The Supreme eG Pastry and Baking Challenge (Round 6)

[chiantiglace]

Well week 5 is up and it is time for the 6th challenge.

This week I have challenged K8Memphis to incorporate classic Southern Sweet Tea into a dessert. I had been contimplating who to challenge and what to challenge them for a while now. Unfortunately I kept comming up with ideas that were near impossible or would take much longer than a week to plan out, especially a week of only sidework.

Kate is a fantastic wedding and specialty cake maker from Memphis Tennessee and is a constant and conitnuous contributor to eGullet, especially the pastry section. You can catch a demo she made here.

Because of the fact that she does cakes so well I present this new challenge. Also it helps that she is a southern woman, and the challenge is comming from a southern guy (Originally from North Carolina), that is another reason why I feel it appropriate.

To my knowledge she doesn't get her hands very wet when it comes to plated dessert, but I am quite certain she loves it and wishes she had more time or necsesity to play with her ideas. Now I am giving her a reason to go all out and put together a spectacular dessert that utilises sweet southern tea.

The reason, besides the obvious, that I chose sweet tea is because I have seen tea incorporated in desserts quite a bit, but never southern. I have seen mint tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, english tea, etc, etc, etc. but I have never seen southern tea. Maybe I have just been unfortunate, but regardless of my circumstances I would like to see it and I think everyone else could appreciate it. Besides, we already have beer marked off, why not tea?

I also think its a great change of pace, especially from me because I am the type of person that developes an idea in my head and sticks with it, or makes changes myself. I think K8 is a little more relaxed and open to other peoples ideas (probably a lot more).

So I am very please to announce our new contestant, K8Memphis.

Also, if you are just joining us, here are the previous productions:

Round 1 (Kerry Beal challenges Ling in Vancouver BC)- Take pineapple upside down cake and bring it into this century

Round 2 (Ling Challenges Gfron1 in Silver City NM) - Make a dessert containing an animal ingredient or product other than lard or bacon

Round 3 (Gronf1 challenges Mette in Copenhagen Denmark)- Create a deconstructed beer dessert

Round 4 (Mette Challenges Shalmanese in Seattle WA) - Create a dessert tapas plate consisting of 7 items in 7 days, using local and seasonal flavours

Round 5 (Shalmanese challenges Chiantiglace in West Palm Beach FL) - create a dessert involving smoke that evokes Autumn

Edited April 26, 2018 by Smithy
Adjusted title to show sequence (log)

[Kouign Aman]

Wheee! Im looking forward to this!

(one of these goes, it would be interesting to see someone use onions in a dessert,..... not with sweet tea tho.)

[SweetSide]

For those of us born and bred Yankees -- can you please define Southern Sweet Tea...

I, in my ignorance of many things Southern, thought it was just iced tea with lots of sugar in it...

Just trying to grasp how using Southern Sweet Tea in a dessert will be different than just using tea in the dessert, which as a tea lover, I think is a most excellent idea.

Bring it on K8!

[chiantiglace]

For those of us born and bred Yankees -- can you please define Southern Sweet Tea...

I, in my ignorance of many things Southern, thought it was just iced tea with lots of sugar in it...

Just trying to grasp how using Southern Sweet Tea in a dessert will be different than just using tea in the dessert, which as a tea lover, I think is a most excellent idea.

Bring it on K8!

←

Well, I thought someone might ask, and I am glad they did.

Southern tea is usually, or was anyways, Orange Pekoe. I've also seen other Black teaa utilized as southern sweet tea (I think Arizona Southern Style uses a different black tea? maybe)

Basically the idea of tea is a little different than the rest of the world. Less tea leaves/ressence is used and is steeped for a considerably long time. Sometimes someone would put a pot on, bring it to a boil and let it sit for hours.

Southern Style is, as you said, just tea with a lot of sugar in it. It is as some may say a cheap drink, easy to make and we always make a lot of it. I have been known to go out and buy several pitchers just to fill them all with tea at once. Then I dont have to worry about making more for a few days.

It is not so much that the flavor is used for the dessert, is the idea and the feeling. Southern style sweet tea is suppose to make you feel at home and comfortable. If I go to anyones house and they have a pitcher of sweet tea on the dining room table I already feel welcome.

