Ingredients
For the tea sorbet
750ml/1 pint water
350g/12oz invert sugar (available commercially and online)
50g/2oz glucose
1 lemon, juice only
25g/1oz loose leaf tea
For the Earl Grey anglaise
1 litre/1 pint 15fl oz double cream
1 litre/1 pint 15fl oz whole milk
3 tbsp Earl Grey leaf tea
400g/14oz free-range egg yolks
400g/14oz caster sugar
3 leaves gelatine, soaked in water
For the tea jelly
500ml/17½fl oz boiling water
3 tea bags (English breakfast tea)
3½ gelatine leaves
For the sugar lumps
1 ready-made brioche
vanilla sugar (available from supermarkets, or make your own by placing used, dry vanilla pods into a tub of caster sugar an leave for a week to infuse)
Method
1. For the tea sorbet, place the water, invert sugar, glucose and the lemon juice into a clean pan over a high heat and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissoved.
2. Place the tea leaves into a heatproof jug and pour the sugar and lemon solution over. Leave to infuse for 1½ minutes, then pass through a sieve and leave to cool.
3. Transfer the cooled tea mixture to an ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer's instructions.
4. Preheat the oven to 180C/360F/Gas 4.
5. For the Earl Gray anglaise, place the cream, milk and tea leaves into a pan over a low heat and gently warm through (but do not boil).
6. Place the sugar and egg yolks into a bowl and whisk until pale and fluffy.
7. Add the egg and sugar mixture to the warm milk and cream and, using a sugar thermometer, heat to 85C/185F, then pass through a sieve into a bowl.
8. Squeeze any excess water from the gelatine and add to the custard, stirring to dissolve. Transfer the custard to small dariole moulds set over a bowl of ice and leave to set.
9. For the tea jelly, place the boiling water and teabags into a teapot or heatproof jug and leave to infuse for one minute.
10. Squeeze any excess water from the gelatine and add to the tea, stirring to dissolve. Pour into dariole moulds and leave to cool and set.
11. For the sugar lumps, cut the brioche into small cubes and roll in the vanilla sugar to coat. Place onto a baking tray and place into the oven to bake for 6-8 minutes, until golden-brown.
12. To serve, turn out each set Earl Grey tea anglaise onto a plate. Turn out a tea jelly onto each plate and add a spoonful of tea sorbet alongside. Add the sugar lumps to the side of each plate and serve.
