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–+ servings

Vanilla rose chai tea

I love brewing this chai, partly because it makes the kitchen smell amazing and partly because it’s such a lovely thing to share for morning or afternoon tea, but mostly because it makes a nice change from regular coffee and tea.
Couverts4
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Ingredients

  • 5 cinnamon sticks
  • ¼ cup 20 g allspice berries
  • ¼ cup 15 g cardamom pods
  • 1 Tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 Tbsp cloves
  • 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
  • 4 star anise
  • ¼ cup 20 g good-quality loose-leaf black tea
  • 4 cm 1½ inch piece ginger, roughly chopped
  • Milk to serve

VANILLA ROSE SYRUP

  • 1 cup 220 g white (granulated) sugar
  • 1 Tbsp rosewater
  • 1 vanilla bean split lengthways

Instructions

  • To make the vanilla rose syrup, combine the sugar, rosewater and 1 cup (250 ml) water in a saucepan.
  • Scrape the vanilla seeds into the pan and add the scraped pod.
  • Cook over medium–high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.
  • Set aside to cool, then strain the syrup into a jar and store in the fridge.
  • Mix the dried spices together and place them in a large dry saucepan.
  • Toast over medium heat for a few minutes or until just beginning to pop and smell lovely.
  • Pour in 8 cups (2 litres) water and bring to a simmer, then leave the mixture to bubble away for about 20 minutes or until reduced by half.
  • Remove from the heat, add the tea and ginger and steep for 5 minutes.
  • Strain the chai, discarding the spices and tea leaves, and pour it into a jug to store in the fridge.
  • To serve, heat the chai with equal parts milk and chai until steaming, then sweeten with the vanilla rose syrup, to taste.
  • If I’m making this for a thermos, I have the chai nice and hot, then I add the vanilla rose syrup, to taste.
  • I reheat the chai and add milk, to taste, then pour the whole hot concoction into a thermos.

Notes & Wine Advice

Store the syrup in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks.
The chai will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
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Course; Hot drinks