Masala Chai

Pottery from Schyler the Potter, a local Traverse City Artist

Masala Chai is a rich blend of warm and inviting spices simmered with sweetened black tea and milk, hailing from India.

It is often called simply chai, or chai tea, but the latter is redundant since “chai” actually means “tea” in Hindi. Essentially, “chai tea” is like saying “tea tea.” Another example of queso cheese for you.

You might find it interesting that masala chai and chai tea/chai tea latte are not the same thing. The spices used are similar, but the key difference is that masala chai has the spices simmered in the tea and milk, where cha tea latte has the spices simmered in just the tea, then milk is added later. Thus, masala chai is richer having the spices fully infuse all the through the milk, and chai tea is not quite as flavorful with the milk toning down the tea.

What Kind of Tea to Use?

Loose leaf tea is a good choice, but tea bags can also be used. Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri are common choices.

Typical Spices

The spices used can vary depending on the region in India. Typical spices include grated ginger, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, star anise, peppercorns, whole cloves, and sometimes lemongrass or even mint or holy basil.

Common Sweeteners

White sugar, brown sugar, Demerara, coconut sugar, honey, and jaggory are all common sweeteners, but you can use whichever you prefer. I like to use maple syrup or honey.

Milk Choices

Water buffalo milk is a traditional choice in India, but that might not be available to you, so whole milk would be the next most authentic choice. Otherwise, use whichever kind of milk or milk alternative you typically use. Half & half makes for an extra creamy and rich treat, or oat milk, soy milk, etc. keeps it dairy free.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

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Masala Chai

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water

• 2 (3 inch / 7cm) sticks of cinnamon

• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger

• 4 cardamom pods, seeds removed (roughly 30 seeds)

• 12 whole cloves

• 20 peppercorns

• Seeds from 1 star anise, optional

• 8 black tea bags, or 4 tsp loose leaf black tea

• 4 cups milk of choice

• Sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat so water simmers, rather than boiling.

2. Add all spices and black tea to water; simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Increase heat and add milk; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for another 5 minutes.

4. Strain tea into a large heat-proof pitcher or container, discard spices and tea. Add sweetener of choice to taste. Pour into mugs and serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Jenny’s Notes:

• Boiling the spices before adding the milk is important as ginger can curdle milk otherwise.

• Another option instead of straining the tea, is to gather all the spices into some cheesecloth and tying it closed with some food-safe string. This is called a bouquet garni, and keeps the spices contained. After simmering for 15 minutes, the bouquet garni can simply be removed, gently squeezed between two spoons, and discarded.

• The star anise is optional since not everyone loves its black licorice flavor. I do not care for star anise, but I do actually enjoy it in this recipe, as it melds well with the other flavors and is not distinct.

• While maybe not traditional, I like to add a teaspoon or two of grated orange zest and even vanilla extract.

Yield 6-8

Author Jennyblogs

Cook time

30 Min

Total time

30 Min

Print

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Masala Chai

Authentic Masala Chai is a creamy, spicy tea drink original to India but enjoyed around the world.

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Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 2 (3 inch / 7cm) sticks of cinnamon
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 4 cardamom pods, seeds removed (roughly 30 seeds)
• 12 whole cloves
• 20 peppercorns
• Seeds from 1 star anise, optional
• 8 black tea bags, or 4 tsp loose leaf black tea
• 4 cups milk of choice
• Sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat so water is simmering, rather than boiling.
2. Add all spices and black tea to water; simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Increase heat and add milk; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for another 5 minutes.
4. Strain tea into a large heat-proof pitcher or container, discard spices and tea. Add sweetener of choice to taste. Pour into mugs and serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Notes

• Boiling the spices before adding the milk is important as ginger can curdle milk otherwise.
• Another option instead of straining the tea, is to gather all the spices into some cheesecloth and tying it closed with some food-safe string. This is called a bouquet garni, and keeps the spices contained. After simmering for 15 minutes, the bouquet garni can simply be removed, gently squeezed between two spoons, and discarded.
• The star anise is optional since not everyone loves its black licorice flavor. I do not care for star anise, but I do actually enjoy it in this recipe, as it melds well with the other flavors and is not distinct.
• While maybe not traditional, I like to add a teaspoon or two of grated orange zest and even vanilla extract.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

