AUSTRALIAN chef Peter Kuruvita has used Dilmah tea bags to make these yummy Earl Grey Honey and Orange cupcakes, perfect for a high tea or as a tasty addition to an afternoon cuppa.
Makes 20
The Cupcake
Ingredients
- 429 grams (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 265 grams (1 1/4 cups) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1/2-teaspoon salt
- 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) of milk
- 125 ml vegetable oil
- 125 grams butter
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (can substitute with sour cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- Zest of 1 large orange (1/2 for batter, 1/2 for frosting)
- 6 Earl Grey and honey tea bags - Dilmah
- 1-2 drops purple food gel
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 cup orange marmalade
- 2 teaspoons orange blossom water (can be purchased at middle eastern supermarkets)
For the frosting:
- 1 Batch of Buttercream frosting (below)
- 4-5 drops orange food gel
Method
1. Over a medium heat, warm the milk making sure you don't allow it to come to the boil. Place your tea bags in it and push them down using a fork or spoon. Allow to brew in the milk for 8-10 minutes then remove. Set the milk aside to cool down to room temp.
2. Preheat your oven to 160C. Combine all remaining dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and using the paddle attachment turn onto a low setting and allow to mix for a couple of minutes. Then, add the softened butter and continue mixing on low speed until the mixture resembles a fine, sand like texture. Set aside.
3. Next combine the milk, eggs, yogurt, oil and vanilla extract in a large jug and whisk well.
4. Next slowly add the liquid to the dry mix set aside (above), ensuring the liquid completely covers the mixture. Add 1-2 drops of purple food dye and fold in the mix by hand or mix for another 20 seconds with a stand mixer.
5. Now, add 3-4 tablespoons of batter to each of your cupcake liners (approx. 3⁄4 of the liner) and bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.
Earl Grey Buttercream
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (335 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 tbsp (8g) loose Earl Grey and honey tea
- 1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp (7 tbsp / 100ml) egg whites
- 1 cup minus 1 tbsp (187g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of salt
Method
1. Place 3/4 cup of unsalted butter into a saucepan with the loose tea. Heat over a medium heat until the butter melts, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the tea steep for 5 minutes more. Strain the butter through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and refrigerate until it reaches the same consistency as softened butter (20-30 minutes).
2. Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk them together by hand to combine. Then, fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place it over a medium-high heat. Place the mixer bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double boiler. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Whisking intermittently, heat the egg mixture until it registers 160 F (70 C) on a candy thermometer or is hot to the touch. Carefully fit the mixer bowl onto the stand mixer.
3. With the whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture on high speed for 8-10 minutes, until it holds medium-stiff peaks. When done, the outside of the mixer bowl should return to room temperature and no residual heat should be escaping from the meringue out of the top of the bowl. Stop the mixer and swap out the whisk attachment for the paddle.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla and salt. Next add the tea-infused butter and remaining 3/4 cup of butter a couple tablespoons at a time. Once incorporated, turn the mixer onto medium-high and beat until the buttercream is silky smooth (3-5 minutes).
