"Use tea leaves or tea bags to create something today."
For project thirteen, I made thirteen cupcakes. My father-in-law, KJ, is obsessed with Earl Grey tea. It's his hot beverage of choice, and he drinks a fair amount of it. He recently ran low, so we went to Walmart today to stash up.
Earl Grey is really just black tea with a touch of bergamot, a yellow citrus fruit similar to an orange. I steeped a few tea bags in some hot milk to infuse the batter with yummy Earl Grey essence.
While these baked, I worked on the frosting. I followed a different recipe than I normally do. The one that I regularly use calls for eight egg whites, whereas this only called for four. Turns out it's worth cracking the extra eggs--- this one didn't set well, and was runnier than usual.
This one called for boiling sugar and water, pouring it into a mix of egg whites and cream of tartar, and beating until stiff peaks form. Sadly, there were no stiff peaks---- just limp little bumps.
Either way, they look pretty tasty, and I can't wait to try one!
The recipe:
Ingredients
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 cup whole milk
* 4 Earl Grey tea bags
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Heat milk on high in microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes until hot and steamy. Do not overheat! Put tea bags in milk to steep and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
4. Remove tea bags from milk and measure out 1/2 cup and stir into batter until smooth. Discard remaining milk. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pans to 2/3 full.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they spring back to the touch.
And for the frosting, here is my usual recipe (not the one I used in the pictures above):
Ingredients
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 cup whole milk
* 4 Earl Grey tea bags
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Heat milk on high in microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes until hot and steamy. Do not overheat! Put tea bags in milk to steep and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
4. Remove tea bags from milk and measure out 1/2 cup and stir into batter until smooth. Discard remaining milk. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pans to 2/3 full.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they spring back to the touch.
And for the frosting, here is my usual recipe (not the one I used in the pictures above):
Ingredients:
- 8 large egg whites
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extrac
Method:
1. Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.
2. Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.
how did they taste????
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, SO DELICIOUS. They have about 300 calories a piece, so I ate a half of one for breakfast with a cup of hot Earl Grey. SO YUMMY!
ReplyDelete