Recipe detail. Edible Gift Idea: The Best Chai Tea Mix! This is one of my absolutely favorite things to give away at the holiday time.
It makes a great gift, especially if given with a hand-thrown mug and one of those long, involved novels that are best read in January. (Armchair optional.) It's also great to keep a few batches on hand as hostess or last-minute gifts. The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. You can adjust any of the spices to your taste and even eliminate one altogether. The recipe below makes enough Chai to fit into a 1/2 pint canning jar and is easily multiplied out for larger batches.
Chai Tea Mix RecipeMakes about 12-16 teabags 12 green cardamom pods1/2 teaspoon whole red peppercorns (optional)1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns1 tablespoon fennel seeds1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds1/2 teaspoon whole cloves1 4-inch cinnamon stick3 tablespoons chopped candied ginger1/2 cup loose black tea Preheat oven to 350° With a sharp knife, split the cardamom pods in half. Brewing Instructionstea for one (Images: Dana Velden)
Edible Gift Idea: Chai Concentrate. We just whipped up a batch of chai concentrate intended for holiday gifts.
Only problem: the mix is so delectable that we want to devour it ourselves! Fortunately, it is very easy to make. We have posted a homemade chai concentrate before but this recipe from the Oregonian is a bit different. Made with sweetened condensed milk, sugar, and ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, this is a gift that requires no time on the stove – just mix it up, put it in a nice jar, and include a tag with instructions.
To use it, stir a couple of teaspoons into a cup of hot black tea. Speaking of sweet, the original recipe calls for granulated sugar, which could be omitted if you feel the condensed milk is sugary enough. . • Get the recipe: Chai Concentrate (The Oregonian) Related: Edible Gift Idea: The Best Chai Tea Mix! (Image: Emily Ho) Homemade Chai Concentrate. I have seen quite a few recipes floating around on blogs and on Pinterest for homemade chai concentrate.
Why hadn’t I thought of this before? It’s so easy and you can customize your own recipe to exactly what you are looking for in your chai. I like mine spicy, with a strong tea flavor and with a subtle sweetness. I find the packaged concentrates from the grocery store to really lack flavor and many times they are just too sweet for me. I looked around at tons of different recipes and ultimately settled on this recipe. You can serve your chai warm as a hot latte or cold as an iced latte.