Earl of Grey Buttercream

The holidays are coming up fast and with that, the party invites will soon be pouring in! Mix-up your traditional cookies, cupcakes, or macarons with this sophisticated take on classic buttercream. The sweet scent of vanilla, mixed with the citrusy flavor of bergamot is the perfect way to spark the fun!

Ingredients:

• 2 TBS water
• One heaping tsp (or one sachet) Earl of Grey tea
• 3/4 c powdered sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 TBS) unsalted butter, soft

Method:

1. Bring the water to a boil in a small pot. Turn off heat. Add tea leaves (or sachet), cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain out tea leaves, reserving the infused water (should be 1.5 TBS). Add the sugar, turn heat back on, and bring to just below boiling point. Don’t over-stir. Let it heat on its own.

2. Beat the eggs and egg yolk until light yellow in color. 

3. Pour the hot sugar mixture into the eggs all at once, and whisk it in as you go, making a meringue. (You can do this on a lower speed in the mixer). However, it is imperative to pour the hot sugar mixture in quickly and then increase to a higher whisking speed. Keep whisking until the meringue has cooled.

4. Cream the butter in a mixer until fluffy, then whisk it carefully into the cooled meringue. Keep mixing until you have a smooth buttercream. If it begins to curdle, just keep mixing - it should resolve itself and come back to a consistent mixture.

5. Fill your macarons or frost your cupcakes! 

Please Note: This recipe contains raw egg, which may not suit all diets.