Tea is not only for drinking, but is great for cooking and baking. Try these tasty recipes.
TEA-INFUSED RYE BREAD
Makes 2 small or 1 large loaf
500ml cake flour
500ml rye flour
2x10g sachets of instant yeast
2 Earl Grey tea bags, opened
15ml caraway seeds
10ml salt
300-400ml warm strong brewed Earl Grey tea
45ml honey
30ml olive oil
Extra rye flour for dusting
Combine the flours, yeast, contents of the tea bags, caraway seeds and salt in a bowl and mix well.
Combine the tea and honey and stir until dissolved.
Add the olive oil and enough warm tea to form a dough that is soft but not sticky.
Knead well until smooth.
Place the dough into an oiled plastic bag and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.
Remove the dough from the bag and knead gently.
Divide the dough in half and shape into loaves. Place on a baking tray and cover lightly and set aside to rise for 30-40 minutes.
Dust lightly with extra rye flour and bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the loaf comes out clean and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
ROASTED SWEET POTATO
Serves 6
45g butter
10ml rooibos tea leaves
1kg sweet potatoes, washed, cut in wedges
30ml olive oil
10ml rooibos tea leaves
15ml salt flakes
Preheat oven to 180°C. Melt the butter and tea leaves in the microwave on high for a minute.
Allow to cool and infuse for 10 minutes.
Strain through a fine sieve and discard the tea leaves.
Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl and pour over the infused butter and the olive oil. Toss to combine. Arrange on a baking tray.
Grind the rooibos tea leaves and combine with the salt.
Sprinkle the rooibos salt over the potatoes. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until tender.
TEA-MARINATED CHICKEN BREASTS
Serves 4
4 chicken breasts on the bone
MARINADE
250ml cold chai tea
a handful of fresh thyme
5ml chopped garlic
15ml Worcestershire sauce
15ml olive oil
15ml honey
5ml salt
RUB
250ml flour
5ml cayenne pepper
10ml paprika
5ml dried oregano
5ml salt
2ml pepper
30ml olive oil
30g butter
In a re-sealable plastic bag, combine the chicken with the tea, thyme, garlic, Worcester sauce, oil, honey and salt. Refrigerate for a few hours.
In a bowl, combine the flour, cayenne, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.
Drain the chicken and dredge in the seasoned flour.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the chicken and cook over high heat until browned all over.
Transfer to an ovenproof dish and roast in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
TEA-SMOKED DUCK BREAST SALAD
Serves 4
4 duck breasts
SMOKING FLAVOURS
125ml jasmine rice
125ml fruit-flavoured black tea leaves
125ml brown sugar
rind of 1 lemon
rind of 1 orange
3 star anise, ground
SALAD
300g green beans, halved diagonally
1 red pepper, julienned
1 bunch of spring onions, sliced at an angle
140g mangetout, halved diagonally
125ml mint leaves, torn
125ml coriander leaves
DRESSING
80ml olive oil
60ml sweet chilli sauce
30ml lime juice
5ml sesame oil
3ml salt
Line the base of a wok with a few pieces of foil.
Mix the smoking ingredients together in |a bowl and pour over |the foil.
Place the duck breast skin side up on a rack, place in the wok over the smoking ingredients.
Cover and cook on a high heat until smoke appears from the wok.
Lower to a medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.
Do not open the wok lid as you will lose all the smoke.
Transfer the duck to a frying pan and cook skin side down for 2 minutes to crisp it. Allow the duck to rest before slicing.
Meanwhile, combine all the salad ingredients, pour over half the dressing and arrange on a serving plate.
Place the sliced duck on the salad and pour over the rest of the dressing.
DRESSING: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
CRANBERRY BANANA TEA LOAF
160ml dried cranberries
125ml hot fruit-infused brewed tea
125g butter
250ml light brown sugar
2 extra large eggs
3 large, ripe bananas, mashed
500ml flour
10ml baking powder
pinch of salt
2 fruit-infused tea bags or 45ml loose tea
50g pecan nuts, chopped
Put the cranberries in a bowl and pour over the hot tea. Set aside for 30 minutes to infuse. Drain and discard the tea.
Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until soft and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the mashed bananas.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
Cut open the tea bags and empty the contents into the flour. Add this to the creamed mixture, and mix until well combined, stir in nuts.
Spoon mixture into a greased and lined 20 x 13cm loaf pan and bake at 180°C for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before placing on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Note: I used a cinnamon, cranberry and apple tea infusion for the loaf.
TEA BAKLAVA
SYRUP
375ml water
4 rooibos tea bags
375ml sugar
15ml lemon juice
4-5 strips of lemon peel
FILLING
100g walnuts
100g almonds
30ml sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
500g phyllo pastry
125g butter, melted
SYRUP: Combine the water and tea bags in a pot and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar, lemon juice and peel. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove and cool then chill until ice cold.
FILLING: Place the nuts in a blender and process until finely chopped. Add the sugar and cinnamon and blend until combined.
Place 1 sheet of phyllo pastry on your work surface and brush with melted butter.
Top with another sheet of pastry and brush with butter. Sprinkle over some of nut mixture.
Top with another sheet of phyllo and brush with butter.
Fold up the phyllo concertina style along the shorter side and place in a large baking tray brushed with melted butter.
Repeat this process until all phyllo has been used, placing concertinas next to each other to fill up the tray.
Sprinkle over a little more nut mixture and bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until golden-brown and crisp.
Remove from oven and pour over the cold syrup.
Angela Day, The Star