Spiced (Chai) Sultana Scrolls April 20, 2009

Ingredients:
1 cup wholemeal SR flour
1 cup white SR flour
2tb sugar
1/2 cup Butter (Softened)
1/2 to 1 cup sultanas
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamon

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Method:

Mix together the ingredients in a bowl. Turn out onto floured board and knead. break dough into 4 pieces. Take each piece and press it into a rectangle (about 1cm thick). Roll the dough from one end. Cut the scroll in half, and place with cut side down onto a baking tray. Leave about 2cm between each if you want them to just touch, closer if you want them to form one large “pull apart”, or about 3cm apart if you want them to be separate. Brush lightly with milk and bake at about 180 until going golden on top and sound hollow to tap. Cover with a teatowel to keep them soft (I line a large serving bowl with a teatowel, slide the hot scrolls into this straight from the oven and put a teatowel on top) Best eaten while still warm (can be microwaved to heat them up)

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Rolling instructions (with pictures) below:

Chai Teacake January 4, 2009

This recipe looks and sounds so divine… you have to look at the cake!

http://www.bakingobsession.com/2007/11/30/chai-tea-spice-cake

Chai Latte Cupcakes January 4, 2009

(Makes 24 large cupcakes) 

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups milk
2 black (normal) tea bags
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of ground black pepper
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cup castor sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla essence (or vanilla bean)
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups Plain flour
1/2 cup wholemeal flour

 

Method:
1). In a saucepan, heat the milk until just before boiling. Add the teabags and spices (including the split vanilla bean if using this), cover and remove from heat. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then give the milk a stir and remove the teabags, squeezing them to remove as much tea flavour as possible. (and remove and scrape the vanilla bean). Allow to cool. Measure out 1 1/4 cups of this, adding extra (plain) milk if some has evaporated off (I needed to add 2 tb).
2). Beat the sugar and butter until creamy. Add eggs. Sift together the baking powder, salt and flours.
3). Gradually add the spiced milk and sifted flour mix alternately, mixing well.
3). Spoon mixture into baking cases and bake at 190C for around 20 minutes, or until cakes are cooked (skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean). Allow to cool before icing.

 

Vanilla Chai Frosting:
100g softened butter
100g softened cream cheese
Whatever you need of icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence/paste (or 1 vanilla bean)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Beat butter and cream cheese together, then add spices, vanilla and enough icing sugar to make the right consistency. Halve the spices for a more subtle flavour.

 

If you would prefer to use Chai teabags instead of the spices, use 3 Chai teabags and do not use the spices or black teabag, however the result will not be the same flavour as using the spices. If you really like Chai, try the Chai frosting, or if you prefer something more subtle, perhaps a plain vanilla frosting.

Chai Pikelets / Pancackes December 19, 2008

Ingredients:
1 cup Self Raising flour
2 tablespoons of sugar (optional)
1 Egg
1 Cup Milk
2-3 chai teabags (or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cardamon)

Method:
1). In a saucepan, heat the milk with the teabags/spices until it starts to bubble, then remove from heat and allow to stand for 10 mins, then remove the teabags (squeezing out all the milk).

Or – If you want to skip this step, just mix the spices and the milk in with the mixture without simmering them together first

2). Sift the flour, stir in the sugar, egg and milk. Beat until smooth.
3). Get a good frying pan and put it on the heat. Add a light amount of oil.
4). When the pan is hot, spoon/pour some mixture onto the pan – about the size of an egg ring or smaller for a pikelet…. larger for a pancake… It should fizz when you pour it on. Within a few moments you should see bubbles forming, this is the sign to flip them over, and the other side should be nice and golden brown.
5). Once you think the other side is cooked (you can peek at it), remove it and leave it to cool on some kitchen paper. Allow the pan to heat up again if needed before adding another.

Pikelets – Serve cooled with jam and cream, or cool or warm a squirt of lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar.

