Blue Grey Shortbread

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SHORTBREAD:
Preheat oven to 170C
Place the (room temperature) butter into a bowl (mixer with paddle attachment) Add the icing sugar and beat at a medium speed for around 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
.Add the lemon zest and vanilla essence until combined.
Using a mortar and pestle, gently grind 1 1/2 tablespoons of Blue Grey till until the tea leaves are smaller. (It depends how large you want the tea leaves to be)
Slowly add the flour and Blue Grey tea until a smooth dough forms. Be careful not over mix- as this will make the shortbread tough.
Place in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. Remove from fridge and place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough until even and cut with a cookie cutter and place onto a baking tray.
Place in the oven and bake for around 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Let the shortbread cool for 5 minutes and place onto a cooling rack.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ORGANIC BLUE GREY BUTTERCREAM:
Using 1 heaped tablespoon of organic Blue Grey loose leaf tea, place into a teapot and pour 30ml of boiling water over the leaves. Leave to infuse for 3 minutes and strain the leaves.
In a bowl (mixer with paddle attachment) add 50g of butter and 400g of icing sugar together, then slowly add the organic earl grey tea by teaspoon depending how liquid you want the icing to be.
* So the icing holds it structure more - place the icing into the fridge for 10 minutes or so. *Optional.
Using a piping bag, pipe the icing onto one side of the shortbread and place the other shortbread on top to create a shortbread sandwich.
Sprinkle with a dusting of icing sugar, relax and enjoy with a cup of tea!

Featured Tea:

Our Blue Grey, is hand blended with organic, British, blue cornflowers, a new twist on the classic Earl Grey.