I would like K8 to use southern sweet tea to recreate that feeling in a plated dessert.

Edited October 31, 2006 by chiantiglace (log)

[K8memphis]

Anthony, gosh, wow, what a beautiful introduction. You're so kind, a Southern gentleman for sure. Thank you I appreciate your thoughtfulness.

And I'm really glad you elaborated on the definition too.

So umm, sweet tea and feeling welcome hmmm. This is a brain buster. But I will prevail!

I just now completed an order that I was real excited to get to do. My husband started freaking me out because he kept going, "Man, they are all over the place advertising this event on the radio." And I'm like, "Shu-ut u-up, you're gonna freak me out." And I kept making more and more decor for it. It was Ardent Recording Studios 40th birthday and I got to do the cake. So I've spent the last coupla days 'in the zone' and now I'm winding down.

But let me be a name dropper Not that any of these people attended the shindig this evening, but Ardent has recorded for Led Zeppelin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, (I decorated the cake groovin' with Stevie Ray) Travis Tritt, Lynard Skynard, Elvis, BB King, Bob Dylan, Gin Blossoms, etc. etc. So it was very cool gig tonight.

But about 2:00 today when I finished the cake for Ardent & sat down at the computer & accepted Chiantiglace's challenge I started thinking about this sweet tea thing.

Now I tell yah, I used to make Special "S" bread. Geez what was in that stuff? Soy flour, sassafras tea and sunflower seeds. So there's a bit of a leap to a Sweet Tea plated dessert from Special "S" bread but I'll be there by next Monday

Thanks again, Anthony. And all ideas welcome!!!

Edited October 31, 2006 by K8memphis (log)

[gfron1]

The most impressive thing i've seen with tea on this site is BryanZ's tea orbs. I've made tea gelees to top my desserts before with some success. This challenge is bringing me back to my time in New Orleans when Miss Gloria would always have a special pot of red beans and a big glass of sweet tea just waiting for me. Good challenge Anthony, and good luck K8!

[Shalmanese]

Wow, these just keep on getting better and better. I can't say that I've ever had sweet tea before although it is rapidly moving up my to-do list.

[K8memphis]

Iced tea--sweet with lemon. You've had iced tea? That's it.

[Swisskaese]

Southern sweet tea begins with making tea syrup, which is basically the concentrated steeped tea and simple syrup. You then put a couple of tablespoons in a glass and add ice water.

I was thinking....

I have seen recipes for Strong Ale Spice Cake, how about making a spice cake with strong tea and a tea syrup caramel instead? What could you sub for the bubbles in the ale? Carbonated water?

Edited October 31, 2006 by Swisskaese (log)

[K8memphis]

That's an intriguing idea, Swisskaese, thank you.

Cheryl, Shalmonese, gfron1, thank you.

[Shalmanese]

I have no idea if this would work but the talk about tea syrup had me thinking that you could make a tea marshmallow or some sort. It seems like it would perfectly combine the teeth aching sweetness of it with an intriguing texture and flavour release.

[Kouign Aman]

I keep thinking of Tea Cake (literally), and Tres Leches,

but how to soak a cake in tea without it getting gross-soggy is completely beyond me.

[ludja]

I keep thinking of Tea Cake (literally), and Tres Leches,

but how to soak a cake in tea without it getting gross-soggy is completely beyond me.

←

A tea-infused sugar syrup might work. Could look to some Mediterranean desserts for inspiration on sugar-syrup soaked cakes and phyllo pastries.

Sweetened tea could also be used in a gelatin or jelly-type component.

Brewed tea is used in desserts sometime to macerate dried fruits for later use.

[K8memphis]

Good ideas all. Thank you!

Shalmanese, umm I've been kind of thinking of doing something with angel food cake. It's kind of a blank palette--very sweet. Or those floating islands that Julia always loved--we're on the same thought wave with the marshmellows, meringue-y something.

Kouign, yes tea cakes have crisscrossed my mind. I probably will incorporate them in some way.

Ludja, hmm, phyllo dough...interesting. I have some plans underway...

But I really wanna try to get completely out of my element in some ways--we'll see.

What would be good balance items to balance out the uber sweetness? I'm having trouble there. Sour cream-y something??? I have some clotted cream...(clotted is such an unfortunate choice of words for most American women, nevermind)

Candied lemon peel for garnish? Too obvious?? Too powerful??