162

Fat

5 g

Sat. Fat

3 g

Carbs

24 g

Fiber

1 g

Net carbs

22 g

Sugar

20 g

Protein

6 g

Sodium

73 mg

Cholesterol

20 mg

Nutritional information is approximate; based on 6 servings using whole milk and 1 Tbsp of maple syrup per serving.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2020/11/3/9n52w1694ykfighl73rp84sst7zdin

masala chai, chai tea latte, authentic Indian chai, homemade chai tea

beverage, breakfast

Indian

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs

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Strawberry Nutella Coconut Milkshake

Last Updated August 24, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses and ethically and responsibly made items. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Buon Ferragosto!

Also known as the day where everything is closed and I feel slightly trapped. Hmmm the gelato place is closed so I’ll just run to the store and pick up some…oh wait, all the grocery stores are closed. Ok, well maybe I’ll go browse some shops, oh wait, all closed. I’ll go walk around in the center for a bit…nope, hardly any buses running today to get to the center. Even if I could find a bus, all the places I could buy a ticket are closed. Ok, so I’ll walk to the gym to work out and enjoy some air conditioning. Ah, closed. So, I hunker down and eat whatever food is in the house, try to stay cool. Actually we’ve come to a bit of a cool spell, today only has a high of 90°F. I’ll take it!

I actually planned ahead this year and went grocery shopping last night. I got fruit and veggies for lunch and dinner today, but why didn’t I get better snackies? But then I remembered that I have a good stash of gelato in the freezer, and made me think of this delectable milkshake I made a few weeks ago.

So with all this time on my hands, I shall be milkshaking and sharing this milkshake with you! What’s so great about this milkshake?

It’s a Strawberry Nutella Coconut Milkshake. That’s such a long name, and kinda going against my own rule of not listing every ingredient in the title, but otherwise I didn’t quite know how to get the dream across, ya know?

How about this: Strawnutelloco Milkshake. Stranucoco Milkshake. Conuterry. Strawconutella. Regardless, this milkshake tastes like a chocolate covered strawberry rolled in coconut with a hint of hazelnut.

I have a confession to make. I originally made this milkshake to try and hide this not-awesome gelato I bought. There was a sale on a brand I had never tried before at the grocery store, and they had coconut and I love coconut but it just did not end well. Icy and so much coconut it was chewy. I didn’t want to waste it, but I also didn’t necessarily want to force myself to eat gelato?

Enter the milkshake idea. I had strawberries, Nutella, and milk, and this beautiful combo was born. The copious amounts of coconut from the gelato still rendered my milkshake a bit chewy, but if you have a GOOD brand of coconut ice cream, or even vanilla ice cream with a bit of flaked coconut and maybe a drop of coconut extract or two thrown in, you’ve got yourself the perfect summer day’s treat.

So thank you, gelato brand that shall remain unnamed, for the not delicious gelato that prompted me to create a delicious milkshake.

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Strawberry Nutella Coconut Milkshake

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cups coconut ice cream, slightly softened

• 1/2 cup milk, any variety

• 1/2 cup hulled strawberries, fresh or frozen

• 2 heaping Tbsp Nutella

• Dash of vanilla extract, optional

• Whipped cream, optional

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except whipped cream to a blender and blend until smooth. Check consistency and add more milk if desired.

2. Spoon into 2 glasses and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Jenny’s Notes:

• Don’t have coconut ice cream but still want that coconut taste? Substitute chocolate or vanilla ice cream and add a bit of flaked coconut and a drop or two of coconut extract.

• For creamier shakes, use whole milk.

• For thinner shakes you can sip, add more milk. For thicker, spoonable shakes, add less milk. Some blenders don’t blend thicker shakes well, so if yours is having problems, either wait a minute or two for the ice cream to soften a bit more before continuing to blend, or add a touch more milk.

• To make fresh whipped cream, whip about 1/4 cup / 60g heavy whipping cream with 1 Tbsp / 14g sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, or with a handheld mixer. This makes about 1/2 cup fresh whipped cream. Store in fridge, best if used within a few days.

Yield 2 Servings

Author Jennyblogs

Prep time

5 Min

Total time

5 Min

Print

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Strawberry Nutella Coconut Milkshake

Thick and creamy milkshake with coconut ice cream, Nutella, strawberries and whipped cream on top.

