Creative Black Tea Infusions

Recipes That Get Right to the Scoop

In celebration of my aunt’s life as an inspiring hobbyist baker and chef, this butter cookie recipe is one of she gifted me years ago. This dough is easy to work with, and the cookies are crisp and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

You can use any glaze or icing that your prefer, but this particular icing is infused with Poetic Tea’s rose scented black tea called Rispetto. These cookies pair exceptionally well with a piping hot cup of Rispetto as well.

Ingredients

To make approximately 48 cookies, you will need:

(Alternatively, freeze or refrigerate half of dough for another baking day.)

For the dough:

• 2 sticks of softened butter

• 1 cup of super fine sugar (or granulated sugar processed in food processor for 30 seconds)

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 large egg

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 2 1/2 cups of flour

For the ganache:

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips or baking chocolate

For the glaze/icing:

• 1 Tbsp “Rispetto” (a rose-scented black tea from Poetic Tea Company)

• 1/4 c. boiling water

• 2 cups of confectioners/powdered sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• Culinary-grade rose petals (optional)

Want to Try Rispetto?

The Process

Here’s the scoop:

Brew Your Tea

• Pour 1/4 cup of boiling water over 1 Tbsp tea leaves and steep while you make your dough (additionally, brew another teaspoon of leaves in one cup of boiling water for you to enjoy while you bake).

Make Your Dough

• Whip butter, sugar and salt until creamy;

• Add egg yolk and beat well;

• Beat in vanilla and remaining egg;

• Add flour and beat until all ingredients have been incorporated;

• Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic or place in airtight container, and refrigerate at least one hour.

Make Glaze/Icing

• Strain tea over powdered sugar and stir until there are no lumps;

• Add vanilla, stir well, and refrigerate.

Roll and Bake Cookies

• Preheat oven to 375°;

• Roll out chilled dough to 1/8” on parchment paper and cut out shapes (this can be done directly on cookie sheet);

• Pull up dough around shapes and repeat;

• Bake cookies for 7-10 minutes (this varies depending on size, quantity, altitude and variable oven temps - just keep a close eye on them);

• Remove from oven when the outside of cookies begin to turn golden colored.

Make Ganache

• Place cream and chocolate in microwave-safe bowl and heat in 15 second increments, removing to stir well each time;

• Repeat until ganache is smooth and slowly drips from spoon (2-4 increments will likely do the trick).

The Finishing Touches

• Dip side of cooled cookies in ganache and set on parchment paper to set (if ganache is too thin, let chocolate set in the fridge for a few minutes; if it’s too thick, add more cream one teaspoon at a time to get desired consistency);

• Remove icing from fridge, stir, and add drops of water (or tea) until smooth and consistency of icing drizzles from spoon;

• Drizzle icing over cookie;

• Top with culinary-grade rose petals and let set in the fridge until it’s time to serve;

• Enjoy with a piping hot cup of Rispetto (a rose-scented black tea from Poetic Tea Company).

Pro Tip:

Store half of your dough in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to several months for a future baking day.