Tea-Infused Butter

A wonderful way to infuse a whole lot of flavor into a regular cupcake and so easy to make, tea infused butter can be used for baking as well just a spread. This is a technique I learned from thecupcakeproject.com blog while making peaches and cream cupcakes. I haven't mentioned the quantity because it depends on the what the recipe requires and a little more because a fair amount gets stuck on the tea leaves. However much you use, in the end ensure that you have enough butter as the recipe calls for.

You can use any strong loose leaf tea.  In Australia, we have a wonderful store for the tea-holics (and I know a few, right Naz?) called T2, where I usually get my tea from.  You can sample and buy every possible type and flavor of tea under the sun. It was a regular haunt during lunch break for Lucy and me just for laughs. And I have tasted many a good tea in there. In this case I used Earl Grey because it complimented the peach cupcakes I was making on the day and also because I had a packet of Earl Grey tea sitting very lonely in my pantry screaming 'pick me, pick me, pick me'. 

Ingredients

• unsalted butter
• 32 grams (about 1/3 cup) whole leaf Earl Grey tea

Method

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter on medium-high heat until just melted. 
2. Add the tea leaves.
3. Continue heating the mixture for about 5 minutes on low heat.The butter may start bubbling but do not panic.  It'll all turn out very nicely.
4. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for another 5 minutes.
5. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the tea leaves to squeeze out as much butter as possible.
6. Let the butter come to room temperature and refrigerate until it is no longer liquid or until ready to use.