Blackcurrant Tea Victoria Sponge

teas.co.uk · 40 min + 35 min bake + 90 min cool · Serves 8

You'll need

• For the blackcurrant tea milk infusion (start 15 min ahead):
• 2 Hyson Blackcurrant Infused Black Tea bags
• 60ml full fat dairy milk, warmed to 60 degrees in a small pan
• For the Victoria sponge:
• 200g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 200g self raising flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• For the blackcurrant tea soak drizzle:
• 1 Hyson Blackcurrant Infused Black Tea bag
• 50ml just boiled water
• 20g caster sugar
• For the filling and topping:
• 150g good blackcurrant jam (Bonne Maman or a local preserve with visible fruit)
• 300ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks (no sugar; the jam carries the sweetness)
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar, sifted, for dusting the top
• 50g fresh blackcurrants or blackberries, for decoration on top, optional
• Tin: 20cm round springform tin, greased and lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Make the blackcurrant tea milk first. Warm 60ml of full fat milk to about 60C (just hot to the touch, no bubbles), take it off the heat, drop in two blackcurrant tea bags, cover and infuse for 10 minutes.
2. Lift out the bags, pressing them against the pan; the milk should be a soft pink mauve and smell of blackcurrant. You will have about 50ml. Set aside to cool.
3. Heat the oven to 175C fan (195 conventional) and line a 20cm springform tin.
4. Beat the butter and sugar for about three minutes until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs a little at a time, and the vanilla.
5. Sift in the flour and baking powder, pour in the cooled blackcurrant milk, and fold gently until just combined.
6. Spoon into the tin, level the top, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the top springs back.
7. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely before splitting, or it will tear.
8. For the soak, steep a third blackcurrant bag in 50ml of just boiled water for four minutes, stir in the sugar until dissolved, and cool.
9. Split the cooled sponge into two layers. Drizzle a tablespoon of the soak over the cut face of the bottom layer, spread with blackcurrant jam, then a thick layer of whipped cream.
10. Set the top layer in place, drizzle the rest of the soak over (or leave it dry and just dust the top), and finish with sifted icing sugar and a few fresh blackcurrants if you have them.

Recipe: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/biscuits/blackcurrant tea victoria sponge/