A good, hot cup of tea never goes wrong with an after-meal dessert! While soft drinks are usually too sugary, tea offers a calming aromatic experience that blends so perfectly with the sweetness of cakes and tarts.
Similar to how food and wine can be paired for maximum enjoyment, the right dessert and tea pairing can enhance the gastronomic experience as well. So, for all you non-alcohol drinkers or for those days you just want a nice, cosy tea-time at home, why not experiment with some tea and desserts?
The principles of pairing tea and dessert are very similar to how food and wine are paired – generally, you want to match the strength of the flavours and choose either complementary or similar tasting notes. Let’s take a look at some classic pairings!
Citrus x Earl Grey
The classic Earl Grey tea is beloved for its citrusy notes, thanks to the bergamot in the blend. When you feel up for some zest, pair a warm cup of Earl Grey with some lemony desserts for a refreshing treat. Or, try our Orange Sugee Block that would pair wonderfully with the energising fragrance of bergamot.
Classic x White
White teas have a very delicate flavour that is easily overshadowed by other strong flavours. Thus, we recommend having white teas with ‘plain’ desserts with simpler flavours, such as classic butter sponge cakes, light and buttery puff pastries, or our classic sugar rolls (or try making your own!). Light fruit tarts like white grape or peach will also elevate the sweet scents of white tea while adding some complexity to the tasting experience of your dessert.
Dark x Green
Green tea has a slightly bitter and vegetative taste, which will go well with the intense notes of dark chocolate. For fruitier green teas, the bitterness of dark chocolate highlights the fragrance and sweetness of the tea, offering a playful and pleasing contrast for the palate. When you find yourself craving a dark chocolate éclair or dark chocolate cookie, green tea’s your best bet.
Oolong x Fruit
Oolong is a category of tea that’s neither black, green, or white. Its distinct feature is the smoky flavour imparted by how the tea leaves are roasted. As a result, oolong teas have a complex range of flavours, ranging from light to strong, from floral to fruity, and from grassy to woody. This unique flavour profile offers a brilliant juxtaposition with the sweetness of fruit, which brings out the different notes of oolong while tempering the sweetness of the fruit.
Conclusion
With this starting guide, you don’t have to spend another hot minute agonising over which tea to choose with your dessert of the day. But of course, there are no hard and fast rules – your favourite pairing might be something you have yet to discover!
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