Did you know January is National Hot Tea Month?  When I happened upon this fact, I wanted to create a dessert as an homage to the occasion.  I am a little obsessed with Food Network, so, with Kitchen Stadium in the back of my mind, I attempted to create a dessert using tea as the secret ingredient.

Earl Grey is my favorite tea, so I knew that was the starting point.  My first impulse was to make a cookie…the wonderful flavor of the rosemary shortbreads I made over the holidays was fresh in my mind.  Earl Grey shortbread?  Seemed a little too obvious for Kitchen Stadium.

Ice cream?  Creme brulee?  My final idea:  a cream puff filled with Earl Grey infused whipped cream.  To finish it off; a lemon glaze…it is tea after all…lemon should pair well.

A photo of pleasure in simple thing’s homage to National Hot Tea Month. Cream puffs filled with Earl Grey infused cream and topped with fresh lemon glaze.

After a few experiments, I found that six Earl Grey tea bags were the amount that gave the result I was looking for.  I heated up whipping cream and used the tea bags to infuse the cream.  Then, I put the cream in the fridge overnight…okay, in kitchen stadium I would need to use the blast chiller.  Anyway, I chilled the cream.  That way, I was able to get the Earl Grey flavor into the cream.  After I made a standard cream puff, I filled it with the cream and added a simple lemon glaze.  Perfect!  I think I was pretty successful in creating my homage to National Hot Tea Month!

Probably everyone has a cream puff recipe, but I will include one here with the cream and glaze recipes, for your convenience.

Earl Grey Infused Cream

• 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons of confectioners sugar
• 6 Earl Grey teabags

Heat the cream until very hot, but not boiling.  Steep 6 Earl Grey teabags in the cream for a good 15 minutes, until the cream turns a beige color from the tea.  Squeeze the excess cream from the tea bags before discarding them.  Cover the cream and put in the fridge overnight (or the blast chiller for a short time ;) ).  When you whip the cream, add the confectioners sugar gradually.  Don’t whip the cream too far ahead of the serving time.

Lemon Glaze

• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• grated lemon peel (optional for garnish)

After cream puffs are filled, mix the sugar and lemon together and spread over the top of each puff.  Sprinkle with grated lemon peel, if desired.

Cream Puffs (Choux Paste)  18 to 20, medium-size

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs (plus 1 additional egg for glaze)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.  In a pan over medium-high heat, bring water, butter, salt, and sugar to a boil.  When butter melts, remove pan from heat, add flour all at once, and beat with a wooden spoon until well blended.  Reduce heat to medium.  Return pan to heat and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a ball and leaves sides of pan.  Remove pan from heat and let mixture cool for 5 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating mixture after each addition until smooth.  Let batter cool for 10 minutes before shaping.

Use two spoons to shape the cream puffs.  With one spoon, scoop up about 1 heaping Tablespoon of batter.  With other spoon, push batter off first spoon and drop in a mound onto prepared baking sheet.  Place mounds about 2 inches apart.

In a small dish or cup, beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water.  Brush egg glaze lightly over tops of puffs, being sure it doesn’t drip down sides and onto baking sheet (preventing proper rising of puffs).

Bake in upper third of preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for 5 more minutes.

Cut a slash in lower side of each puff and continue baking for 10 minutes or until puffs are firm, dry to touch, and golden brown.  Let cool on wire racks.  Use within 24 hours; or wrap airtight and freeze.  Makes about 18 – 20 medium-size puffs.

When ready to fill, carefully cut the top (upper third) from each puff (scoop out moist , doughy interior if desired).  Shortly before serving, fill with a heaping Tablespoon of the whipped Earl Grey infused cream and spread top with lemon glaze.

Cream Puffs filled with Earl Grey infused whipped cream and topped with fresh lemon glaze.  How do you think they would fare in Kitchen Stadium?

Served with a cup of tea…what better way to celebrate National Hot Tea Month?

Thanks so much for visiting, Jackie

I am sharing at the Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush, Blissful White Wednesday at Timewashed, and Well Crafted Wednesday at The Well Crafted Home