When my mom and I meet up for our (almost) weekly crafting dates, we usually start off the day with a nice and warm cup of chai with steamed milk. It helps us get in the mood for crafting, and during winter, warm up from the cold outside.
While the store brand mix is already pretty delicious, it can get a little pricey and we decided to make our own chai tea mix.
Best decision ever! The homemade chai tea is DELICIOUS! ;)
{chai concentrate}
By Published: February 14, 2012
- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 60 mins
- Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
a delicious, spice infused tea! Yum!
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 10 pods cardamom
- 1/2 — 1 tsp. ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 3 sticks cinnamon
- 5 pods star anise
- 10 seeds pimento
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- 4 in. ginger
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar or honey
- 10 bags black tea
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Add the spices and tea bags and boil at a low temperature for about 1 hour.
- Remove the pan from the heat and strain the concentrate through a sieve.
- Add the brown sugar or honey and stir to combine.
- Allow the mixture to cool before filling it in little bottles or jars.
- Mix 1 part of the concentrate with 1 part of milk.
- NOTES: Personally I prefer my chai latte with steamed low-fat milk. But you can use regular milk, almond milk, soy milk. . Serve your chai hot or on ice. . Also, play around with the ingredients to get it perfect for your liking. Stronger, weaker, more spicy. .
Notes
none
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Comments
Looks and sounds divine!
Thanks for sharing! I am so pinning. I am obsessed with chai tea and the chai tea lattes at Starbucks!
Jennifer recently posted..Hot Diggity Dog! It’s Valentine’s Day.
Looks great. Few questions though:
1. Where do you find the fresh ingredients (i.e. lemongrass, vanilla bean, anise pods, etc.) Is there someplace you recommend to find these ingredients?
2. Does this need to be refrigerated? If so, how long will the concentrate store in the fridge?
Thank you!
What an awesome recipe! LoVE IT!
Katie recently posted..What’s Up Wednesday Link Party
I have friends who LOVE chai and this would make a great gift!! Thanks for sharing!
The Partiologist recently posted..Conversation Heart Party — Cookies & Candy!
I was curious about the Pimento seeds as I had never heard of them. I found out here in the States they are called Allspice. I can hardly wait to make this concentrate up because our eldest son loves chai and it would be nice to have some on hand for him.
How long can this concentrate be stored? Does it have to be refrigerated?
Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Peggy recently posted..New recipes in the works.… taking stock and a challenge
Are the red seeds the pimento seeds? Because mine are brownish black… I wonder if there is more than one variety of pimento seeds?
Peggy recently posted..New recipes in the works.… taking stock and a challenge
That sounds YUMMY!!!! I too would love to know where you get these ingredients??
Thanks for linking up at The DIY Dreamer :)
Christine recently posted..From Dream to Reality — Linky Party #3
This looks fabulous! I love chai and have made it in the slow cooker, but this would be much quicker. I came over from the Dream To Reality Linky Party.
Camille recently posted..Blondies
Oh my gosh, that looks amazing! I am going to have to try this!
Beautiful job with your photos as well!! Love your blog.
xo
–Lisa
Lisa recently posted..New Vignette. A Re-Do in a Strange Little Area.
I LOVE chai. I’m totally pinning this and trying it. :)
Karah
Looks SUPER amazing.. I REALLY wish I could inhale the lovely smell.. : )) You are SOO creative…
Marilyn recently posted..Pin’Inspirational Thursday #21 ~*Linky Party Day~*
Sounds good!
That Chai at the really looks so great.. Thanks for sharing the recipe.. I am so excited to try it out! :)
Guia recently posted..flat rate movers
So impressive! I would LOVE for you to share this awesome mommy solution in my Mommy Club link up! Or any other ideas. Stop over! http://www.crystalandcomp.com/2012/02/the-mommy-club-share-your-resources-and-solutions-31/
Crystal
Awesome! Gonna pin this right now :)
http://www.craftingrebellion.com
So doing this! And pinning it to pinterest :)
I’d love for you to come link this up at Marriage from Scratch for From Scratch Friday! It’s on the blog now.
~Christina
http://marriagefromscratch.blogspot.com/2012/02/from-scratch-friday-3.html
Fabulous Vanessa, thank you for the recipe! I pinned it!!
Would love you to add my weekly linky party, Inspire Me Fridays to your party page and come play along with ANY of your wonderful creations!
May I ask where you buy your vanilla beans? I’ve used Beanilla.com but would like to find more options.