Pancakes – Serve hot with maple syrup

Vanilla Chai Cupcakes December 19, 2008

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups Silk vanilla soy milk (or use cows milk)
1 Tb loose or 3 tea bags of chai spice tea
1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cup castor sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp double vanilla essence or 2 vanilla beans
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups minus 2 tb Plain flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour

 
Method:
1). Heat the milk in a saucepan until it begins to bubble. Remove from heat, adding the tea, then cover and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
2). Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla, salt and baking powder.
3). Remove the teabags (or strain) squeezing out all of the milk. Measure to make sure there is still 1 1/4c of milk, adding more if needed.
4). Add the sifted flours and milk in gradually, mixing well.
5). Beat until mixture is smooth and shiny.
6). Spoon mixture into 24 baking cups, and bake in a preheated oven at 190C for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.

 
http://www.bakespace.com/recipes/detail/Vanilla-Chai-Tea-Latte-Cupcakes/8300/

Chai Latte Cupcakes December 19, 2008

Ingredients:
1 cup soy or rice milk (or cows milk if you prefer)
4 black teabags or 2 tablespoons loose black tea
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup plain or vanilla soy yoghurt
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or one vanilla bean)
1-1/3 cups Plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of ground black pepper

 
Method:
1). In a saucepan, heat the milk until just before boiling. Add the teabags and spices (including the split vanilla bean if using this), cover and remove from heat. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then give the milk a stir and remove the teabags, squeezing them to remove as much tea flavour as possible. (and remove and scrape the vanilla bean)

 
2). Combine the sugar, vanilla, oil, yoghurt and spiced milk until mixture is smooth. Add the sifted flours, baking soda & powder and salt, mixing well.

 
3). Spoon mixture into baking cases and bake at 190C for around 20 minutes, or until cakes are cooked (skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean). Allow to cool before icing.

 
Topping:
The original recipe calls for the following ingredients to be mixed together and sprinkled on top of the cakes (or the sugar on first, then mix the rest and sprinkle that on):
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tb cocoa powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg or ground mace

 
But personally I’d go a spiced cream cheese frosting…. something along the lines of:
100g softened butter
100g softened cream cheese
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence (or 1 vanilla bean)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cardamon

 
http://www.theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?RecipeID=386

Chai Recipes November 14, 2008

There are many different ways to make Chai. Chai is a spiced tea, normally very milky.

 

 
Chai Recipe #1 (Must make several cups)
1 Tbsp fennel or anise seed
6 green cardamom pods
12 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4″ ginger root, sliced thin
1/4 tsp black pepper corns
2 bay leaves
7 Cups water

 
Boil ingredients for 5 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Then add 2tb tea leaves, 6tb honey or brown sugar, and 1 cup milk.

 

 
Chai Recipe #2 (Makes 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups water
1 inch stick of cinnamon
8 cardamon pods
8 whole cloves
2/3 cup milk
6 tsp sugar (or to taste)
3 tsp black tea

 
In a saucepan, bring the water and spices to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins. Add milk and sugar, and return to simmer. Add the tea, cover the pot and turn off the heat, allowing it to sit for 2 mins. Strain into 2 cups to serve.

 

 
Chai Recipe #3 (No measurements given)
1/3 part water
2/3 part milk
1 tsp of tea leaves for each cup
freshly chopped ginger
cardamom pods
cloves
Sugar to taste

 
Put all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Swirl the pot around to increase the flavour. Once the desired strength has been reached, serve.

 

 
Chai Mix Recipe
4cm cinnamon stick
4 cardamon pods
2-3 black peppercorns
slice of fresh ginger/1/2 tsp powder

 
Grind ingredients together to make the spice mix. Use 1/4 tsp of the spice mix per cup of tea. Add to 1 cup water in a saucepan, and simmer for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup of milk and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Strain and serve. You can change the water/milk ratio if you prefer it more milky.

 

 
Cheater’s Chai
There are prepackaged Chai teabags and tea blends around now. You can simmer these teabags in milk to make a more traditional Chai, but you can also make an instant Chai by adding 1-2 teaspoons of milk powder to the cup, add the teabag and boiling water, and either waiting for that to cool (giving more time for the favour to come out), or adding a little cold milk and drinking straight away.