The use of coffee in baking is well known, but the subtler taste of tea can equally enhance your culinary creations.
Chief among teas used in recipes is Earl Grey. This is a traditional black tea infused with oil from bergamot oranges, which gives it an appealing citrus fragrance and delicate taste.
Earl Grey origins
The name comes from the 19th century British Prime Minster Charles Grey who also held the aristocratic title of Earl and who supposedly popularised the infusion.
Our own quality English Tea Shop Earl Grey teams fine organic Ceylon black tea from the misty mountains of Sri Lanka with organic bergamot oil. It’s available as a whole leaf tea, in loose leaf pyramid tea bags and tea bag sachets, all with sustainability minded packaging.
Earl Grey tends to be known as an afternoon tea, the kind you might be offered with finger sandwiches and dainty cakes. But of course, it can be drunk throughout the day. It can also be enjoyed with or (more traditionally) without milk.
Breakfast bake
If your new year has begun with good intentions, our Homemade Granola flavoured with our English Tea Shop Earl Grey could be just the thing to start each day well.
It’s packed with healthy seeds and oats and its Earl Grey flavour is enhanced by orange juice, cinnamon, cardamon and honey. There’s also the option to add the treat of chocolate chips!
Better still, our stir-and-bake Earl Grey Granola needs minimal preparation and our recipe will set you up with 12 servings.
We recommend you enjoy a bowlful with Greek yoghurt and perhaps a topping of fresh strawberries.
Naturally it makes the perfect accompaniment to your first cup of tea of the day – Earl Grey or otherwise!
Homemade Earl Grey Granola
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 35 mins
Makes: 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 340g honey
- 160ml water
- 60ml olive oil
- 2 English Tea Shop Earl Grey Teabags
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- Zest and juice from ½ an orange
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cardamon
- 720g oats
- 40g sunflower seeds
- 40g almond flakes
- 40g mixed seeds
- 40g uncooked quinoa
- 50g mixed nuts
- Handful of plain chocolate chips
For serving:
- 250g greek yoghurt
- Handful of fresh strawberries
- Drizzle of honey
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, mix together honey, water and olive oil, and heat until slightly thickened.
- Once the mixture has begun to thicken, take off the heat and add in vanilla extract, orange zest and juice, ground cinnamon and ground cardamon.
- Next, add in the teabags and leave to sit for five minutes whilst stirring occasionally. After five minutes, remove the teabags.
- On the lined baking tray, mix together oats, sunflower seeds, almond flakes, mixed seeds, quinoa and mixed nuts.
- Pour the earl grey syrup over the baking tray and mix with all the ingredients. Evenly spread out the mixture across the baking tray, as thin as possible.
- Place the baking tray into the oven for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it is evenly baked.Once fully baked, remove from the oven and set to cool.
- When completely cool, mix in some chocolate chips.
- Finally, you are ready to serve this delicious granola with some yoghurt, strawberries and a drizzle of honey.
