Infusing food with tea is no new feat. Identifying flavour profiles that complement each other well is very helpful when creating recipes. The nuttiness that roasted Japanese green tea powder, or simply named Houjicha Powder, brings back memories of walnut apple crumble. At the launch party of The Tea Practitioner at Hotel Delilah, Sierra utilized their apple cider caramel used to drizzle over mini donuts and took it to the next level by adding Organic Houjicha Powder. The end result is a balance of sweet, nutty, and tart.

Recipe

3 cups (700ml) Hard Apple Cider (I used Stock and Row)
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup (250ml) Heavy Cream
1 tablespoon Houjicha Powder

Method

Bring Apple Cider to a boil in a heavy bottomed pot. Reduce heat to medium/medium low and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup.

Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and heavy cream to reduced cider liquid and stir. Bring to a boil, and cook over medium-heat until caramel reaches 230°F. Let cool. Caramel can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Pour over cakes, garnish cookies or drizzle over donuts. Or eat by the spoonful.