Use salted butter here as it cuts through the richness of the truffles. The Earl Grey can be strong and overpowering, so keep it to a minimum to begin with. Makes about 36 truffles.
1 ¼ cup heavy cream, plus extra if necessary
5 tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp cocoa powder
Line an 8 x 8 cake pan with parchment paper.
Put the cream and tea leaves in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain into a small bowl, making sure you press all the flavour from the leaves and top up to 1 cup cream if the leaves have absorbed lots of liquid.
Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until thoroughly melted, then remove from the heat. Pour the infused cream into the chocolate mixture and stir until velvety smooth. Pour into the prepared cake pan – it should be about 1 inch deep. Refrigerate about 2 hours, or until firm.
Tip out onto a cutting board and cut into 1 ¼ - inch squares. Sift over the cocoa powder. Store in the fridge and eat within 3 days.
(Recipe from Tea Cookbook by Tonia George)
Turkey and Earl Grey Honey Butter Tea Sandwiches
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Earl Grey tea, finely ground
Pinch of salt
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled and coarsely shredded
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
16 thin slices pumpernickel bread
3/4 pound sliced smoked turkey
1. In a mini food processor or in a bowl, blend the butter, honey, ground tea and salt. In a medium bowl, toss the apple with the lemon juice. Squeeze out any excess liquid and pulse or mix the apple into the honey butter.
2. Spread a scant 1/2 tablespoon of the apple butter onto each slice of pumpernickel bread. Top half of the slices with the smoked turkey and close the sandwiches. Using a sharp serrated knife, trim off the bread crusts. Cut the sandwiches into 4 triangles, transfer to a plate and serve.
Yield: 32 servings
(recipe from YahooFood)
Earl Grey Tea Cookies (Shortbread)
makes about 8 dozen
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves *
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1. Whisk flour, tea, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Put butter, sugar, and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture until just combined.
3. Divide dough in half. Transfer each half to a piece of parchment paper; shape into logs. Roll in parchment to 1 1/4 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow the log and force out air. Transfer in parchment to paper towel tubes**; freeze until firm, 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment.
5. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through,until edges are golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 5 days.
*You can grind the tea leaves in a small food processor, spice grinder, blender.
**Or just lay them carefully in your freezer on something long and flat.
