A quick Earl Grey icing for drizzling over cakes, scones, and cookies. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works. Makes about 3/4 cup; enough to drizzle a 10-inch Bundt cake or 24 cookies.
Earl Grey Icing
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts change with yield. Follow the recipe instructions for times, temperatures, and equipment.
- 2.0 cups (240.0 g)confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 3.0 tbsp (45.0 ml)strong Earl Grey tea, brewed from 1 tea bag in 1/4 cup boiling water, cooled
- 1.0 tsp (5.0 ml)water, as needed
- ⅛ tspfine sea salt
- 1.0 tsp (5.0 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract
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Instructions
- Whisk the confectioners' sugar and salt in a bowl.
- Add the strong Earl Grey tea and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Adjust with water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until the icing falls from the whisk in a thick ribbon.
- Drizzle or spread over cooled cakes, scones, cookies, or quick breads. Let set for 15 to 20 minutes.
Tips
- Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
- Best vanilla for this: Tahitian (floral, cherry, anise), or Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic). Any pure vanilla works.
- Storage: Keep leftover icing covered at room temperature for up to 2 days; whisk before using.
Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to make earl grey icing?
Plan on 5 minutes of prep, plus 20 minutes to set. It makes about 3/4 cup; enough to drizzle a 10-inch Bundt cake or 24 cookies.
How should I store earl grey icing?
Keep leftover icing covered at room temperature for up to 2 days; whisk before using.
Can I use a different form of vanilla?
use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.
Whole recipe (12 servings): ~984 cal · 2g fat · 257g carbs · 12g protein · 235g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
Per serving · 82 calories
What it takes to burn one serving
- Brisk walking 15 min·0.9 mi·~1750 steps
- Walking uphill or incline treadmill 11 min·0.6 mi·~1100 steps
- Moderate cycling 8 min·1.6 mi
- Swimming laps 11 min
- Jogging 8 min·0.7 mi·~1300 steps
- Stair climbing 8 min·~700 steps
- Dancing 13 min
- Bodyweight circuit training 8 min
- Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 19 min
Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.
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