Ingredients

   
3g Earl Grey loose tea leaves (for tea powder)
5g Earl Grey loose tea leaves (for brewed tea)
90g hot water (just boiled)
3 large eggs (50g without shell), yolks and whites separated
85g sugar, divided into thirds
40g neutral oil
75g cake flour
3g baking powder
  Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

Steps

  1. Grind 3g tea leaves to a fine powder in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Set aside.

  2. Brew strong tea: pour 90g hot water over 5g tea leaves in a fine sieve. Let cool, remove leaves, and measure out 60g brewed tea.

  3. Separate egg yolks and whites. Refrigerate or freeze the whites in a stand mixer bowl for 15 minutes until cold.

  4. Preheat oven to 340°F. Prepare an ungreased 17cm aluminum chiffon cake pan with removable base.

  5. Beat egg yolks with one-third of the sugar until creamy and pale yellow. Add oil and brewed tea, whisk to combine. Mix in the ground tea powder.

  6. Sift flour and baking powder together. Sift into the batter in three additions, whisking after each until just combined. No lumps, no overmixing.

  7. Whip cold egg whites on medium-low until bubbly and foamy. Add another third of sugar, whisk 30 seconds, then increase to high. Gradually add remaining sugar. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks (about 2 minutes).

  8. Fold one-third of the meringue into the batter and mix well. Gently fold in the rest in 2–3 additions. Scrape sides and bottom for any tea powder accumulation.

  9. Pour batter into the pan from 15–20cm high at one spot. Tap pan and run a skewer through to release air pockets.

  10. Bake on the middle rack at 340°F for 30 minutes. Test with a skewer — should come out clean.

  11. Drop pan onto counter to shock. Invert onto a bottle neck and cool completely upside down.

  12. Run an offset spatula around edges to release. Invert onto a plate, dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

Notes

  • Must use an aluminum pan with removable base. Do not grease — the cake clings for support.
  • Cake flour is required, not all-purpose. Homemade: for every 120g AP flour, remove 16g and replace with 16g cornstarch, sifted 3–4 times.
  • Store covered at room temperature 1–2 days, refrigerated 3 days, or frozen 2 weeks.
  • If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.