Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies by Julie Van Rosendaal
Not counting water, tea is the most popular beverage on the planet; it’s the focus of rich cultural traditions worldwide, and though most buy the leaves to steep and drink, it has huge potential as a culinary ingredient.
All true teas come from the same tea bush — Camellia sinensis — and are categorized as black, green, white or oolong depending on the processing method. Anything else — herbal teas and roiboos, for example — are technically not teas at all but tisanes that are steeped and drunk in the same manner.
These basic teas are then used as canvases; often scented, flavoured or blended with other ingredients — Earl Grey is created by adding oil of bergamot to black tea leaves, and jasmine is scented by layering dried tea on screens between screens of jasmine flowers to infuse the tea with its scent. Non-tea ingredients like citrus, dried fruit, flower petals and spices are frequently added to tea leaves, and “chai” blends typically contain cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, though chai translates to tea. Some tea leaves are altered during processing; lapsang souchong, for example, is smoke-dried over pinewood fire, giving it distinctive campfire smokiness.
Both the loose leaves and steeped tea have potential in the kitchen — cooled tea is acidic, making it a great base for marinades (try strong black teas such as Earl Grey, Darjeeling and smoky lapsang souchong for beef and pork, light herbals, green teas and citrus blends for chicken and seafood), in place of water when cooking rice (try citrus blends, Jasmine, lemongrass) or oatmeal (try chamomile, chai blends, soursap), or along with or in place of stock as a soup base — tea is a brilliant vegetarian or vegan option. Tea makes tasty hot and cold cocktails, and if you like to plump up raisins and other dry fruit before you add it to your baking, you can use tea instead of hot water or booze.
Dry loose tea leaves can be added to shortbread, cookie or scone dough, or used to infuse cream you intend to whip and dollop over pie (imagine a strawberry-rhubarb pie with Earl Grey-infused cream) or turn into ice cream, panna cotta, crème brulée, even rice pudding. But though you can start with dry leaves in baked goods, adding them as you might add a dry spice, waking them up in a ramekin with a splash of boiling water will soften the leaves and help them release their flavour before you add them to a recipe.
Julie shares four recipes using a variety of teas. Check out the other three here: Black Tea Panna Cotta, Pulled Pork with Lapsang Souchong and Chai Butternut Squash Soup with Apples.
Earl Grey Shortbread
Ingredients
- 1-2 tsp loose Earl Grey Tea leaves or lavender
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Put the tea into a small bowl or ramekin and add a small splash (no more than a tablespoon) of boiling water — just enough to soften the leaves. Let stand for a few minutes, until it cools down.
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar, tea and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add the flour and salt and beat on low or stir by hand until you have a soft dough.
- Press the dough into an ungreased 8 or 9-inch round pan and poke a few times with a fork, then press down around the edges with the tines of the fork. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until pale golden. Cool for a few minutes, but slice while still warm. Makes 12 wedges.
[…] creates four recipes this month using a variety of teas. Check out the other three here: Earl Grey or Lavender Shortbread, Black Tea Panna Cotta and Chai Butternut Squash Soup with […]
[…] creates four recipes this month using a variety of teas. Check out the other three here: Earl Grey or Lavender Shortbread, Black Tea Panna Cotta and Pulled Pork with Lapsang […]
[…] shares four recipes using a variety of teas. Check out the other three here: Earl Grey or Lavender Shortbread, Pulled Pork with Lapsang Souchong and Chai Butternut Squash Soup with […]