Crazy about chai spice? Us too! We love it in our tea, lattes, and hot chocolate. This versatile spice also works well for holiday baking and gives cookies, cakes, and waffles that extra warm spicy goodness. Spices, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice.
Though the term chai refers to tea in general in the original Mandarin Chinese language, when we talk today about chai, we're talking about a specific kind of spiced hot tea drink.
The ingredients in a traditional Indian chai vary from recipe to recipe, but the black tea is typically brewed with different proportions of aromatic spices and herbs like ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and/or cloves, and strained before mixing with milk and sugar. Traditionally, those spices are thought to have warming properties. Chai was considered a therapeutic / health drink in Ayurvedic medicine rather than a sweet beverage to enjoy with breakfast, or alongside afternoon cookies.
To tea ... Our new Chai Spice Blend offers just the right proportions of powdered aromatic "warming" herbs and spices to stir into your favorite hot tea.
... or not to tea. Don't let the name fool you - Chai Spice Blend is a versatile mix that is also useful in a wide range of non-tea recipes, from breakfast to dinner, drinks and dessert.
The AllSpice staffers have also been experimenting, putting Chai Spice Blend in their lattes and hot chocolate for a little variety in their favorite autumn drinks.
Chai Spice Blend livens up regular breakfast foods like waffles and pancakes, oatmeal, and coffee cakes. Fold a spoonful into softened butter, and spread on warm toast or muffins.
Add a spoonful of Chai Spice Blend to your holiday baking projects, to lend your cookies, cakes, and candies that extra warm spicy goodness.
For a surprising change of pace, you can even add a little Chai Spice Blend to slow-cooked ribs right before serving, or add a small amount to a simple vinegar dressing and toss with spinach salads or citrus fruits.