And what flavors go with tea like for a gelatin or sorbet??? Where y'know I can have the orange pekoe and pekoe cut black tea flavor (which is the tea used in Southern iced tea--but it doesn't taste orangey) in some items and have an item or two zipped up with what spice or herb or fruit or what???

Iced tea is a blank canvas in itself--it doesn't take much to smother the flavor so I have to be careful. I mean if I add orange flavor and spice I will be highlighting Constant Comment and not Southern fried tea.

Oooh, what about cream puffs made from tea???!!! There's such a great water base there yay!!! What kinda fillings???? Besides lemon cream--but lemon cream might be too strong???? Oooh, that sounds cool!!! Wonder how it will taste??? White chocolate ganache filled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????? Hmmm, wonder if the tea flavor will rise to the top or be hidden under the chocolate. Wanna keep the sweet tea flavor on top. Need a light creamy filling for possible tea infused pate choux.

Ooh, this is getting fun.

[CanadianBakin']

Oooh, what about cream puffs made from tea???!!! There's such a great water base there yay!!! What kinda fillings???? Besides lemon cream--but lemon cream might be too strong???? Oooh, that sounds cool!!! Wonder how it will taste??? White chocolate ganache filled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????? Hmmm, wonder if the tea flavor will rise to the top or be hidden under the chocolate. Wanna keep the sweet tea flavor on top. Need a light creamy filling for possible tea infused pate choux.

Ooh, this is getting fun.

←

Wouldn't you want the filling infused with tea? It seems to me the flavour would be lost in the pate choux.

Edited November 1, 2006 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[K8memphis]

Oooh, what about cream puffs made from tea???!!! Need a light creamy filling for possible tea infused pate choux.

Ooh, this is getting fun.

←

Wouldn't you want the filling infused with tea? It seems to me the flavour would be lost in the pate choux.

←

Maybe it would be lost. But there's all that great liquid in the puff. I can make the tea stronger being careful to avoid the bitterness. I just wonder how it will taste. I gotta get to experimenting. The Special S bread I used to make that I referred to earlier was pretty good. So we'll see...hmmm, tea flavored filling...maybe both?

[Shalmanese]

Why not make a tea cream puff and then gently steep some tea in some cream and whip it for the filling? Nice and light and you should get an even tea flavour throughout.

Are there classic things that are paired with southern sweet tea?

[Swisskaese]

You could fill the cream puffs with:

Spumone di The

I think the baklava idea is very interesting. How about a pear or plum baklava with walnuts and pistachios and a tea syrup?

Something gingery would also offset the sweet tea.

Edited November 1, 2006 by Swisskaese (log)

[SweetSide]

I think you are on to something there with the cream puffs. The pastry cream filling, with its abundance of milk/cream, is the perfect base for infusing flavors. Then if you whip it together with some -- balance here mind you -- lemon cream you get the lemon tea base.

I'm also liking the idea of a gelatin something with the tea and lemon.

You say candied lemon may be obvious, but aren't the only components of Southern Sweet Tea, from chiantiglace's and your descriptions above, tea and sweet and lemon? And of course, comfort.

To cut that sweetness, you'll want a foil that is tangy or tart like lemon or cream cheese.

From a flavor pairing chart I have, here is a listing for Black Tea:

almond, anise, apples, Armagnac, brandy (hmm, Southern Comfort...), brown sugar, caramel, cardamom, chestnut, cinnamon, cream, dark chcolate, dates, dried figs, ginger, hazelnuts, honey, lemon, maple syrup, mint, nut liqueurs, nutmeg, oats, oranges, pears, PECANS, prunes, raisins, sweet wine, vanilla, walnuts, whiskey

Southern Comfort and pecans -- a foil to your sweet creamy tea?

[K8memphis]

You all, I have to confess, last night I read Anthony's intro to the challenge to my husband. He blurted out "You're not a Southern woman You're a Northern Yankee." Geez I felt like a Civil War spy. Well, yeah, I've lived in Tennessee for about a quarter century but you need to know I was born & raised in Chicago area. So I'm blending the best of both iced tea drinking worlds. Mom was from the deep South though so that counts too.

