recipe Notes: You can replace sugar with any form of sweeteners like honey, stevia, monkfruit, etc. Though full cream milk is recommended, you can also use almond milk, Oat millk or soy milk.
**Though it's referred to as Irish "Breakfast" in the United States, this blend is more commonly enjoyed throughout the day in Ireland. Ellen's Irish Breakfast is made from a blend of Organic Ceylon black tea and organic Assam black tea and has a well-rounded and malty, and rich brew.
Black Strawberry Tea Chocolate Truffles
INGREDIENTS
1/2 c. plus 1 Tbsp. crème fraîche
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. unsalted butter
1/2 oz. black Strawberry essence (approximately 2 Tbsp. loose tea)
10 oz. semisweet chocolate
unsweetened cocoa
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small saucepan, combine crème fraîche, butter, and 2 tablespoons water.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and add tea. Cover and let steep 5 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan.
4. Put chocolate into a medium-size bowl.
5. Bring crème fraîche mixture to a boil again and pour over chocolate. Stir gently until all chocolate is melted (do not whisk).
6. Pour into a 9-inch baking pan and spread evenly. Chill until firm.
7. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Using a melon baller, scoop chocolate to form balls about 3/4 inch in diameter, then roll gently into balls using palms. When rolling truffles, you can wear vinyl or latex gloves, or use your bare hands, if you dust your palms with cocoa powder. Without gloves the rolling will be easier, but not less messy.
8. Place truffles on lined cookie sheet; cover and chill just to set, about 1 hour.
9. To serve, place cocoa in a pie pan. Add several truffles one at a time to cocoa and swirl pan to coat.
Transfer to serving plate or place truffles in mini muffin cups (available at grocery stores).