Exact quantities, then the method.
This is a brush-on soaking syrup that gives a classic Victoria sponge a gentle Earl Grey character, without touching the cake recipe itself. You brew a strong concentrate of Dragonfly Organic Earl Grey Rooibos, cook it down with sugar, golden syrup and lemon zest into a glossy syrup, then paint it over the cooled sponge layers before the jam and cream go in.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the Earl Grey Soaking Syrup for Victoria Sponge recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/earl-grey/earl-grey-soaking-syrup-for-victoria-sponge/
Soaking syrups are a quiet patisserie trick: a thin layer brushed onto the crumb keeps the sponge moist and slips a flavour in from underneath. Here it leaves a soft bergamot note running through each bite, while the cake still looks like the Victoria sandwich everyone expects. The same trick works with other teas and cakes, a spiced chai syrup brushed into a carrot cake, say, or a Rooibos one over a rooibos loaf cake. It also suits a blackcurrant tea Victoria sponge.
You'll need
- 4 Dragonfly Organic Earl Grey Rooibos pyramid bags
- 200ml freshly drawn water, brought to a true rolling boil
- 50g golden caster sugar
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, grated finely
- A tiny pinch of fine sea salt
- 2 cooled 20cm Victoria sponge layers, ready to assemble (use any reliable Victoria sponge recipe)
Method
- Bring the kettle to a full rolling boil; the rooibos and bergamot both want the full 100C for the strongest concentrate.
- Put the four Earl Grey Rooibos bags in a small heatproof jug, pour over the 200ml of water, cover and steep for ten minutes for a properly strong brew.
- Lift out the bags, pressing each firmly against the side to get every drop, and discard. You should have around 180ml of dark concentrate.
- Pour the hot concentrate into a small heavy-based pan and add the sugar, golden syrup, lemon zest and the pinch of salt.
- Set over a medium heat and whisk gently for three minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is clear and lightly thickened. Take it off the heat.
- Let it rest for ten minutes until it cools to warm but is still pourable. A hot syrup can dry the sponge it touches, whereas a warm one soaks in cleanly.
- Sit the first cooled sponge layer rounded-side up and brush the syrup generously over the top in sweeping strokes, about 60ml per layer.
- Do the same with the second layer, brushing the surfaces that will face inwards. The very top of the cake gets icing sugar instead, so leave that dry.
- Rest the soaked layers for five minutes to let the syrup settle in, then assemble as usual: jam on the bottom, cream over the jam, the second layer on top, and a dusting of icing sugar.
The tea it is made with, and what to make next.
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Brewed with: Dragonfly Organic Earl Grey Rooibos, 40 Tea Bags 100g
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