Sluttishly Sweet: Earl Grey Milk Jam

With Mother's Day just around the corner, it's time to think about what we'll serve our beloved mamas for breakfast in bed on Sunday. I'm here to help with quite simply the easiest, tastiest, cheatiest and Sluttiest spread for scones, crumpets, toast, and spoons.

Milk jam is like dulce de leche or confiture de lait - milk and sugar at its most basic. But why faff when you can just buy condensed milk? Why indeed. The creative cookery door is wide open for you to experiment with your own flavours - I've listed some suggestions below - and my choice of Earl Grey adds a delicate but distinct tea taste which is both unusual and comforting.

Beware: this is very moreish indeed. You may become addicted, and if you do, I accept no responsibility.

Earl Grey Milk Jam (makes one small jar)
Preparation time: Less than 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
You will need:

• A 397g tin of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 Earl Grey teabag
• 5 tbsp boiling water

Make it!

1. Over a very low flame, and in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, gently heat the condensed milk, stirring pretty much constantly. Get it to a simmer and keep going until it's reduced to a thick, gloopy consistency. 
2. Meanwhile, steep your teabag in the boiling water - I gave mine five minutes for maximum flavour. 
3. Take the condensed milk off the heat, pour in the tea (not the bag or the leaves - just the watery bit!), and whisk for about a minute until smooth.
4. Transfer to a sterilised jar or other container, and leave to cool before placing in the fridge. It'll be ready to eat after a couple of hours, but overnight is best.

Not to be too smug, but I am in possession of a dedicated Mother's Day plate. 

Tips

• In a sealed jar, your milk jam should last in the fridge for 1-2 weeks - some people keep it longer, so use your judgement! (It'll never last that long, anyway - you'll have eaten it.)
• Experiment with flavours! Here are some suggestions to get you going...
• Coffee: brew up espresso using the same quantity of hot water above.
• Chai: exactly like this recipe, but using a chai teabag or chai concentrate. Or go with Assam, Darjeeling, perhaps even green or matcha tea.
• Add a little salt to the reduced condensed milk for a salted caramel flavour.
• Rose or lavender flavouring or syrup, or even some petals, will give you a gorgeous floral scent and taste.
• A cardamom pod, cinnamon stick, star anise, or even a lump of ginger added to the condensed milk while it's heating will make a sweetly-scented, spicy milk jam.
• BOOZE: I haven't tried this, so can't vouch for it, but why not? Whisky, rum, Baileys, coffee liqueur... the possibilities are endless. I quite fancy it with Malibu. Yes, really.

Do report back if you try another flavour!