Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies
Buttery shortbread cookies are infused with Earl Grey tea and fragrant notes of bergamot. Dress these cookies up for teatime with a pretty embossed relief pattern or use a simple slice-and-bake method. Makes (14) 4 x 2 inch or (28) 2 x 2 inch cookies
Servings: 14 cookies
Equipment
- Silicone impression mold
- pastry brush
- mixer
- Rolling Pin
- parchment paper
- baking sheets
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Earl Grey tea about 4 teabags
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 /2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
Instructions
- Measure out tea and empty into a small bowl. If using tea with larger pieces, crush the tea leaves (using a spice grinder, mortar and pestle or a plastic bag and a rolling pin) for a finer consistency, with no large or woody pieces remaining.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the Earl Grey tea and flour, whisking together to incorporate the tea throughout the flour.
- Add the salt and confectioners’ sugar. Whisk until well blended.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed. The dough will slowly form as the beater turns. When the dough is well formed it should not be sticky, and it will be thick and clump on the beater.
- Remove the dough to a piece of plastic wrap and pat into a disk. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Dust a work surface with flour. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut in half. Place a half on the dusted work surface. Dust the dough and a rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll the piece to a little greater than 1/2-inch thickness.
- Dust silicone mold with flour using a pastry brush loaded with flour and liberally flour the silicone mold. Turn the mold over and tap out excess flour.
- Lay the rolled dough over the silicone mat and press the dough into the cavities with your fingers. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough flat to about 1/4 inch. Flip the mold over onto a parchment sheet and gently peel the mold away from the dough revealing embossed design. Cut away the excess dough from the edges and transfer the molded piece to the freezer to stiffen completely (about 10 minutes). Repeat the molding process with the remaining dough.
- Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Remove the frozen dough pieces from the freezer and cut into desired size cookies ( 2 x 2 inch pieces or 4 x 2 inch shapes ). Bake the cookies from their frozen state for about 20 minutes, or until they are very slightly puffed and have a matte surface. The cookies should be pale with the bottom edges very light golden in color.
- Let the cookies cool on the pans until they are firm enough to move, about 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Keep shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 days.
Notes
- Be sure to note that when baking molded cookies, the temperature and time is low and slow, baking from a frozen state at 300 F to help the cookie maintain their embossed design.
- Slice-and-Bake Version; Note the change in temperature and baking time for the slice-and-bake version.
- Mix the dough as directed. Roll into a log shape about 12 inches long and roll in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Slice log into 1/3 inch coins. Transfer them to parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly brown. Let cool on the baking sheets until they are firm enough to transfer to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely. Store airtight at room temperature.