Chai Tea Soy milk Chiffon Cake ~ 柴茶豆奶戚风蛋糕

'Chai' is the Hindi word for 'tea', which was derived from 'cha', the Chinese word for 'tea'.  The traditional ingredients for 'chai' tea is a mixture of black tea with spices and cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, ginger and black peppercorns.  Unlike other teas which are brewed with water, 'chai' tea is brewed with milk, and sweetened with sugar or honey.  I brewed the 'chai' tea with soy milk in today's recipe for a chiffon cake.  The kitchen was full of sweet aroma while the cake was baking in the oven.  If you want more information on 'chai' tea, continue from  'here'.

Chai Tea Soy milk  Chiffon Cake  ~   柴茶豆奶戚风蛋糕
Ingredients  (A)

• 5 'Chai' tea bags   (10 gm)
• 12 Tbsp unsweetened soya milk
• 6  large egg yolks
• 75 gm caster sugar
• 6 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 150 gm plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tsps of 'chai' tea leaves, taken from the above 5 tea bags

(B)

• 6 large egg whites
• 75 gm caster sugar

Method

1. Bring the soya milk to the boil and steep in the 5 'Chai' tea bags for about 5 mins.  Take out 8 Tbsps of milk tea, set aside.  Take out 3 tsps of  'Chai' tea leaves, set aside.
2. Sift the plain flour with baking powder, set aside.
3. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and oil till creamy.  Mix in the milk tea and tea leaves till well combined.  Fold in the sifted flour, mix till well incorporated.
4. In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites will foamy, gradually add in the sugar in 3 batches and continue beating till stiff peaks but not dry.
5. Fold in 1/3 meringue into the flour mixture, mix well.  Then pour this mixture into the remaining egg whites.  Fold in till well incoporated but not to overmix to deflate the egg whites.
6. Pour this mixture into an ungreased 23 cm chiffon cake pan.  Level the surface and lightly tap the cake on the worktop to dispel any air bubbles.
7. Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg.C for 50 mins. to 1 hr. till golden brown.  Test with a skewer till it comes out clean.
8. Remove from the oven and immediately invert it to let it cool completely.  Once it's completely cooled, unmould by hand.