Chai latte

{Please scroll down to English version}

Volim piti čajeve tijekom cijele godine, no posebno se volim uz njih ugrijati tijekom zime.

Nema mi ništa draže nego kad se smrznem vani,
promrznu mi prsti i nos se zacrveni kao Rudolphov,
budem umorna od silnih slojeva odjeće i teškog vremena te dođem u toplinu svog doma nakon naporna dana.

Iskreno, blagdansko vrijeme najradije provodim u kuhinji praveći kekse dok mrdam guzicom u ritmu božićnih pjesama. No, nažalost, nisu svi dani takvi pa su ujedno i 'naporni'. :D

 Po dolasku kući, presvlačim se u udobnu odjeću i široke majice, skidam šminku, vežem kosu, palim male fenjere te si skuham čaj, pokrijem se mekanom dekicom i pustim si najdražu seriju ili pročitam knjigicu. 

Kako su Mekani medenjaci prvi adventski keksi koje pravimo, često se nađu uz čaj. 

Kada smo kod medenjaka, htjela bi objasniti taj fenomen. S njima otvorimo sezonu adventa, jedemo ih, jer su prefini i premekani, a samim time ih pojedemo dok se sve ostale slastice ispeku pa na kraju ispečemo još jednu duplu turu.

 Chai latte

600 ml mlijeka

350 ml vode

2 štapića cimeta

4 klinčića

1 žličica mljevenog đumbira

2-3 žličice naribanog muškatnog orašćića
1 anis

4 žlice ili 4 vrećice crnog čaja

Ulijte mlijeko i vodu u posudu na srednje jakoj vatri. 

Dodajte slomljene štapiće cimeta, klinčiće, đumbir, muškatni orašćić, anis i crni čaj.

Zagrijte mješavinu dok se ne počnu pojavljivati balončići uz rub. 

Smanjite na laganu vatru i ostavite 10-12 minuta uz povremeno miješanje.

Sklonite s vatre i procijedite.

Ako volite slađe, zasladite po želji medom ili sljezovim kolačićima.

Za poklon, gradite poklon po slojevima*: crni čaj-đumbir-muškatni orašćić-klinčić i sljezovi kolačići. Prekrijte ukrasnim papirom, zavežite koncem za koji ste pričvrstili štapiće cimeta, oznakicu i upute za izradu. 

*Ako želite lijep presjek slojeva,nemojte previše tresti teglicu, da začini ne bi propali u čaj. 

Šaljite mi svoje fotografije na cutieandpieblog@gmail.com

ili na Instagramu označite sa #cutieandpie.

Dobar tek,

{You're at the English version}

I like drinking tea throughout the year, but I especially like to warm up with them in wintertime.

There's nothing better than to freeze yourself outside, when I can't feel my fingers and my nose gets as red as Rudolph's, and when I'm tired from all the layers of clothing and the cold weather, and then to come to my warm home after a tiring day.

Honestly, I spend the holiday period mostly in the kitchen, making cookies while I shake my butt to the tunes of Christmas songs. But, sadly, not all days are like that, some are 'tough' too. :D

After arriving home I change into comfy clothes and baggy shirts, I take off my make up, I tie my hair, I light my little lanterns and I make myself tea, I cover myself up with a soft blanket and I watch my favorite show or I read a book.

Since Soft Honeycakes (translation coming soon!) are the first holiday cookies we make, they often accompany that cup of tea.

When it comes to honeycakes, I would like to explain that phenomenon. Since we open the holiday season with them, we eat them because they're too delicious and soft, and because of that we eat them before all of the other treats are not even close to being finished. That's why we make a double batch of them in the end.

Chai latte

600 ml of milk

350 ml of water

2 sticks of cinnamon

4 cloves

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

2-3 teaspoons of ground nutmeg

1 star anise

4 spoons or 4 teabags of black tea

Pour the milk and the water into a pot, and put it on medium heat.

Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, star anise and black tea.

Heat up the mixture until bubbles start to appear at the edge of the pot.

Turn the heat down and leave it like that for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the fire and strain.

If you prefer it sweeter, you can add some honey or marshmallows.

To give this away as a present, put it in layers*: black tea-ginger-nutmeg-cloves-marshmallows. Cover with nice wrapping paper, tie it up with a string to which you've attached the cinnamon sticks and the instructions.

*If you want nice-looking layers, don't shake the jar too much so the spices don't fall into the tea.

Send me your photos at cutieandpieblog@gmail.com 

or use the hashtag #cutieandpie on Instagram,