Earl Grey is always a good idea. Pure, with milk, sweetened or with a slice of lemon, this flavourful classic always tastes good. And it's a must-have if you like baking with tea, too. Earl Grey has been around for two centuries and it's still the most popular scented black tea around the world. Earl Grey syrup is just as versatile.
What is Earl Grey syrup?
Earl Grey syrup is a simple sugar syrup made with brewed Earl Grey tea. Instead of being just sweet, it also has a recognizable Earl Grey flavour. Simple syrups are commonly used for sweetening cocktails and cold drinks because it will easily dissolve even in an icy cold drink.
The unique aromatic scent and flavour of Earl Grey tea come from bergamot orange peel; a citrus that's mainly produced in Italy. Since bergamot flavour is always associated to Earl Grey tea, it's rarely used for flavouring teas. In other words, all teas with a bergamot flavour will automatically be called Earl Grey teas.
The original Earl Grey is made with black tea, but today, you can use any Camellia sinensis tea to make an Earl Grey and some herbal teas, too. In fact, rooibos Earl Grey is the most common caffeine-free alternative to regular Earl Grey teas.
If you have 15 minutes to spare, this simple Earl Grey syrup recipe will open dozen of new opportunities to enjoy classic bergamot flavour in other drinks too.
8 simple ways to use Earl Grey tea syrup
1. Make simple popsicles
Earl Grey tea popsicles are super easy to make and taste absolutely amazing. If you are a fan of citrusy popsicles and want a simple treat that will take less than 5 minutes of your time, try out this recipe. Allow them to freeze overnight and use within a couple of weeks. They are great for summer tea parties when you need unique but simple treat that will take only a few minutes to make.
2. Use as a sweetener for homemade rice pudding
Who doesn't like a good homemade rice pudding? The perfect rice pudding doesn't need to be complicated. To make the simplest rice pudding, you will need only 3 ingredients – arborio or originario rice, milk and Earl Grey tea syrup instead of a sweetener.
3. Spice up your gin and tonic
A good gin and tonic is all about the right botanicals. A good Earl Grey is all about the right balance of bergamot and black tea flavour. Try adding ½ to 1 teaspoon of bergamot tea syrup to your gin and tonic and be ready for a surprise – they go exceptionally well together.
4. Add Earl Grey flavour to boba tea
A secret to making a flavourful boba tea are flavourful, chewy and sweet ingredients. A tea syrup can take care of the flavourful and sweet part. Use it to coat tapioca pearls and to add more flavour and sweetness to your boba tea. Even if you are using an Earl Grey black tea syrup, it will still go well with other types of tea, like rooibos or matcha green tea boba.
5. Sweeten your coffee with tea
Long gone are the times when mixing tea and coffee would be a weird thing to do. Today, coffee teas are anything but uncommon. Earl Grey sugar syrup can make any coffee latte taste more fragrant.
6. Use it for sweetening pure black iced tea
The easiest and fastest way to turn a pure black tea into an iced Earl Grey is by sweetening it with Earl Grey simple syrup. A great thing about tea syrups is that they will dissolve in cold water much easier than granulated sugar or honey.
7. Make an instant Earl Grey Syrup slushie
You know you can make a delicious, refreshing and fragrant slushie with only 3 ingredients – simple syrup, sparkling water and ice. Check out this recipe for an Instant Earl Grey Slushie.
8. Make your own granola with Earl Grey syrup
The benefit of making granola at home is that you can choose your own ingredients and get as creative as you wish. From rolled oats to rice pops, almonds to pecans, spices and citruses, the list is limitless. Use tea syrup as a binding agent – it will taste delicious.
Ready to try some of these ideas? Learn how to make a very simple tea syrup.