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 2 cups coconut ice cream, slightly softened
• 1/2 cup milk, any variety
• 1/2 cup hulled strawberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 heaping Tbsp Nutella
• Dash of vanilla extract, optional
• Whipped cream, optional

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients except whipped cream to a blender and blend until smooth. Check consistency and add more milk if desired.
2. Spoon into 2 glasses and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Don’t have coconut ice cream but still want that coconut taste? Substitute chocolate or vanilla ice cream and add a bit of flaked coconut and a drop or two of coconut extract.
• For creamier shakes, use whole milk.
• For thinner shakes you can sip, add more milk. For thicker, spoonable shakes, add less milk. Some blenders don’t blend thicker shakes well, so if yours is having problems, either wait a minute or two for the ice cream to soften a bit more before continuing to blend, or add a touch more milk.
• To make fresh whipped cream, whip about 1/4 cup / 60g heavy whipping cream with 1 Tbsp / 14g sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, or with a handheld mixer. This makes about 1/2 cup fresh whipped cream. Store in fridge, best if used within a few days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

440.85

Fat

23.21 g

Sat. Fat

19.31 g

Carbs

54.51 g

Fiber

3.87 g

Net carbs

50.64 g

Sugar

40.58 g

Protein

6.95 g

Sodium

49.23 mg

Cholesterol

9.42 mg

Nutritional information is approximate and based on 2 servings and includes whipped cream.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2019/8/14/strawberry-nutella-coconut-milkshake

milkshake, milk, strawberry, Nutella, coconut, ice cream, vanilla, fresh whipped cream, dessert, summer

Dessert, Beverage

American

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs

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Mocha Punch

Last Updated August 16, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Mocha punch is exactly what it sounds like. Cold, creamy, sweet, chocolatey coffee served in a punch bowl with dollops of vanilla ice cream slowly melting into a dreamy, creamy puddle.

Punch might seem a thing do the past, but I really love punch. Classic punch to me is a bottle of cranberry raspberry juice combined with Sprite and some fruit-flavored sherbet dolloped in the lunch bowl. And I love it. It reminds me of Christmas time as a kid because that’s really the only time we’d make it. Then I was introduced to this Mocha Punch as a teenager, and the fruity punch got left behind. Everyone loves this coffee punch. It’s hard to put the ladle down.

It’s simple to make but it can steal the show, which makes it ideal for parties. Think holidays, birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, and on and on! Keep some empty milk jugs to store it in, and you have one easy and delicious thing done for your next gathering!

No mocha in Italy?

On entering any coffee shop in America, you’ll easily find mocha on the menu.

This is not the case in Italy. Italy may be the birthplace of coffee as we know it today, but that doesn’t mean that they own ALL the copyrights to the best coffee drinks. Cappuccino, espresso, macchiato….but Vanilla Latte and Mocha are not on the menu here, unless you go to one of the few “American” coffee shops, such as Arnold. First of all, if you order a latte you will get….milk. And if you order a mocha you will get…a withering stare. Not the end of the world, especially with all of the other types of coffee you can order, but sometimes I just want a mocha, ya know? I usually order my cappuccino with cocoa powder on top, but that’s not quite the same.

If I’ve learned anything living away from my home country, it’s that I will suddenly miss all the creature comforts of home, whether or not I appreciated or even liked them before. I do really like a good mocha. And somehow missing mochas has me thinking about this mocha punch, so here you go. The recipe for the best punch, that really keeps the party going!

Recipe adapted from a friend’s mama. :)

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Mocha Punch

Serves about 20

Ingredients:

• 3 quarts / 3 L freshly brewed strong coffee

• 1 1/2 cups / 300g sugar

• 2 quarts / 2 L milk

• 3/4 cup / 240g chocolate syrup, try this homemade recipe!

• 3 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 gallon (8 cups) / 1 kg vanilla ice cream

Directions:

1. Pour brewed coffee into a large pot, bowl, or other large container. Stir sugar into hot coffee until dissolved. Cool in fridge.

2. Remove coffee from fridge and add milk, chocolate syrup, and vanilla and stir until well combined.

3. Chill until cold or overnight.

4. Just before serving, pour into serving container, mix briefly, and scoop ice cream into the punch, allowing the ice cream to melt for a few minutes before serving. (Skip this step if not serving as a punch.)

