dirty chai toddy

Desserts

Dirty Chai Toddy

This starts out as a fragrant and mildly indulgent chai -- it's made with half-n-half -- and then right before serving you sling in some espresso and bourbon, and suddenly it's a drink with purpose and conviction.

Ingredients

8 ounces half and half
4 ounces water
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 black cardamom pods, crushed with a mortar and pestle
5 pink peppercorns, crushed with a mortar and pestle (up to 6)
1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and flattened with the flat side of a large knife
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
2 sachets of organic whole leaf black tea, preferably assam
2 ounces espresso (i used stumptown roasters hairbender), for the dirty toddy
2 ounces knob creek, or other good quality bourbon, for the dirty toddy

Directions

Combine half and half, water, spices and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add black tea sachets and steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea sachets, strain out spices and split chai between two pre-warmed teacups. Add one ounce of espresso and one ounce of bourbon to each teacup. Sit back and enjoy.