Chai Tea and Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte

Today is odd.  

It is very still outside.  There is no obvious breeze leaning the branches one way or the other.  

We are in-between.  There is no color left in the trees, therefore, fall must be over.  There is no snow on the ground, so winter has not yet come.  The gray clouds are hovering overhead blocking out what little sun is out there trying its best, I'm sure, to warm us.   It's 5:00 here (and somewhere) and it already looks darker and colder outside.  It is a stay-at-home, get-stuff-done day.  Kind of a odd quiet day without a lot of chaos or noise. 

 It is the the perfect kind of day to make chai tea.  Even better, a pumpkin spice chai latte.  It is a celebration afterall....for tonight we all will be gifted an extra hour of glorious slumber...finally.

 
When I found this cookbook, "Earthbound Farms - Food to Live By," I was thrilled.  I had checked the book out before from the library and just loved it.  I've used their chai tea recipe several times and it is delicious!

 You'll need sugar, whole clove, peppercorns, ginger, cinnamon, orange zest, milk, 

and a good black tea.

 In a plastic bag, crush the whole spices a bit.

 Throw the spices, ginger and orange zest
 in a sauce pot.

Add water...

Add the tea bags and allow the tea to steep.  Remove the tea bags.

Add the milk and sugar.  Bring the heat up to medium to dissolve the sugar.  Strain the solids and allow the mixture to come to room temp (if not using immediately) before storing in the fridge (for up to 7 days).

Homemade Chai

(from Earthbound Farms Organic Cookbook – Food to Live By)

½ t whole black peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick (about 3 inches)

6 whole cloves

6 whole cardamom pods (or ½ t ground cardamom)

1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin

Zest of one orange. 

4 bags black tea, such as Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe, or English Breakfast

1 cup whole milk

1/3 cup sugar

Place the peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, and ginger slices in a heavy-duty plastic zip bag and crush them lightly with a rolling pin or mallet.

Transfer the crushed spices to a medium-sized saucepan.  Add the orange zest and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 10minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the tea bags.  Allow the mixture to steep for 5 minutes, then discard the tea bags.

Add the milk and sugar to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Strain the chai and discards the solids.  Serve hot.  If not serving immediately, allow the chai to cool to room temperature.  It can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 7 days.  Reheat before serving.

...but we're not done yet!

To make your own pumpkin spice chai latte...

 In a large measuring bowl, add pumpkin puree, equal parts chai tea and milk,

 fresh nutmeg.  Blend well.

Heat up the mixture and stir well.  Pour into a nice mug and prepare yourself to be warm and fuzzy all over!



Best to whip up some fresh whip cream if you can...

...and grate some fresh nutmeg!

Here's what will happen - the hot chai latte will begin to melt your nutmeg-topped, freshly whipped cream that is trying it's best to stay in the cup.  

As it melts, you'll just have to slurp and add more cream.  



That's okay...you go right ahead!

Yes, I do have to keep adding photos...it just looks so good!

Pumpkin Chai Latte

Yield – 4 servings

1 cup Chai tea (concentrate or homemade)

1 cup milk (soy milk even works here)

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla (if desired)

Whip cream

Fresh grate of nutmeg

Add all the ingredients to the blender and blend for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Warm in the microwave.

***if you use a Chai tea that you’ve steeped from a Chai teabag, you’ll need to sweeten this.  Use your favorite sweetener to taste.

To make just one –  This is just the way I did it, not exact by any means.  It really depends on the size of the mug or how much you want to make for yourself.

1 heaping tablespoon of pumpkin puree

A little more than  ¼ cup milk

A little more than  ¼ cup chai mix

Few drops of vanilla (if desired)

Add this to a glass measuring bowl and blend with a fork.  Warm up in the microwave about a minute or two.

Pour into a nice mug (glass is nice, it’s such a pretty drink). Add a dollop of whip cream and a fresh grate of nutmeg.