There’s a new Mexican ice cream shop in my nabe and I stopped in tonight to try it out.
After a few samples, I settled on chongos. It’s apparently a curdled milk dessert that is flavored with cinnamon. Delicious.
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Presented without comment, other than that this flavour is not available in Canada.
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Well I made a mess of this. The minute I saw the recipe I knew I’d try it, seemed so elegant and fancy. Jeez.
First I discover I don’t like Earl Grey tea. Brewed a cup to taste it. The touted “natural oil of bergamot” is astringent, practically resinous. English Breakfast and Constant Comment teas are wonderful, I had no idea about the bergamot. Searched a little and found a post somewhere (?) that said the astringent quality of Earl Grey is the best thing to wash down a really rich dessert. So I thought oh, maybe the flavor will be great in a rich sweet pie.
The recipe calls for cream and milk to be brought to a boil, then add the tea leaves,and steep 2 minutes.
There is no mention of straining the tea leaves out.
I didn’t think that was right, I strained them outta there. The rest of the ingredients are eggs and sugar and white chocolate. A little salt and cornstarch. Cook and whisk 'til thick, coats the back of a spoon.
Then put in a blender until smooth—why a blender? It was already smooth – should I have left the tea leaves in?
Anyway, nobody here likes this pie.
The article mentions the recipe was adapted from the cookbook “Coastal” so I later bought the Kindle book to see if it mentions straining the tea leaves. And yep, in the head notes it says the leaves are left in.
If you are a fan of Earl Grey tea you might love this!
I’m out a stick of butter ( graham cracker crust,) a $3 Lindt white chocolate bar, a $6 package of Earl Grey, 3 eggs, and the Kindle book was the $16.99 kind, not the $2.99 kind. 
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What a disappointment.
Some Earl Greys are much nicer than others.
I find Bergamot to be the floral note in Earl Grey and Lady Grey. I usually associate any astringency or tannin with the black tea itself.
That said, I haven’t used oil of bergamot in anything.
I have tried some milk tea ice creams and one Earl Grey ice cream at a parlour, and London Fog themed desserts seem popular this year. I would think most are adding brewed Earl Grey tea to their custards, but who knows!?
I don’t like Stash Earl Grey, if I remember right.
I do like Tetley, Lipton, Bigelow, Tea Pigs brands of Earl Grey.
Not trying to sell you on Earl Grey.
If you don’t like it, you don’t like it. But some are better or worse than others, and the amount and type of bergamot note varies.
I don’t think leaving the tea leaves in is the best idea for a recipe. The reason they’re fished out of tea is to keep the tea from becoming astringent. I think the leaves being left in the dessert added the astringency, not the bergamot.
With the comment online, I think the reason someone mentioned the astringency of Earl Grey is because traditionally, it’s usually served clear, sometimes with a slice of lemon. I suspect to keep the floral note of bergamot clean.
Whereas many people drink orange pekoe or breakfast tea with milk added.
The London fog latte with milk and vanilla is a relatively new way to enjoy Earl Grey.
I wondered about the tea leaves being left in/out – (didn’t mean to sound so angry about the whole thing though!) It seemed odd to specify “steep 2 minutes” and then just leave them in anyway. Mostly I’m now laughing at myself for making a dessert flavored with the tea I just drank and didn’t like 
You seem very informed about tea!
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Not really!
I did grow up in a household where Earl Grey was the preferred tea.
I am not a fan of London Fogs. I probably also would not like that pie, for a different reason. I don’t like milk in my Earl Grey. LOL
For a creamy pie in a crumb crust, I love a rum chiffon pie with chocolate shavings on top, in a chocolate wafer crumb crust or a Graham cracker crust.
Also, I love a fresh peach and cream pie in a cornflake crust!
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I’ve never had, but would like to try the strawberry pie in a pretzel crust idea.
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I’ve only had Pittsburgh strawberry pretzel salad, which is essentially a strawberry no bake cheesecake with a pretzel crust, and it’s delicious! My Pittsburgh cousins bring it to BBQs and potlucks.
It looks like the Strawberry Pretzel Pies are pretty much the same recipe.
I have been thinking about making a Knickerbocker Glory Sundae this summer.
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Chestnut ice cream from the Jean-Talon Market in Montreal. Had it just once years ago, and it blew me away.
I always wanted to make it myself, but my ice cream maker is the type where you have to squeeze the insert into an overload freezer.
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That sounds incredible. I’ve only had chestnut soup so far & love it.
I love everything chestnut. My wife’s favorite cake is one that I make that consists of a layered cake made with génoise moistened with rum syrup, filled with chocolate chestnut buttercream, and covered with vanilla buttercream. A lot of work, unfortunately, but wonderful!
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What’s the name of the recipe in the times? I can’t find it in the app searching for “earl grey pie”
Well it’s an article in the New York Times Style magazine (or T Magazine) – called Scott Clark’s Earl Grey Icebox Pie, but I don’t see it in the NYT food section–
can you click on the “Three Easy Dishes etc.” link in my original post and go all the way to the bottom? That’s the recipe – if you can’t find it, I’ll type it up 4 you.
It’s paywalled but I will look for it in my desktop - I do have an account. You do not need to type it out!
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I thought if I used the Times gift link then anybody can access an article–the paywall should not be there. Is that not true? (My tech skill/knowledge very limited!)
Yeah, it’s a gift link. Should be easily accessible and not paywalled.
I’m a little obsessed with looking at Knickerbocker Glories online. I haven’t made one yet, I hope to make one soon.
Ice cream, raspberries, nuts, cream parfaits/ sundaes.
https://www.fortnumandmason.com/stories/history-of-the-knickerbocker-glory
We’re in Fribourg, visiting the Swiss side of the family. We just came across a new gelateria in town, run by an Italian lady. I found my new favourite flavour: pineapple and basil. I got a cup with 2 flavours: ricotta and fig, and pineapple and basil. The ricotta and fig was very nice, but a bit too rich for a hot summer’s day. The pineapple and basil really hit the spot.
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Wow, already back from Hanoi? You get around, (med)girl!
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Lol! The Swiss prices are giving us a real shock after Vietnam!