5. Store in fridge.

Jenny’s Notes:

• For an everyday mocha I reduce the sugar and milk, sometimes by up to half, as I usually drink my coffee black, and it makes it less indulgent.

• You can substitute store-bought chocolate syrup for the homemade and use instant coffee instead of brewing, if you wish! I think the flavor will always be superior when you make things from scratch, or in this instance, use good, fresh coffee instead of instant!

• Of course, you don’t have to use vanilla ice cream, you could use chocolate or moose tracks or hey, coffee ice cream!

• When serving, you can choose to pour the whole recipe’s worth of punch into a punch bowl with ice cream, or, for smaller or longer parties, start with just a portion of the punch and ice cream, keeping the remainder in the fridge and freezer, respectively, so by the end the punch isn’t warm and the ice cream long melted.

• This punch is easily stored in pitchers or empty milk jugs!

Yield 20

Author Jennyblogs

Prep time

25 Min

Total time

25 Min

Print

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Mocha Punch

Sweet and creamy cold coffee punch with dollops of ice cream is great for gatherings and parties!

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 3 quarts / 3 L freshly brewed strong coffee
• 1 1/2 cups / 300g sugar
• 2 quarts / 2 L milk
• 3/4 cup / 240g chocolate syrup, try this homemade recipe!
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 gallon (8 cups) / 1 kg vanilla ice cream

Instructions

1. Pour brewed coffee into a large pot, bowl, or other large container. Stir sugar into hot coffee until dissolved. Cool in fridge.
2. Remove coffee from fridge and add milk, chocolate syrup, and vanilla and stir until well combined.
3. Chill until cold or overnight.
4. Just before serving, pour into serving container, mix briefly, and scoop ice cream into punch, allowing ice cream to melt for a few minutes before serving.
5. Store in fridge.

Notes

• You don’t have to use vanilla ice cream, you could use chocolate or moose tracks or heck, coffee ice cream! Whatever you like.
• When serving, you can choose to pour the whole recipe’s worth of punch into a punch bowl with ice cream, or, for smaller or longer parties, start with just a portion of the punch and ice cream, keeping the remainder in the fridge and freezer, respectively, so by the end the punch isn’t warm and the ice cream long melted.
• This punch is easily stored in pitchers or empty milk jugs!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

202.41

Fat

4.98 g

Sat. Fat

3.02 g

Carbs

33.94 g

Fiber

0.49 g

Net carbs

33.45 g

Sugar

26.31 g

Protein

5.27 g

Sodium

91.66 mg

Cholesterol

19.30 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Calculated including vanilla ice cream

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2019/4/18/mocha-punch

mocha, mocha punch, party coffee chocolate punch, iced coffee drink

drink

American

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs

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Homemade Eggnog

Last Updated July 16, 2024

Do you know what 2 weeks from today is?  Yes, Thanksgiving!  A big feast requires lots of food, lots of planning, and of course lots of shopping, preparing, and cooking.  There are of course all the traditional dishes to make, but sometimes you want to throw in something new and delicious.  Since many of you, my smart friends, break out the eggnog for the first time on Thanksgiving, why not try making it homemade this year?  No high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavor, or "Holly"-ness about it. It's very simple to make, and can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled (Hello, Morris family) to fit your needs. 'Tis the season to be jolly, not drink Hollynog.  

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses, and American companies and products made in the USA for American readers. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

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Homemade Eggnog

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs

• 1/2 cup / 100g sugar

• 2 tsp / 10g vanilla extract

• 4 cups / 948g milk

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling

• 1/4 cup / 56g brandy, bourbon, or rum, optional

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until light in color and the sugar has dissolved. 

2. Whisk in vanilla, nutmeg, milk, and alcohol.  Strain into a pitcher or serving dish of choice and chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg. 

Jenny's Notes:

• Halve, double, or triple this recipe as needed.

• So easy and delicious!  If you are worried about the raw eggs in this, simply use pasteurized eggs. 

• If you are serving this to children and/or people who don't drink, obviously don't add any alcohol. What I like to do is add the alcohol to only half so everyone is happy, or let people add their own. But not the children.

• Serve in a punch bowl with dollops of vanilla ice cream for an extra decadent treat! 

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