Small tea creams with almond and cinnamon streusel

Ingredients

• 500 ml Heavy cream (At room temperature)
• 250 ml Whole milk
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 4 Cloves
• 5 Black peppercorns
• ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp Ground ginger
• 2 tbsp Loose black tea (Or 2 black tea bags)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 4 Egg yolks (Fresh, at room temperature)
• 100 g White sugar
• 80 g Almond powder
• 60 g All-purpose flour
• 50 g Brown sugar
• 1 pinch Salt
• ½ tsp Ground cinnamon (for streusel)
• 80 g Cold butter (Cut into small dice)
• to taste Powdered sugar (optional) (For decorating before serving)

Instructions

1. Prepare the infusion

   In a saucepan, pour the heavy cream and milk. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, ground cinnamon and ground ginger. Whisk and bring to a boil over medium heat.

   Time: PT5M

2. Tea infusion

   Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the black tea and vanilla extract. Mix well, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

3. Reheat the mixture

   Remove the lid, stir, then return the saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil again for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

4. Whisk egg yolks and sugar

   In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture lightens slightly.

   Time: PT3M

5. Temper the eggs

   Pour the hot mixture (pre‑filtered) over the egg yolks in a thin stream while whisking constantly. Pass everything through a fine sieve to remove tea and spice residues. Press the tea gently in the sieve to recover as much liquid as possible.

   Time: PT5M

6. Remove the foam

   With a spoon, remove the small foam that has formed on the surface of the mixture.

   Time: PT1M

7. Fill the ramekins

   Pour the preparation into ramekins, about 2 cm high each, using a spout for precision.

   Time: PT2M

8. Bain‑marie cooking

   Preheat the oven to 110 °C (fan‑forced). Place the ramekins in a baking dish filled with hot water up to halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 55 minutes, until the creams are slightly trembling, like a flan.

   Time: PT1H22M

   Temperature: 110°C

9. Cooling

   Allow the creams to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

   Time: PT2H

10. Prepare the streusel

    In a bowl, combine almond powder, flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add the cold diced butter and work with fingertips until a coarse sand appears.

    Time: PT10M

11. Streusel rest

    Spread the streusel on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

    Time: PT15M

12. Bake the streusel

    Preheat the oven to 170 °C (fan‑forced) and bake the streusel for 12 minutes, until golden.

    Time: PT12M

    Temperature: 170°C

13. Cool the streusel

    Allow the streusel to cool completely on the sheet before breaking into coarse pieces.

    Time: PT5M

14. Plating

    Just before serving, sprinkle each tea cream with almond and cinnamon streusel. Optionally dust with powdered sugar.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

22 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Heavy cream: Thick coconut milk
• Instead of Whole milk: Semi-skimmed milk, Almond milk
• Instead of Cinnamon stick: Ground cinnamon (½ tsp)
• Instead of Cloves: Pastry spice blend
• Instead of Black peppercorns: White pepper
• Instead of Ground ginger: Fresh grated ginger (½ tsp)
• Instead of Loose black tea: Earl Grey tea
• Instead of Vanilla extract: Vanilla bean (½)
• Instead of Egg yolks: Pasteurized egg mixture
• Instead of White sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Almond powder: Finely ground almonds
• Instead of All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour
• Instead of Brown sugar: White sugar + molasses
• Instead of Cold butter: Vegetable margarine (for lactose‑free version)

Equipment Needed

• Medium saucepan
• Whisk
• Mixing bowl
• Fine sieve
• Tablespoon
• Ramekins (3)
• Oven
• Bain‑marie (baking dish with water)
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper (optional)
• Silicone spatula (optional)
• Kitchen scale (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Temper the egg yolks with the hot liquid to avoid coagulation.
• Bain‑marie cooking: ensure the water reaches the same level as the cream.
• Achieve a sandy streusel, not a dough, by working the butter with fingertips.
• Do not open the oven during the 55‑minute bake to prevent the creams from collapsing.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use high‑quality black tea for a more pronounced aroma.
• Add a small pinch of salt to the streusel to balance the sugar.
• For visual effect, lightly dust with candied orange zest before serving.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the creams in their ramekins, covered, for up to 3 days.

Freezer: The streusel can be frozen for 1 month in an airtight bag.

Room temperature: Do not leave the creams at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the streusel the day before and keep it frozen.
• The creams can be made 24 h ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
• The tea infusion can be made ahead and the filtered liquid kept chilled.