Earl grey chiffon cake 2

This cake recipe is definitely a keeper. This is my second time making an earl grey chiffon cake and this time, I added in the zest of an orange. I'll probably use some lemon zest next time.

I really like the lightness and texture of this cake and the cake is so easy to make especially when you're out of butter and running out of flour.
To think, I used to be intimidated by the idea of folding in egg whites.

Earl grey tea cookies

Earl grey tea is one of the best teas ever! Although I don't actually drink much of it, the taste of it in cakes and cookies is YUMMY! It deserves to be awarded the capital letters. The cookies are really fragrant and the earl grey taste is not too strong but you can tell it's there.

Ice box cookies are really easy to make. I halved the recipe and it still turned out. Ignore the instructions if you don't have a food processor or a mixer. Just cut the cold butter up into chunks and use your fingers to rub the butter into the ingredients and add a bit of water at a time till a dough forms. Form a log, either round or square, chill it, slice it and bake it.

I tried to be neat and obtain a rectangle but that clearly failed. At least it's flat on 3 out of 4 sides. That's 75% of the cookie. Actually, it doesn't really matter cause when you bake it, the dough melts a little and it's as though there's extra gravity in the oven pulling the edges of your cookie down.

Earl grey tea cookies from realsimple
makes 6 dozen cookies (depending on size)

2 cups flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup icing sugar (I didn't have any icing sugar at hand and just used caster sugar)
2 Tbsp Earl grey tea (6 teabags worth)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz butter

1. Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized. Add the vanilla, 1 teaspoon water, and the butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed.
2. Divide the dough in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a 12-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Slice each log into disks, 1/3 inch thick. Place on parchment lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
4. Bake in a preheated 190 C oven until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

Earl grey chiffon cake

I've made chiffon cake before and they turned out okay I guess but this recipe from Happy Home Baking is absolutely delicious! I also just realised that I had previously presented the cake the wrong side up. The bottom/flat side of the cake is meant to be the top of the cake.

The aroma of earl grey filled the kitchen whilst the cake was in the oven. The earl grey taste is very distinct and the cake turned out light and fluffy. Will definitely use this recipe again but maybe make a different flavour like orange or lemon.

I remembered to take pictures for most of the steps! I got excited whilst taking pictures of the beating of the egg whites process. The only changes I made to the recipe was the addition of 1/4 tsp cream of tartar to the egg whites.

It's very important to make sure that the tube pan is grease free and dry when the batter is added to the pan.

Earl grey chiffon cake
makes one 7 inch diameter cake

A
3 egg yolks
30g caster sugar

50ml vegetable oil
75ml water

1 1/2 tsp baking powder
100g flour
1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp earl grey tea powder (3 sachets)

B
3 egg whites
40g caster sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1. Sieve flour, baking powder and salt together, set aside.
2. Separate egg yolks/whites and bring to room temperature.
3. Place egg yolks in a mixing bowl, add in sugar, in 3 separate additions and with a manual whisk, whisk till the mixture becomes sticky and turn pale.
4. Drizzle in the oil, whisking at the same time till the mixture is well combined. Repeat the same with the water. Sieve over the flour mixture and whisk until flour mixture is fully incorporated into the batter. Add in the earl grey powder and mix well.

5. In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until mixture becomes frothy and foamy. Gradually beat in the sugar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. (I beat the sugar and cream of tartar with the egg whites from the start)

6. Add the beaten egg white into the egg yolk batter in 3 separate additions, each time folding gently with a spatula until just blended.
7. Pour batter into a 7 inch tube pan (do not grease the pan). Tap the pan lightly on a table top to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter.

8. Bake in preheated oven at 170 C for 45 minutes or until the cake surface turns golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and invert the pan immediately. Let cool completely before unmold. To remove the cake from the pan, run a thin-bladed knife around the inside of the pan and the centre core. Release the cake and run the knife along the base of the pan to remove the cake.