There are few things that pair better with a hot drink than a stiff cookie. Biscotti isn’t the only cookie that can be served, though. We wanted a lighter tasting treat that paired perfectly with a cup of our favorite tea. For a great cookie with a buttery flavor, look no further than a fantastic madeleine cookie.
We wanted to take the idea of the madeleine and infuse it with a little extra flavor. Unlike our tea-infused creme brulee recipe, there wasn’t much liquid to steep, so we had to find another solution. The trick, it turns out, was to grind loose leaf tea leaves into a fine powder. From there, it was just a matter of combining the ingredients and baking. We made this recipe assuming you have a madeleine mold to achieve those perfect shell shapes, however if you don’t it’s okay. Pour the batter into a greased, rimmed cookie sheet and bake, then manually cut into squares. They’ll be a little crispier and won’t have as pretty of a shape, but the flavor will be there. Keep reading below for this great recipe…
Tea-Infused Madeleines
(makes about 2 dozen cookies)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons earl grey tea leaves
- 2/3 cup caster sugar
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons honey
- grated zest from 1/2 an orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 tablespoons softened butter
Directions
- In a mortar (or if you really want to cheat, a blender but it won’t come out quite as nice) grind the leaves into a fine powder. Combine with sugar and zest, and rub together with your fingers until the sugar becomes fragrant.
- In a bowl, beat together the eggs and the sugar with an electric mixer if you have one, or very vigorously whisk. Add the vanilla extract. Gradually add the honey and whisk until the mixture is pale, thickens, and doubles in volume.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking powder and beat until the mixture is smooth and evenly incorporated. Fold in the softened butter until completely incorporated, then cover with plastic wrap, pressing it against the surface to create an airtight seal. Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 460F. Line the molds (or baking sheet) with butter and a dusting of flour. Fill the molds, but not with too much batter (you shouldn’t need more than a tablespoon).
- Bake for 2 to 3 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 390F. Cook for an additional 4 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until the madeleines are golden and well rounded. Do not over-bake, or they will come out dry.
- Immediately remove from the mold and let cook on a rack. Serve warm, or store in an airtight container.
- Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Food 52