Earl Grey Crullers with Earl Grey Glaze

EARL GREY CRULLER

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Draw six circles, evenly spaced about 2 ¾” in diameter on each using a pen or pencil - these will be your guide for piping. Flip the paper over so you can trace the outline without tracing on the ink.
2. Line a large piping bag with a french star tip - I used an ateco #829 tip.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk until just shy of a simmer. Remove from heat, add loose leaf tea, cover, and steep for 20 minutes. Strain, pressing down to remove as much liquid from the tea. Wash and dry the saucepan, and add back in 125g of the tea infused milk, topping up to make up 125g if needed.
4. Add the water, butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla bean paste. Place over medium heat, and stir until the butter has melted and the mixture has begun to boil. Remove from the heat, and add the flour all at once, mixing quickly with a wooden spoon to combine. The mixture will form a thick paste. 
5. Return to the heat, and, stirring constantly, cook the mixture for 2 minutes to help dry it out. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute to help cool down the mixture. 
6. With the mixture running on low, slowly stream in the 240g egg. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes, or until the egg is fully incorporated. Test the consistency of the batter by dipping in the beater and pulling up. If it forms a v which eventually breaks off, you are good to go. If it seems too stiff, slowly add another beaten egg and mix to incorporate. 
7. Transfer the choux pastry to the prepared piping bag. Using your traced circle as a guide, pipe circles onto the baking sheet, ending each with a little flick of your wrist. Repeat with the second tray - you should end up with 12 circles. Transfer the trays to the freezer and freeze for one hour.
8. About 20 minutes before the hour is up, fill a heavy bottomed saucepan or cast iron dutch oven with about 4 inches of oil. Heat over medium until it registers 350˚f (180˚c) on a candy thermometer. Place a cooling rack on a sheet pan.
9. Working in batches, frying two to three doughnuts at a time, peel them off the paper and carefully lower into the oil. Fry for approximately 7 minutes, turning often to ensure even cooking, until golden brown. Remove from the oil and allow to drain on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts - leave them in the freezer until you fry them.  Cool before glazing.

EARL GREY GLAZE

1. In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until just shy of a simmer. Remove from the heat, add the tea, and cover and steep for 15 minutes. Strain, pressing down hard on the tea leaves to remove as much flavour as possible. Weigh the infused cream into a small bowl, topping up to 100g. Add the powdered sugar and stir until smooth and incorporated. You want it to be quite thin for dipping.
2. Place the cooled doughnuts on a wire rack. Dunk one at a time in the glaze, allow additional glaze to drip off, and then place on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts.
3. Best eaten on the day that they are made. Store leftovers at room temperature.