Buttery, light and so refreshing!
They’re perfect with a cuppa (hmm, Earl Grey maybe?) and a great go-to snack.
The flavour is very floral; the lavender pairs perfectly with the bergamot of the Earl Grey tea. I love incorporating florals into my baking and using crisp, buttery biscuits is a great way to showcase them.
You may ask ‘But won’t lavender taste like soap?’ and you’re right… if you’re too heavy handed! The key to using floral flavours in baking is to use them sparingly. The taste should be subtle and delicate yet still noticeable. This recipe calls for a few drops of lavender essence in the icing and a dusting of dried lavender to finish.
This recipe makes up to 50 biscuits and takes about an hour to make. You can infuse your butter up to a day in advance.
Ingredients:
- 2 tea bags (Earl Grey)
- 110 g unsalted butter, softened
- 125 g caster sugar
- 1 medium egg
- 275 g gluten-free plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already contains it)
- 1/4 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
For the icing:
- 150 g icing sugar
- 1-2 drops of lavender essence
- handful of dried lavender
Useful equipment: 2 baking trays, baking paper, 2 mixing bowls, spatula, sieve, cookie cutter, piping bag and nozzle (optional)
Method:
- Empty the tea leaves into a bowl and add the butter. Mix together until blended. If you have time, leave to infuse for about an hour (or overnight in the fridge).
- Preheat the oven to 175 °C fan/325 °F and line a couple of baking trays with baking paper.
- Cream the infused tea butter and sugar together.
- Add the egg, lemon and vanilla and beat to combine.
- Sieve in the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until a soft, smooth dough forms. If it is too wet, add more flour, a little at a time. You should reach the stage where it is easy to handle.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until 1 cm thick and cut out circles using a circle cookie cutter.
- Place on the lined baking paper and bake for 10-12 mins or until starting to turn golden around the edges. Cool completely on the tray before transferring to a wire rack.
- Mix together the icing sugar and lavender essence. Add 1-2 tsp of water until the desired thickness is reached. Drizzle the icing over the biscuits (I used a piping bag but it can be done easily with just a spoon!) and decorate with a sprinkling of dried lavender. Pop the kettle on and enjoy!
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