Earl Grey

This variation on the mezcal margarita leans on a quick Earl Grey tea syrup and grapefruit liqueur to evoke the feelings of a cozy morning.

This pie was inspired by my friend Erin Clarkson, a fellow baker who asserts that “if it can be infused, it should be infused with Earl Grey.” I took that to heart to create this caramel-spiked pie, infusing the milk and cream with plenty of tea before whisking them into a classic custard filling. And because I adore the combination of chai tea and caramel, there’s a variation for that version.

Keep it simple and light with this large-format play on the Daiquiri, where the dial is turned all the way up with the addition of black tea and dried citrus.

Take down the temperature of a classic hot toddy and turn it into a refreshing summer tipple: a seasonal mix of tea, citrus, spices, and rye whiskey.

This festive, spiced toddy starts with a black tea base. English breakfast tea is especially good with the black pepper and star anise, but Earl Grey would be nice, too.

Turn this punch recipe up a notch with a decorative ice ring.

When we added Earl Grey ice cream to our trucks' offerings in 2009, New Yorkers went mad for it. Not surprisingly—black tea, combined with bergamot oil, cuts through the summer heat about as well as anything. We use a high-quality loose tea from our favorite tea brand, Rishi, which uses pure Italian bergamot citrus oil (and not bergamot flavoring), to make the most intensely fragrant Earl Grey tea ice cream.

Here at Epicurious, we're big fans of the nutty, fruity buckwheat-biscuit shortcakes in Alice Medrich's cookbook, Pure Desserts. So we created a version we can enjoy all year long. Cooking dried apricots in Earl Grey tea with a vanilla bean infuses them with sweet spices that pair nicely with the earthy bitterness of buckwheat flour. Don't forget to freeze the butter for 1 hour before grating.

The idea here is to concentrate a few strong complementary flavors to create a cake that is pleasantly bitter and not too sweet. Tartine chiffon cake is made with whole-grain dark buckwheat flour, and then layered with blood orange marmalade and bergamot-infused blackout chocolate ganache. The ganache sets quickly, so cut your cake layers and have your filling and syrup on hand when ready to assemble.

Because the batter needs to be frozen before baking (and can remain in the freezer, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 1 month), these cakes are perfect for those unexpected moments when you need a quick dessert. Using semisweet chocolate in the truffles is essential; if bittersweet is used, the centers of the cakes will not ooze. Two tablespoons of loose tea leaves may be substituted for the tea bags in this recipe. If you use loose tea, you will need to strain the tea mixture before combining it with the egg yolks.

Two tablespoons of loose tea leaves may be substituted for the tea bags in this recipe. If you use loose tea, you will need to strain the tea mixture before combining it with the egg yolks.

This is our high-brow fudge sauce for the Earl Grey lovers out there (Mama Meehan, we’re looking at you).

Chocolate and lemon make an age-old combination; the tartness of lemon enhances the acidity of the cacao bean and cuts the fatty mouth feel. Meyer lemons have a short window of availability, and they’re coveted for their lemony-orangey flavor—which is particularly good when paired with chocolate. They’re versatile, with as many uses in the savory kitchen as in the pastry kitchen.

Customize your favorite store-bought jam with orange zest and Earl Grey tea. Use any leftover dough to make delicious hazelnut cookies: Just roll, cut out, and bake.

This ­is ­one of Haley's favorites, not only because she's an Earl Grey drinker (in fact, as a bitty child she would ask the waitresses in diners if the tea was Earl Grey or orange pekoe because she "simply wouldn't drink anything but Earl Grey"—precocious much?) but also because the hint of lavender infusion leaves you feeling as if you ate a scone and then walked through a field en Provence!

Why serve plain iced tea when you can punch it up with healthy, natural flavors like ginger, mint, lemon and peach, as in Bonaparte's version here? A good reason to steep and sip: Tea's polyphenols may lower your risk for cancer.

These buttery, crisp tuiles are made with tea and honey — the Earl Grey lends a sophisticated note of bergamot — and taste wonderful with an afternoon cuppa.

Be sure to serve the aromatic sauce with each portion of soufflé. The sauce can be prepared one day before the soufflé is made.

Loose tea leaves tend to be of higher quality than tea bags, giving the truffles a fresher, more distinct flavor. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr