Makes roughly 1 cup  |  Prep Time 10 minutes

Easy to make and full of flavour, this tea makes a fantastic afternoon brew best enjoyed with something home-baked and in good company. It also makes a wonderful present. Mix up a batch or two now and come Christmas they will be full-bodied and ready for gifting.

Recipes, photos & styling Emma Boyd

INGREDIENTS

• 1 vanilla pod
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 15 cardamom pods
• 1½ tsp black peppercorns
• 15 cloves
• 125 g loose leaf black tea (English Breakfast)

METHOD

Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla pod into two lengthways then finely slice both halves. Break the cinnamon sticks up into little pieces and put into a bowl. Split open the cardamom pods with the heel of a large knife and remove the seeds from the pods. Put into a mortar and bash a few times to break up a little. Put these in the bowl with the cinnamon. Put the black peppercorns in the mortar and as with the cardamom pods, bash a few times to break them up. Put these into the bowl along with the cloves and the tea and mix well to combine. Spoon into a clean, dry jar and seal. Leave for at least a month before using, this allows for the flavours to develop. The longer you leave the tea the more the flavour will intensify.