MAKES TWO PIPING BAGS OF BUTTERCREAM

1) First things first, pour the water, tea leaves, and 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar into a pot on the stove on medium high heat. Stir just enough to moisten all the sugar. Bring to a boil and leave alone until temperature hits around 249°F.

2) Once your pot is on the stove and set up, immediately start beating your egg whites with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Once egg whites are frothy sprinkle in your cream of tartar and the 1/3 cup sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form in your meringue.

3) Hopefully your sugar syrup and your meringue are done at the same time. At which point you turn off your mixture and strain your tea leaves out of your syrup. The. Pour 1/e cup of your syrup into the emigre and start your mixer on medium high. Pour the rest of the syrup in small steady stream while continuing to beat on medium high.

4) Continue to beat at a medium speed once your syrup is added in until your bowl has cooled down and then add in small bits of your butter at a time. Still beating at medium speed incorporate all of your butter.

5) Once the above steps are done, you now add in the raspberry tea concentrate and any food coloring you might like to add. Mix in on a low speed.

6) Scoop into a piping bag and you are done!