Anyways...and now back to our regularly scheduled global challenge, North, South, East and West.

Shalmanese, y'know I had all but discarded the idea of cream because I was originally thinking that that quickly takes you to a British hot cuppa rather than the clear sweet southern tangy iced tea. (So why did I mention clotted cream? To answer: Because it so contrasts the tea.) Bu-ut, it's milk that makes an English cuppa so I'm thinking cream is fair game after all kinda sorta. I mean cream puffs beg for cream. Gotta use it carefully though. Classic things paired with sweet tea are fried chicken meals, bar-b-q, picnics, any Southern especially summer lunch or supper meal.

Michelle, I'm digging the tea syrup over a baklava...ginger yes good idea! That will cut that sweet. Black pepper maybe?? Lavender maybe too?? Light light light though. Rose water???

Cheryl, Oh for sure, I did take a trip to The Sweet Kitchen and looked up the angel food cake but neglected to peruse the flavor chart Thank you thank you. Then I checked The Making of a Pastry Chef and tea wasn't listed.

I just wanna be careful to keep the tea flavor clean because that's the rub--I'm thinking iron chef-y where the tasters say if the flavor is pronounced enough or if it's over shadowed by the other stuff. Now a thing or two can be seasoned up but I'm trying to keep it clearly cleanly tea flavored for the most part. But the bourbon and pecans is good good good. Dates hmmm,,,HONEY meade maybe no no no Southern Comfort You nailed it there! And I have some leftover lemon cream. Love Pierre for that stuff.

But I'm thinking gentle gentle flavor accents because the tea kind of restrains you -you not only can't make it too strong 'cause it would suck you can also overpower it pretty easy. Gelatin I think is coming more into focus too because it can be made so quintessentially tea like then toss on some cool accents, gently though. And I have a really cool idea for the presentation of a gelatin thing.

Wow this is cool. I have my presentation ideas coming together and they are perfectly iced tea. I need some back up plans though. One is for sure no problem-o. The others are definite maybes. Cake decorators always have back up plans. Do plated dessert gurus??

Edited November 1, 2006 by K8memphis (log)

[K8memphis]

I think I gotta nix the cream/milk. I can just see Chairman Khaga's happy face because all the taste testers keep saying yes it's perfect for a British cuppa tea, not classic clean clear crisp Southern sweet iced tea. And of course he'd be happy because his Iron Chef would 'win' over me. Cream used as a teensy tiny accent maybe...

Edited November 1, 2006 by K8memphis (log)

[rooftop1000]

Peaches and tea

A sparkling tea gelatin

Tearamisu

tracey

[ludja]

That would nix my eclair idea--filled with tea cream and iced with lemon glaze (or vice versa).

edited to add: I see your point though, of wanting to go in a less creamy direction ot emphasize the iced tea.

Still using choux pastry one could do something profiterole-like with actual "iced tea"...

Edited November 1, 2006 by ludja (log)

[Nina C.]

Something about the tea-flavored syrup mentioned above made me think of the deep fried coke they did at the Texas state fair. The batter was made with coke and strawberry syrup, deep fried, and then drizzled with coke syrup.

You could do the same with tea. I have no idea how it would turn out, but I'm betting that the play of sweetness with tea would be interesting - and better than coke!

You might also look at the products of Amai bakeshop - they do all tea-flavored cookies and brownies, and have a new website. I haven't tried their products so I can't say how they taste, unfortunately.

Edited November 1, 2006 by Nina C. (log)

[jasie]

A sweet tea jelly or granita sounds cool.

I was thinking of what I would love sweet tea with and suddenly I started thinking Bubble tea. Bubble tea is tea (well, mostly... sometimes they use fruit smoothies), and sweet!

What about using tapioca pearls for some texture of some sort? Or using chewier(?) sweet tea jelly as a texture? A riff off of some asian desserts like the honeydew and sago in coconut milk kind of dessert rather than a baked one... I keep thinking the tea flavor would maybe be mostly lost after baking, or at least greatly reduced.

Or what about using flavored tea? Like sweet jasmine tea syrup.

Ok. ok. I think most southerners would be cringing at my ideas by now.

Speaking of southern food.. red velvet cake with sweet tea filling? Hehe. maybe I AM thinking too much.