In spring and summer my bakes lean heavily into fruits and florals. Come fall, I return to cozy recipes, rituals and routines. Nadine recently shared a Banana Chai Cake on the blog, recommending her favorite prana chai. A sticky blend made with black tea, warming spices and honey. It makes a gorgeous cake and the dreamiest latte. For these scones, the cream is steeped with the chai overnight, bringing warmth and comfort to every bite. To elevate these scones even further they are drizzled with a tea-infused glaze. If chai is not your cup of tea, try steeping the cream with earl grey or chamomile.
A Few Tips For Chai Infused Cream
•Steeping the cream overnight with the tea gives it a rich chai flavor. If you don’t plan ahead, infusing the cream for an hour will still give these scones a beautiful flavor. Just make sure your cream is cooled before adding it to the batter.
•For the Glaze: If you don’t have leftover infused heavy cream (the chai will absorb a portion of the cream) Gently heat 1/2 cup (120ml) cream on the stove with 20 g prana chai or 2-3 tea bags. Simmer for a few minutes and then remove from the stove, cover and allow to steep.
•Heavy cream makes a thicker, more decadent glaze. If you prefer something lighter, make a chai infused milk following the same technique as the cream.
Ingredients
Butter. Unsalted and cold. I like to freeze my butter ahead of time. Cold butter = flaky scones
Chai Infused Cream. Steeping the cream overnight gives it a strong rich flavor.
Sourdough discard. Cold from the fridge! and no longer than 2 weeks old.
Egg yolk. Add richness and help bind the dough.
All purpose flour. Hayden Flour Mills All Purpose Sonora is my go-to.
Baking Powder. Acts as a leavening agent.
Salt. Enhances the flavor.
Spices. Cinnamon and cardamom for a warm cozy flavor.
Sugar. Provides sweetness and a tender crumb.
Sourdough Chai Scones
Ingredients
Chai Infused Cream
1/4 cup (60g) prana chai loose leaf tea (or 4–5 tea bags of your favorite chai)
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
Sourdough Scones
10 tbsp (140 g) butter, cold
1/2 cup (125g) chai infused heavy cream
1 cup (220g) sourdough discard, cold from the fridge
1 egg yolk, cold from the fridge
2 cups + 2 tbsp (260g) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (70g) of granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
——
2 cups powdered sugar
4-6 tbsp chai infused cream* see note
Instructions
The night before:
Make the Chai Infused cream
- Add chai to a mason jar and gently heat your cream to a gentle simmer, pour over tea and let steep overnight or for a few hours in the fridge
- Freeze the butter: Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the butter. Transfer to a bowl and place in the freezer.
Day 2:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, discard and egg yolk.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt. Using a fork, toss the grated butter to coat. Then stir in the sourdough mixture until just combined. Knead the dough a few times to bring it together.
- Dump the dough onto a clean work surface and use your hands to press and shape the dough into an 8″disc shape. Cut into 8 wedges. Place on the sheet pan and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. To long-ferment: Store the covered scones in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375. Brush the tops of the scones with cream (if you are not making the glaze sprinkle with a little sugar). Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until golden and cooked though. Let cool a few minutes before glazing.
Make the glaze
- Sift the sugar into a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the chai infused cream whisk to combine. If the glaze is too thick add more cream/milk tsp at a time until desired consistency.
Notes
If you don’t have leftover infused heavy cream (the chai will absorb a portion of the cream) Gently heat 1/2 cup (120ml) cream or milk on the stove with 20 g (2-3 tea bags) chai. Simmer for a few minutes and then remove from the stove, cover and allow to steep.
Leave a Reply