Description
Delicate earl grey shortbread cookies merge classic British teatime elegance with zesty Mediterranean citrus notes. Buttery, crumbly layers infused with bergamot complement tangy blood orange glaze, creating a sophisticated sweet treat you’ll eagerly savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups (6.75 oz/192 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp finely ground Earl Grey tea (from 1 tea bag)
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed blood orange juice
Instructions
- Cream Preparation: Whip butter and sugar into a light, ethereal mixture, achieving a pale, fluffy consistency with gentle, continuous whisking.
- Flavor Foundation: Integrate egg and vanilla extract seamlessly, then sprinkle salt to amplify the depth of flavor, creating a smooth, unified base.
- Dough Formation: Delicately fold ground Earl Grey tea leaves and flour into the mixture, stirring with minimal manipulation until a cohesive dough emerges, avoiding over-mixing.
- Pan Arrangement: Spread the dough evenly into a parchment-lined square baking pan, using floured fingers or plastic wrap to create a uniform, leveled surface.
- Baking Process: Roast in a preheated oven until the shortbread develops a matte finish and golden-kissed edges, typically requiring 25-30 minutes at the specified temperature.
- Cooling and Glazing: Allow the shortbread to cool completely on a wire rack, then craft a luminous blood orange glaze by blending powdered sugar with fresh orange juice until achieving a silky, pourable consistency.
- Finishing Touch: Drizzle the citrus glaze generously across the cooled shortbread, then slice into elegant triangular segments ready for serving.
Notes
- Steep Tea Carefully: Grind Earl Grey tea leaves finely to ensure even flavor distribution without creating bitter or chunky texture in the shortbread.
- Control Moisture Levels: Use room temperature butter and minimal liquid to maintain the delicate, crumbly shortbread consistency and prevent dense results.
- Prevent Overbaking: Watch shortbread closely during final minutes of baking; golden edges indicate perfect doneness while darker edges signal potential dryness.
- Glaze Application Technique: Allow shortbread to cool completely before adding blood orange glaze to ensure clean lines and prevent soggy texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg