Tag: Recipe

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Eggnog Chai Latte

I was first introduced to the Eggnog Chai Latte by a fellow nurse. She literally brought in one for each of us on a night shift and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker last December. I’m constantly a sucker for a good Chai, and the addition of eggnog made it even more seasonally delicious. While the version she brought in came from a popular coffee chain, I’ve opted to develop my own recipe so I can make it at home and have more control over it (plus, I get to be even more fancy with how I create it).

Katie, this recipe is for you.

Eggnog Chai Latte – Serves 1

2-3 teaspoons looseleaf chai¹
⅔ cup hot water (100°C/212°F)
⅔ cup milk
⅔ cup eggnog
Sweetener, if desired.²
Whipped cream³
Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies³

¹ Use your favourite black tea chai blend or 3 tea bags. I used Trudy Ann’s Bombay Masala Chai.
² Use the sweetener of your choice, to taste. I opted for local honey.
³ Optional, for garnish purposes.

TEA TIP! You can make this vegetarian or vegan friendly with a few easy swaps. Nut-based milks, vegan eggnog, and coconut whipped cream are all fairly easily accessible these days at all major grocery store chains. I can’t guarantee that it’ll taste quite the same, but you’ll be able to enjoy the seasonal goodness as well!

Directions
Steep chai in hot water according to steeping instructions – or for 5 minutes. I did this in a teapot and then poured into my cup.
In a saucepan on medium heat, heat together milk and eggnog (don’t let it boil!).
Add in sweetener if desired, turn off heat.
Froth with a handheld frother or whisk.
Add milk and eggnog mixture to your cup.
Top with whipped cream and crushed candy cane candy for an extra bit of holiday decadence.

If you make this Eggnog Chai Latte, I’d love to see your photos! Be sure to tag me on Instagram (@onemoresteep #onemoresteep) or comment below with a link to the photo!

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Hojicha Latte

Hojicha is a roasted Japanese green tea so it tastes very different from other Japanese green teas that you may be more familiar with, like sencha, genmaicha, or even matcha. Other Japanese green teas are steamed, so the roasting gives it a different flavour profile. Hojicha is often made with bancha, sencha, or kukicha (twigs and stems from the tea plant itself) and the roasting method provides a less astringent steeped tea, which makes it more favoured by children.

This recipe is fairly similar to my Iced Hojicha Latte recipe that I shared back in August of this year, but the seasons have changed and so have my desire to drink an iced latte drink when it’s cold and grey outside. Hojicha Latte does use the same vanilla simple syrup recipe – mostly because a simple syrup is my favourite way of getting a nice liquid sweetener into my lattes.

Hojicha Latte – serves 1

1 tablespoon Vanilla Simple Syrup (see recipe below)
3 teaspoons Hojicha (I used this one)
450ml cup hot water (175°F/79°C)
125ml frothed, heated milk (dairy or dairy-free alternative)

I am using a 600ml double-walled latte mug for this drink! If you’re using a different sized cup, aim for two-thirds of the cup of tea and one-third for the frothed milk.

Steep the Hojicha in your cup using hot water (175°F/79°C) water for 2 minutes, then remove tea leaves.
Stir in Vanilla Simple Syrup
Froth milk in a microwave-safe container (use a handheld milk frother or the mason jar method)
Heat milk in microwave in 30s increments, or until milk is to the temperature of your liking
Pour milk into your cup, spoon the froth over the top

Vanilla Simple Syrup Recipe

1 cup water*
1 cup sugar*
2 tsp vanilla extract

* You can make more or less Vanilla Simple Syrup depending on your Hojicha Latte needs. I used pure vanilla extract and organic cane sugar for my Vanilla Simple Syrup in this recipe. The basis of a Simple Syrup is to use a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water.

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan, and place over medium heat.
Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Allow syrup to simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Add vanilla extract.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Pour Vanilla Simple Syrup into a jar or bottle and refrigerate.

The Vanilla Simple Syrup will keep for at least 2 weeks in the fridge – don’t forget to label with the date!

If you make this Hojicha Latte, I’d love to see your photos! Be sure to tag me on Instagram (@onemoresteep #onemoresteep) or comment below with a link to the photo!

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Easy Chia Seed Jam

I’m a big fan of easy recipes so when I tell you that this is easy, I mean it! You can make some delicious fruity jam in 10 minutes or less (not including cooling time). And if berries aren’t in season where you are, have no fear because frozen works just as well! I make this year round and it goes great on scones, English muffins, paired with your favourite nut butter, or just on a spoon. After all, if you’re setting the table for afternoon tea – you’re going to have some jam to go with those Lemon & Cranberry or Pumpkin Spice Scones, right?

My Easy Chia Seed Jam is lower in sugar than traditional jams, which makes it also friendly for those looking to cut down on sugar – plus all those chia seeds are an added boost of omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, iron and calcium! If you’ve ever made a chia pudding before, you’ll know that chia seeds thicken things up! That’s what makes this jam more jam-like than fruit juice – give it a bit of time to work, and it’ll thicken up!

Easy Chia Seed Jam – Makes 1½ cups

2 cups berries (fresh or frozen)¹
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons sweetener²

¹ I used a frozen berry mix for the Easy Chia Seed Jam featured in the photos (strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry).

² I typically use agave syrup (unflavoured) or maple syrup, but you can opt to use honey or simple syrup (1:1 ration of sugar and water). If you want to keep this jam vegan friendly, then avoid using honey.

Throw in the berries into a saucepan and put it on medium to high heat.
As the juices start to come out, break up the berries with a potato masher.
Once your mashed berries start bubbling, add chia seeds and sweetener.
Turn off heat, stir until evenly mixed.
Allow to cool and then transfer into an air-tight container.

This Easy Chia Seed Jam will keep in the fridge for up to a week, but in my experience it doesn’t last that long. Please note, because of the low sugar content (as well as the lack of pectin) this is not a canned jam or preserve. You do need to keep it in the fridge and use it within a week (if you make a big batch, you can freeze it for later).

If you make this Easy Chia Seed Jam, I’d love to see your photos! Be sure to tag me on Instagram (@onemoresteep #onemoresteep) or comment below with a link to the photo!