Christmas Tea Food & Drink Recipes

As we plan for the festivities, there are many ways to go that extra mile for your loved ones that require only a little bit of inspiration. Because tea is bold in flavour and comes in many flavours and aromas, it is the perfect ingredient in recipes. Earl Grey can offer delightful aromas, while fruits like rhubarb and berries make for a cracking base for many cocktails. Whether you’re looking for New Year’s Eve cocktail inspiration, a unique Christmas Dinner dessert, or want to warm up the party after a bracing Boxing Day walk, we have lovely tea-infused recipes to make Christmas this year that extra bit festive.

1. The Winter Tea Warmer – the ideal mix of malty black tea and whisky.

Irish Malt – Loose-Leaf Tea

One of our all-time favourite teas, Irish Malt is a delicious loose-leaf tea specially selected for its robust, spicy Assam flavours. Irish Malt tea is accented with hints of Irish whisky flavour and authentic cocoa pieces. The extravagant taste makes this a delightful tea malty and utterly tea-licious!

Irish Tea Hot Toddy

Whisky and tea are, on occasion, the perfect match. Both are warming, flavourful and work incredibly well together. The infamous hot toddy is a favourite among many, and there are numerous versions of it. We love it on a cool weekend after a long walk. The additional benefits of local honey and fresh lemon make this warming tea toddy our firm favourite.

Ingredients (per person)

• 45ml of Irish whisky

• 1 tbsp honey

• Freshly boiled water

• 1 tsp Irish Malt tea

• Slices of fresh lemon

Method

Boil the water in the usual way
If preparing from more than one, add one teaspoon of tea per person
Steep the tea for a little longer than usual (5 minutes should do it)
Strain the tea into a chosen teacup or mug
Add honey & lemon and stir until the honey has dissolved
Add the whisky and gently stir
Have a little taste and add extra honey if you desire
Garnish with another lemon slice
Enjoy!

2. The Fruity Rhubarb Pudding – using rhubarb infused rooibos tea in a crumble

Rhubarb Cream Loose-Leaf Tea

Our Rhubarb Cream Loose-Leaf Tea is a heavenly fruity, and fresh rhubarb blend tea rounded off with the delicate sweetness of real bourbon vanilla.

The creamy and sweet rhubarb tea infusion contains rhubarb and apple pieces, hibiscus, rosehip peel, pineapple, mango and papaya, with fragrant marigold blossoms.

Rhubarb Tea Crumble Recipe

Rhubarb Tea Crumble

Serves 6

Ingredients

Compote:

• 500g rhubarb, cut into 3 cm pieces

• 120g caster sugar

• 4 Rhubarb Cream tea bags

• 200ml water

• Zest 1 orange

Crumble:

• 75g plain flour

• 35g oats

• 50g golden caster sugar

• 50g cold butter

Method

• Make the compote, place the chopped rhubarb and sugar in a pan and cover. Simmer on a low heat for 10-15 mins until the rhubarb softens

• While the mixture is simmering, brew the tea in 200ml of boiling water for 8-10 mins

• Pour the tea into the rhubarb, add the zest and simmer whilst stirring the mixture for five or so mins

• Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C

• Make the crumble topping, rubbing the flour, oats, sugar and butter together until crumbly

• Pour the compote into a baking tray and scatter the crumble on top

• Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown

• Best served with custard or ice cream!

3. After Dinner Pick-Me-Up – more than just mint tea

Nana Mint Organic – Loose-Leaf Tea

Our Organic Nana Mint tea is a delicious caffeine free, herbal infsuion of aromatic leaves containing natural essential oils.

Nana (Arabic: na'na' = mint) (also known as Moroccan Mint) is a large-leafed, aromatic mint plant with a high percentage of essential oils. It tastes spicy and is very refreshing.

