Recipe: Lemon pound cake with green tea syrup

INGREDIENTS
Syrup:
2 green tea bags
1 lemon
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar (plus extra for dredging)
2 tbsp (30 mL) Woodbridge, by Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio

Cake:
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, softened (approx.)
1 1/2 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
5 eggs
2 tbsp (30 mL) milk
1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
2 cups (500 mL) sifted cake and pastry flour
6 mint leaves
1/2 cup (125 mL) whipping cream, whipped

PREPARATION
Syrup:
1 Pour 1/2 cup (125 mL) boiling water over the tea bags. Steep for 10 minutes; remove teabags and reserve tea concentrate.
2 Use a vegetable peeler to remove long strips of zest from the lemon. Scrape off and discard any pith on each piece of peel. Slice into thin strips. Place in a small saucepan; cover with water and bring to a boil. Drain and reserve lemon zest.
3 Combine the sugar with 1 cup (250 mL) water in a saucepan; set over medium heat and whisk until sugar has dissolved. Add the reserved blanched lemon zest and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook zest for 10 minutes.
4 Use a slotted spoon to transfer zest to a plate; cool completely. Place some sugar in a colander and add the lemon zest. Shake until the lemon peel is dredged in sugar. Reserve sugar for other uses.
5 Add the green tea concentrate to the sugar syrup mixture in the saucepan; continue to boil for 10 minutes or until thickened to a syrup (final syrup will measure about 1/3 cup/75 mL). Stir in the wine. Reserve.  

Cake:
1 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°C (160°F). Butter and line a 9 x 5 inch (2 L) loaf pan with parchment paper; set aside.
2 Use an electric mixer set on high speed to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk, vanilla and salt. Use a spatula to stir in the flour just until combined (Do not over mix). Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
3 Bake for 75 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Brush 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the green tea syrup over the warm pound cake.  
4 Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Turn the cake out and set upright on a rack to cool completely.  
5 Drizzle slices of pound cake with syrup and garnish with whipped cream, candied lemon zest and a mint leaf. Makes 6 servings (with extra cake for later).

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