CNYB Part I: Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies / 伯爵茶曲奇 / アールグレイ・紅茶クッキー

I started my Chinese New Year baking with Earl Grey Cookies this afternoon, planned to bake few types of cookies and bahulu. I am excited with the baking this year, have not done CNY baking for many years when living overseas. I was planning to bake last year but my about-to-explode tummy not allowed me to do so.

Time flies, the little one is now a junior sumo. He is now 11 month-old but his weight is equivalent to a 2 year-old boy! He was cruising around in his walker happily while I was busy with baking. I am looking forward to baking with him.

Back to Earl Grey cookies, I adapted shortbread cookies and added one bag of earl grey tea leaves. I was thinking to add few drops of green food colouring, but I am going to bake something green next so just left it as it is. Otherwise, all my cookies will be green.

Ingredients (+/-100 pcs):
250gm unsalted butter
½ cup caster sugar
2 ½ cups plain flour
½ cup rice flour
1 bag earl grey tea leaves

Directions:

1. Beat butter and sugar in a small bowl until light and fluffy.
2. Add sifted flours and mix well to form soft dough. Divide dough into halves, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 180C.
4. Take half amount of dough out from the refrigerator, roll between two sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Cut out leaf shapes using a cutter. Place leaves about 3 cm apart on baking tray lined with baking paper.
5. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.
6. Transfer cookies onto a wire rack, cool completely before storing into an airtight container..

Note: If leaf shape cutter is not available, use a large heart shape then cut with a knife to divide a heart shape into two leaf shapes. Then, use back of the knife to make impression on the surface.

• Related post:
• Earl Grey Chiffon Cake
  
  This recipe is featured in Y3K Recipes Issue No. 64 along with three other recipes,  seaweed cookie, candied/tint glass cookie, green pea cookie.