Pumpkin Chai French Toast

I haven't made french toast in years, so I have no idea what possessed me to make it with Pumpkin Chai! But I did. LET ME KNOW IF I DID ANYTHING WROOONG

So, I started off by boiling some milk (I used skim) and Pumpkin Chai. I'll put the measurements of everything I used, and straightforward directions, at the bottom.

Boil boil boil!

Then I strained it and let that shit cool!

Mix with the 1 egg, that I beat with a fork (if the milk isn't cool, you risk cooking the egg! Which would be super gross.)

Soak that bread!

COOK.

I found that maple syrup brought out the taste of the pumpkin chai, which I needed. Next time I'd use 2 tbsp. So I'm putting 2 tbsp in the recipe at the bottom.

Overall, it was a success, and I'd do it again, but just a little differently.

FOR YOUR EASE OF READING:

- Aprox. 1/3 cup milk
- 2 tbsp Pumpkin Chai (Use to taste)
- 2 pieces of bread, slightly stale (it works better, trust me my mom)
- 1 large egg
- Pure vanilla extract to taste
- Icing sugar to taste (for topping. Optional)
- Cinnamon to taste (for topping. Optional)
- Pure maple syrup to taste (For topping. Optional)


1) Put the milk and the tea in a pot, boil it for 5 minutes, stirring so it doesn't boil over. WATCH CAREFULLY. MILK BOILS OVER EASILY. TRUST ME
2) Strain into a bowl, let cool.
3) Once cool, mix with egg, put on a plate. Add vanilla to the mixture, stir.
4) Saturate the bread (not until it is impossible to pick up!)
5) Heat your pan of choice, use oil or cooking spray to keep it from sticking! (I used my handy cast iron pan)
6) Put that shit in the pan. Cover with lid, cook until golden brown. (Or burnt, if that's your preference)
7) Flip that shit. Repeat #6.
8) Put that yummy French toast on to a plate, and top with icing sugar, a dash of icing sugar and cinnamon, a healthy pour of maple syrup.
9) CONSUME.

Pumpkin Chai Cream Pie

That's right! PUMPKIN CHAI TEA CREAM PIE!!

This was a crazy idea I had -more as a joke than anything else- that Laura insisted that I follow through with and actually make. So, I did.

And here it is...

What you will need:

• DavidsTea Pumpkin Chai (3 tblsp)
• 1 Large tea bag
• 3 cups of milk (I use 1%)
• One pack of vanilla pudding/pie mix
• One graham cracker crust (I got pre-made, because I'm lazy. Do what you like)
• Nutmeg and/or cinnamon
• Whipped cream (if that's how you roll)

Simmer the tea in the milk on medium heat for a good five to ten minutes. When this is done, strain. 

And for the love of the gods DO NOT strain with the infuser like I did... tightly woven metal infusers and milk just do not mix and eventually just get clogged. 

Use a large tea bag! If you don't have a large tea bag, use a couple on small ones.

DO NOT do this

After you have removed the tea bag, it's time to add the pudding mix!! 
Do not worry about the milk not looking dark enough to have enough flavour, it will enhance ten-fold once it is finished.


Follow the pudding directions: Just dump it in, then stir stir stir.... add a wee pinch of nutmeg... stir stir... Keep stirring until it starts to boil, then take it off the heat. Let it sit for five minutes, stirring twice in that time.


Then you pour it into your crust and slap that baby in the fridge to cool.... right after you sprinkle it with a conservative amount of cinnamon/nutmeg, that is. ;)
Now, you have to be patient...

....

It sucks, right?! COOL FASTER!
I watched Brave to help the time pass by.  (You might want to wait a bit longer than that though. Roughly 3 hours should make it nice and cool)

And then, you're waiting pays off...

Looks just like pumpkin pie... TASTES BETTER

 
Go make some. NOW!

PARTY IN MY MOUTH

Happy... steepy-pie-making!

-K


Update: Chris really likes the pie!! Score one for tea!

Pumpkin Chai milkshake!

This is the most amazing milkshake I've ever had.

Ever.

I started by brewing up 2 cups of double strength Pumpkin Chai and putting it in the fridge for about 6 hours.

Then I got some vanilla Häagen Dazs and let it sit out on the counter for about 5 minutes, to make it a little softer, just so that it would blend a little easier.

After that, I plunked the entire container (500ml) of ice cream into the blender, and gave it a bit of a blend first, just to soften it up a little more.




I then started to add some of the cold tea, until I had the right consistency.
This is where the strength of your tea matters and may take some fiddling. You don't want a watery milkshake, so you want the tea strong enough. But, that depends on how much you're making.

I only ended up using about 1 cup of my iced Pumpkin Chai. I do recommend making too much, as opposed to too little. You can always freeze it, then thaw it when you decide to make it again! Because believe me, you will.



I personally loved it with JUST the Pumpkin Chai, but you could tinker and possibly add some extra spices, vanilla, or whipped cream! (If you could make PUMPKIN SPICE FLAVORED whipped cream, I'd imagine that would be fucking amazing)

It would be the perfect treat on a hot summer day, especially if you were having an Autumn flavor craving!

5/5 stars, and I absolutely will do again!

Because of this milkshake, I'm buying more Pumpkin Chai, and I wasn't planning on getting any more. Caffeinated milkshake!





I also had a little left over milkshake, which I just popped back in the ice cream container, and put it back in the freezer. I want to see if I can get some Pumpkin Chai ice cream!


Caffeinated ice cream!

This shit is fucking amaze balls!
No. Seriously. The only way it could be better is in a fucking waffle cone...or deep fried.



Experiment with your tea! You may end up surprised.

-Laura

Pumpkin Chai

Pumpkin Chai from DavidsTea

Ingredients: Black tea, cinnamon, cloves, lemon peel, squash, carrot, caramel bits, pumpkin candies, natural and artificial flavouring
 

Pretty pretty new cup

Ah, yes. The much anticipated PUMPKIN CHAI that every DT fan has been raving about since the announcement of the fall collection. The internet got me incredibly excited about this tea... And when I opened the bag and stuck my nose in there... WOW! This tea smells fucking amazing. I've had this twice now and each time I brewed it for five minutes and six minutes. It's a good time. But the annoying thing is that each time this tea has tasted different... And not like the way it smells.
The first time I got a nice chunk of squash, and so WOW, it tasted exactly like pumpkin pie filling and I really liked it, it's like autumn was having a party in my mouth. The second time, I must not have gotten any squash because it was much more sweet and almost artificial tasting... the best way I can described it is like tasting the aroma of a fancy pumpkin or apple cinnamon candle (just not waxy), it isn't bad, much better if you make sure you get a piece of squash - yumyum. Just not what I was expecting... But my mum really loved it!

Next I will be trying it brewed extra strong as the DavidsTea Ultimate Pumpkin Chai recipe! I think it will be much better this way... Here we go!

Ultimate Pumpkin Chai recipe from DavidsTea

I am a huge fan of the Starbucks Chai-tea latte, so I was excited to make this....

I used three perfect spoonfuls in one cup of boiled water and let it sit for longer than six minutes, yadda yadda....
Blahhh... I can see how it would be a delightful drink, but I would reduce the amount of milk by a 1/4 cup (I reeaallly don't like that weird taste hot milk gets). Even with two and a HALF teaspoons of brown sugar and a pinch of nutmeg. Or maybe use some cream because 1% milk... eh.

This is a treat that needs tweeking for every individual. But it isn't gross, so, if you have the patience... DO IT!

I prefer it on its own.
But you'll have to decide for yourself.

Happy Steeping!

~K

Sorry this was SO long. And so many pictures.