Chai Tea Custard Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Combine all spices and place in a mortar. Using the pestle, crush them. Set aside. In a medium sauce pot, combine the heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Bring to a scald. Pull from heat. Add the crushed spices and allow to infuse for about 10 minutes. Add the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. At this time mixture should be heated slightly, the tea added and infused for 10 minutes. After the infusing process, add a small amount of warm mixture the yolks and temper. Add entire yolk mixture back to the custard, stir. At this point the entire mixture should be passed through a chinois. Pour custard base into desired oven proof dishes. Fill about 2/3 full allowing room for the ginger cream. Bake in a water bath just until set. Allow the custard to sit at room temperature to cool for about 30 minutes. Chill.
• Combine heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Bring to a scald. Pull from the flame. Add ground ginger and allow to infuse for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, presoak a gelatin leaf in cool water. Pass milk mixture through a chinois. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Cool mixture in ice bath while stirring. Just before it sets, pour ginger cream over the top of the baked chocolate custard. The top should be smooth and just the white should be showing. Chill and allow the ginger cream to set.

Steps:

• Steep 1 cup Darjeeling tea leaves in 4 cups boiling water for 7 minutes. Strain tea leaves and reduce to 3/4 cup. Grind spice to powder. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large heat-proof mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Place the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Warm just until bubbles form around the edge. Remove from heat and, whisking constantly, pour into the egg and sugar mixture. Add the spice powder and the reduced tea liquid. Continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is well combined. Pour the mixture through a very fine sieve into 6 flameproof creme brulee dishes, filling them only half full. Place the dishes into a shallow baking dish large to hold them without crowding. Place the dish on the middle rack oven. Working quickly to preserve the heat, finish filling the dishes with the custard mixture, making sure that it comes right to the top of each dish. Then carefully fill the baking dish with very hot tap water so it comes halfway up the sides of the filled dishes. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the custard is set in the center. Remove the custards to a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until ready to use. When ready to serve, preheat the broiler. Pass the brown sugar through a fine sieve to eliminate all lumps. Generously sprinkle the top of each chilled custard with an equal portion of the brown sugar, taking care to cover all of the custard, so that it gives an even finish. Place the chilled creme brulee dishes under the preheated broiler and broil for about 2 minutes, or until the tops are crackling brown. Remove from the broiler and serve immediately.

Steps:

• For custard:
• Combine first 7 ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 15 minutes to develop flavor.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Place six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Pour cream mixture through fine strainer into medium bowl. Discard solids in strainer.
• Whisk egg yolks, brown sugar, and orange peel in 4-cup measuring cup to blend well. Gradually whisk in cream mixture. Pour custard into custard cups, dividing equally (cups will not be full). Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups. Cover baking pan with foil. Pierce foil in several places with skewer to allow steam to escape.
• Bake custards until softly set (centers will move slightly when cups are shaken gently), about 30 minutes. Remove custards from water. Cool on rack. Chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)
• For topping:
• Beat whipping cream and sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Place dollop of whipped cream atop each pot de crème and serve.

Steps:

• Place cloves and peppercorns in a large bowl; with the end of a wooden spoon handle, crush spices until aromas are released., Add the tea bags, sugar, ginger, cinnamon stick and boiling water. Cover and steep for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the milk., Strain tea, discarding spices and tea bags. Stir in hot milk. Pour into mugs.

Steps:

• Bring spices, ginger, and water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer until liquid becomes aromatic, about 15 minutes. Whisk in sugar, then add tea bags; turn off heat and let steep 3 minutes.
• While tea is steeping, warm a serving pot by rinsing several times with very hot water. Strain tea mixture through a fine strainer or a coffee filter into pot. Heat milk over medium heat until just simmering. Whisk until frothy. Pour into serving pot, stirring well to combine.