Maria Matter recently posted..Inspire Me Fridays 46 — Anything Goes!
You always have the greatest post.…..Thanks for linking up @CountryMommaCooks…Have a wonderful Sunday:)
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Hey Vanessa,
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it this week at my weekly crafting date with my friend Wendy!
Hope you are having a lovely weekend, girl!
xo Kim
Can’t wait to try this, Vanessa. Like some of the others, I’m curious about the pimento seeds. I’d think some of the ingredients you could find at a bulk barn or something similar but will have to check. Thanks heavens we can “pin” this and have it to try. Always look forward to your posts.
Mary
This sounds delicious! Chi is my favorite cold weather beverage. Our Farmer’s Market has hours that are inconvenient during the week, so I’ll have to wait until Saturday to gather supplies. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.
Pam recently posted..Card for Aunt Z
This looks delicious, Vanessa!! Anything Chai and I’m so there!! YUM. Would be delighted for you to link up with us over at Mop It Up Mondays (at i should be mopping the floor): http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/2012/02/mop-it-up-mondays-4.html#comment-form
Have a great week!
{HUGS},
kristi
–your newest linky follower
Kristi recently posted..Pallet heART + Tutorial
I drink chai every morning. When I don’t have it I feel incomplete. I cannot believe I never thought to try to make my own because it is pretty pricey! I am SO doing this! Thank you for the inspiration!! I am so excited!
this sounds especially delightful! :) Just found your blog btw. :) Love it! Super cute! Where do you find the more unusual things like vanilla beans, cardamom pods and pimento seeds?
http://munchtalk.blogspot.com
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Gorgeous photos and this recipe looks wonderful! I am totally trying this out!
- Brandi
Keeping It Indie recently posted..GIVEAWAY: Propagate Letterpress Art Print
Thanks SO much for sharing this AMAZING feature. YOU Pin’Inspired me and are featured tonight.. Yaaaye.. very excited.. YOu are SOOO creative.. Hope you can link again today.. THANK YOU.. Wishing you an amazing evening.. xoxoxo..
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That sounds so good and looks delicious!
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
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This sounds absolutely delicious! Love the idea of having this for my crafty days.
Amanda recently posted..Get Organized with Clipix
This looks sooo amazingly yummy.. oh how I wish I could enjoy chai again.. but unfortunately for me I am allergic to ginger.. uggh! Thanks so much for sharing with the Pink Hippo Party.. can’t wait to see what you share next!
Amie @ Pinkapotamus recently posted..Sponsor Spotlight ~ Angelas Antics
Amie — I assume you’re only allergic to ginger and not to galangal? It’s a similar spice used in Thai cooking, sometimes called laos. I think you could substitute it pretty well if it doesn’t bother you.
Stopping by from the Girl Creative Blog Hop! http://queenofsavings.com
OMG, gonna try this one out NOW!!!!
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Hello,
Do you think you could tell me the things you bought in German? Or at least the pods?
Thank you
Julia
Delicious! The only problem with this recipe is that it’s gone in just a couple of days… and I’m the only person in my house that drinks it! Chai is hard to find where I live, so this is much easier. Most of these spices I keep anyway, or can get at the local market. Tonight I’m making a more concentrated batch with 1.5 times the water but 2 times the tea and spices. That might stretch to three or four days =)
Just a quick thought on the spices: I avoid using ground spices of any kind in liquids (like pumpkin spice syrup, mulled cider, etc) because the end result can be rather sludgy even when strained through a few layers of my finest cheesecloth. Instead, I use whole spices (in this case, the pepper and nutmeg) and crush them a bit in a mortar and pestle. It prevents that icky sludge at the bottom, which can also contribute to a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Hey Kiki!
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! ;) I know exactly how you feel. Yummy homemade chai doesn’t last long.. Hehe
Thanks also for the tip on the spices!
I hope you’re having a wonderful day!
XO from Germany!
Vanessa
Hi! I really want to make this for Christmas presents as my family love Chai tea! How long does it last if I put it in air tight bottles? Any idea would be very helpful! Thanks
The Chai should keep for at least a week if you keep it in the fridge. But I’m sure it won’t last that long, hehe.
xo! Vanessa
HEY THERE! ! !
How do you store these? Are they fine to sit out at room temperature??
Nevermind! Just read the answer to my own question in another’s comment!
I’m definitely going to try this. I adore chai lattes.
Awesome! ;)
Let me know how you like the chai!
Happy New Year!
XO’s from Germany! Vanessa