Moroccan Mint Tea

In North Africa and the Middle East, mint is undoubtedly one of the most favourite beverages. 'Proper' Moroccan Tea is prepared with green tea, fresh spearmint leaves, and sugar blocks, which is famous for its strength, flavour, and potency. Drunk ceremonially and traditionally prepared by the male patriarch of the family, it is a sign of hospitality to guests, friends and family members. With the sugar and spearmint added to the teapot itself, the brewed and sweetened tea is elaborately poured into decorative glasses at a substantial height to aerate the infusion gently. Although 'Moroccan Tea' is considered a mint tea, it begins with strong green tea and lots of spearmint.

Here's our recipe, which can be tweaked to taste, but sugar will play a considerable part in that because of the richness of the strong green tea.

Moroccan Tea Recipe

Moroccan Mint Tea

Boil (filtered) cold water
Place one teaspoon per person of Nana Mint green tea in a teapot
Pour over some freshly boiled water – swirl gently and discard the water retaining the tea – this process wakes up the tea!
Using the remaining boiled water, pour over the wet leaves
Steep the tea for 2 minutes
Add a handful of sprigs of fresh spearmint or dried peppermint to the pot
Add at least 3-4 teaspoons of granulated sugar into the teapot and stir
Allow the brew to infuse for 3-4 more minutes
Pour from a height (take care not to scald you or your friends!) into heat-proof glasses
Enjoy the bold, sweet flavours

4. New Year’s Eve Tropical Cocktail – a fruity punch with rum

Teavelope Copa Cabana Organic Tea Bags

Our organic Copa Cabana tea is a sweet-scented tropical fruit tea infusion that will take you on an exotic journey to Copacabana. The fruitiness of the rosehip, apples, hibiscus, orange and blackberry are expertly blended to create a fruity tea you’ll love.

Copa Cabana Tea Cocktail Recipe

This is a super easy way of making a delicious Copa Cabana cocktail for everyone to enjoy.

Copa Cabana Tea Cocktail

Serves 2

4 Teavelope Copa Cobana teabags
220ml freshly boiled water
6 ice cubes
90ml Peach juice
4 teaspoons coconut Syrup
White rum – 25ml per person

Method

Boil approx. 220ml of water
Brew x4 Teavelope Copa Cobana tea bags for 8-10 minutes
Allow to cool
Add the peach juice, coconut syrup and rum and stir
Finally add the ice cubes & serve with mint and lime to garnish

5. Earl Grey Infused Dessert Recipe – an aromatic showstopper

Tippy Golden Earl Grey

One of our best-sellers, this Tippy Golden Earl Grey, is a fragrant black tea flavoured with Bergamot. The delicately flowery black tea is aromatic and a delight on its own or with a slice of lemon and honey or sugar.

Earl Grey Crème Brûlée Recipe

Nothing says “mmm” more than a home-made Crème Brûlée.

And because we love tea-infused recipes, we think that this Earl Grey infused Crème Brûlée is definitely worth a try!

Ingredients

50g caster sugar (plus extra for topping)
Vanilla pod
240ml double cream
60ml full-fat milk
2 teaspoons of loose-leaf Earl Grey
3 large free-range or organic egg yolks

Method

Preheat oven to 170c (150c fan assisted)
Prepare ramekins in a deep baking tray or dish
Over medium heat in a pan, mix together vanilla pod seeds (you can throw in the pods too), double cream and milk, tea, and bring to a gentle simmer
Reduce to super low for 10 minutes and take off the heat
In a mixing bowl, add egg yolks to sugar and whisk for around 1 minute until creamy and a little fluffy
Pour the creamy vanilla mixture into the egg mixture and stir
Strain the entire mixture through a sieve
Pour the strained mixture into ramekins (already in the baking dish
Pour boiled water into the baking dish so that the water reaches to halfway up the ramekins
Place the bain-marie into the oven on a middle shelf and bake for 40-45 minutes
After baking, sprinkle over extra sugar and with a cook’s blow torch, fire up the sugar until it goes a nice burnt colour
Enjoy!