I grabbed this bad boy in a T2Tea shop in a bougie bit of Boston. One sniff and I was smitten. It smells like fudge. I added it to my pile. (My husband generously and diplomatically did not comment this pile’s financial end-sum.)
The tea itself, upon brewing, becomes a nice cloudy light brown and still smells great. That’s exciting. I let the anticipation build.
T2Tea promises that the brew is “so mouthwatering it rivals Mum’s homemade brownies!” I mean, how charming is that? “Mum”? They’re Australian.
All right. Time to try it.
Oh my! The caramel! The chocolate! It DOES taste like my Mom (not “mum”) might have made it. It’s warm, gooey, and moist (it’s a hot liquid, so obviously). It’s smooth. It’s basically, yes, hot chocolate; the insides of a cookie; or one of those brownies you stab and the goo comes out.
My American Mom makes her brownies from a box, but let’s not knock the box. There are food scientists calibrating that box. Those are good, brave, hardworking people with focus groups and academic credentials. They uncringingly use the word “mouthfeel”.
They do a great job, and so does T2. Nice work, guys. I like this one!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: T2
Description
A baker’s blend of rich chocolate and gooey caramel – so mouthwatering it rivals Mum’s homemade brownies!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Spicy Chocolate Chai/Fraser Tea
This tea was totally not what I expected – and I couldn’t be happier!
I have had a number of spicy teas, as in jalapeno spicy, and I have never been a fan of that kind of spice. Odd how it works out, because three of my children love spicy food, the hotter the better, but I have never been able to handle it.
I don’t drink much real chai spice tea, because I am not crazy about black peppercorns in tea, though I know it is good for you and many people love it. This has pink peppercorns, which I prefer. Also, I love cardamom in tea. And cocao nibs!
What I got with this tea was a silky smooth cup that reminded me of Mexican hot chocolate, only better. Did I say silky and smooth? Because that is my strongest impression from this tea. The spices are just so spot on. This is comfort food in a cup. The ginger is well behaved and doesn’t bite. AND IT IS ORGANIC!
Instead of Spicy Chocolate Chai, my pet name for this tea might be something like “Chocolate Cinnamon Daydream.” Or how about “Tea for Reading on a Rainy Day.” If you are afraid of the words “spicy” or “chai”, don’t be afraid of this blend.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Fraser Tea
Description
Spicy Chocolate Chai Organic Pu-erh Tea is a fusion of cocoa nibs, spicy chili peppers, and delicate, sweet oranges combined to craft a flavor sensation with maximum health benefits. Striking a delicate balance between heat and sweetness, spicy chocolate chai is a smooth and flavorful tea that supports weight management and wellness. Enjoy any time. Try it as-is or add milk and sugar.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Terry’s Tea/Bird & Blend
Confusingly, the outside of my container for Terry’s Tea says “It’s not Terry’s…”
But, like, whose is it?
Apparently it’s named after Uncle Terry, but he did not come up with it. Is the story. Which is confusing. I’m not a fan of this advertising scheme.
Anyway, this is a chocolate orange tea.
I’ve had some in the past that tasted like one of those chocolate oranges you smash against the wall at Easter.
But this one tastes more like a hot chocolate/cocoa that someone squeezed an orange and some hibiscus into. It has more of a mellow sweetness that comes from cocoa shells than the dark chocolate bite. They each have their time and place, and this one’s a gentler approach.
I haven’t met Terry, but I imagine, from the flavor of this, that he wears a lot of cardigans. He has a self-effacing style of humor. He’s more of a “teach you to take photographs of nature” uncle than a “fix your car” uncle. Animals like his gentle, affable nature. He and his wife like to tend their garden together, their quiet laughter whistling through the acres of fields surrounding their home.
If this is NOT who Terry is, please don’t tell me, Bird & Blend. I like my personal Terry. And this tea.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Bird & Blend
Description
We named our amazing chocolate orange tea after our uncle Terry because it’s his favourite. He’s so fond of it he keeps telling people it’s his. So we have to remind people it’s not actually Terry’s, it’s ours! But with chocolatey cacao and fruity orange peel we can’t really blame him!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Gingerbread Brulee/52Teas
I found a super simple recipe to make tea infused hot chocolates and I have been making them since. 10/10 would recommend this recipe by Savvy Eats which can be found here.
I have tried this with A Quarter to Tea’s Sticky Toffee Bread Pudding, Bird and Blend’s Monkey Chops and this time I am using 52 Tea’s Gingerbread Brulee. Each time has been delicious and distinctly flavored by the tea.
You start by cold brewing 1-1.5 teaspoons of tea in 1 cup of milk. The recipe says to do this for 20 minutes which I followed the first time and had a flavorful drink. Since then, I have set the cold brew up earlier so it steeps for longer just so I can get more flavor (usually I leave it cold brewing anywhere between an hour and 6 hours). It probably isn’t necessary for it to sit that long but it makes me happy. I also usually double the recipe, using 3 teaspoons of tea for 16 ounces of milk.
When the milk is done cold brewing I get to preparing the drink on the stove. If I doubled the milk, as I did with this hot chocolate, I also double the recommended cacao powder and chocolate chips, but still only use the one tablespoon of sugar. I tend to use either a 1:1 mixture of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips, or just milk chocolate chips. I have salted caramel chips that I think I will try one time just to change things up but this particular hot chocolate was made with all milk chocolate chips because that was what was most easily accessible.
Now that I am drinking this hot chocolate, I think all milk chocolate chips was the right way to go. This tea is so true to gingerbread but the kind you’d make at home that isn’t overly processed or sweet. That means it is heavy on the ginger and has a richness from the molasses. That depth is balanced nicely by the sweet and creamy milk chocolate, a balance that might have been tilted more to bitter if there was semi-sweet chocolate in the mix. Not that that would have been particularly bad, just more adult and sometimes you just like the nostalgia of a sweeter, creamier hot chocolate. And nostalgic this is because it essentially tastes like I made gingerbread cookies and then let one just melt into my hot chocolate. So. Good!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is not available but click below for blends that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chocolate Truffle Organic Pu-Erh Tea/Fraser Tea. . . .
This delicious, sweet, creamy goodness is a mix of rich pu’erh tea, cacoa nibs, and flower petals (mostly for appearance, I suspect). The flavor profile of this is a warm chocolate bar. One that will kick you awake with caffeine.
My husband and I like to walk around on New Years Eve in our town, look at ice sculptures, and drink hot chocolate. This tastes like that night. It tastes like the excitement of a new year. It tastes like a red nose and hand-holding.
It tastes, possibly, like a trip to the ski lodge, though I don’t EVER participate in sports, so I wouldn’t know.
If you’re in the mood for a sweet picker-upper, give this one a whirl!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Puerh
Where to Buy: Fraser Tea
Description
Decadent Chocolate Truffle is an organic, healthful beverage with calming effects. Delight in the richness of chocolate and comforting cream in your first sip of this high quality organic Pu-erh tea. Fraser Tea handpicks all teas and chose this Pu-erh variety for its ability to improve with time. Often used as a slimming tea for those working to manage weight and wellness, this tea is sought all over the world.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!