Chocolate Chai Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Remove 1/2 cup sugar mixture to a shallow dish., Add butter to remaining sugar mixture; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking cocoa, cream of tartar, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Shape dough into 1-1/2-in. balls. Roll in reserved sugar mixture; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of a glass. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat cream and tea bags over medium heat until bubbles form around sides of pan (do not boil). Remove from the heat; steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags; whisk in the chocolates, vanilla and salt until smooth. Return to the heat; cook and stir until heated through. Pour into mugs; top with whipped cream and cinnamon sticks.

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags.
• Stir in sugar and cocoa. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add milk, vanilla, spices and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is heated through, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Strain, if desired. Pour into warm mugs. Garnish each with whipping cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg, if desired.

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water to a simmer in a small saucepan and add the tea bags and 1 cup sugar. Simmer 3 minutes, then remove and discard the tea bags (to keep the syrup from getting too bitter). Boil the tea until reduced to a syrup, about 10 minutes. You should have about 1/3 to 1/2 cup tea syrup. Let cool completely.
• Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, allspice, cardamom, cloves, pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in 1/4 cup tea syrup, then the egg and vanilla, until smooth. (Reserve the remaining tea syrup for another use; see Cook's Note.) Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic and form into two 7-by-2-inch logs. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice the logs into rounds about 1/3-inch thick, discarding the very end pieces. Arrange on the baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking, until crisp and light golden on the edges, 14 to 16 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on racks.
• Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in a microwave on 50 percent power, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate into a sandwich-size resealable plastic bag and snip a tiny piece off one corner with scissors. Drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern over the cookies. Let the chocolate harden before serving.

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the tea bag, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the tea bag and stir in the sugar and cocoa. Return to the stove over medium heat and bring just to a boil. Mix in the milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Heat through but do not boil. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream and a cinnamon stick garnish.

Steps:

• Put nonfat milk powder in a measuring cup; stir in enough black tea to make 1 cup. Stir until milk is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and black pepper together in a small bowl.
• Sift spice mixture, flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl. Stir cooled tea mixture, oil, and egg into flour mixture until batter is just combined; fold in ginger. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4-full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cupcakes on wire racks.