I recently checked out a new cookbook and was excited when I stumbled upon tea infused desserts that were included in the collection of recipes. I don’t use cookbooks as often as I use food blogs for recipes but I enjoy finding ones by bloggers and if tea is featured some way then even better! Tracey Ceurvels, the blogger at The NYC Kitchen, is the author of this cookbook of the same name. She introduces tea as her afternoon beverage while sharing that Harney & Sons in SoHo, Kusmi Tea, and Mariage Frères are some of her favourite tea spots. The note and recipes below are from Tracey and her new cookbook. These tea infused desserts are my favourite from it and can be made with any tea.
A cup of tea with dessert is one of life’s simple (and tasty) pleasures, don’t you think? There is something so comforting when it comes to sipping a warm cup of say, chai, with frothy milk while nibbling on a homemade dessert. This is an experience that’s especially enjoyable with friends.
If you happen to love tea as much as I do, you might enjoy making desserts infused with tea. Since tea and sweets are such a sublime combination, I’ve enjoyed experimenting by adding tea to a few different desserts.
I’ve infused panna cotta, pots de crème and pound cakes with tea leaves—all with stellar results.
The tea adds wonderful new dimensions to desserts and, depending on what kind of tea you use, your desserts will be imparted with unique nuances. Take this panna cotta recipe. Meaning “cooked cream,” panna cotta is transformed with quintessential British flavors by using Earl Grey tea leaves. The recipe for pots de crème, basically a “pot of cream,” is infused with chai leaves, giving this creamy dessert that’s akin to a pudding an exotic flavor.
You could add other teas to either of these desserts with different but equally compelling results: try a smokey Russian tea (one of my favorites), a strong breakfast tea, or perhaps a blend like coconut black tea or tea with rose petals. The possibilities to transform desserts are many. Although I’m partial to the robustness of black teas, I’m sure herbal teas would be an interesting choice, too. Try mint, cinnamon, chamomile, apple, or some of the wonderful blends that many tea companies have created.
Whatever you choose, may you be inspired to add tea into your recipes.
Tea Infused Desserts from The NYC Kitchen Cookbook
[yumprint-recipe id=’36’]
[yumprint-recipe id=’37’]If you give any of these tea infused desserts a try, be sure to let me know. Special thanks to Tracey for sharing these recipes here! Get more recipes from Tracey by checking out her blog The NYC Kitchen and The NYC Kitchen Cookbook.
Which one of these tea infused desserts you want to try first? Share your preference the comments below!