Talida Bakes

I’ve been enamored with this cookie since 2005. 2005 was the year I started religiously reading blogs, the same year I started exploring new recipes to hone my baking skills. This recipe has been at the top of that list for over six years, and it’s puzzling why I never chose to make it until recently. It really is the perfect cookie for me. Tea flavor? Check. Buttery shortbread? Check. Only thing it was missing was some floral component. But I could always adapt the recipe to incorporate some flowery goodness. Check.

After nearly seven years of waiting to make this cookie, it’s amazing how it didn’t disappoint. I may have learned how not to hype it up like I tend to do with movies, only to be underwhelmed, like a certain recent Mission: Impossible movie. Sigh. And this may be a shock to hear me say, but I think I like this cookie better than any of my matcha cookies! It must be the layer of flavors that moved me, kind of like a pinot noir.

Now that I’ve finally tackled this cookie recipe, I can move on to the many others on the list, which could take me another seven years. What about y’all? What recipes have you been wanting to try, but haven’t yet?

Candied Violet & Earl Grey Tea Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (8 ounce) sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 cup ground candied violet petals

Directions:
1. Whisk together flour, tea, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Put butter, sugar, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; slowly 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 log and force out air. Transfer in parchment to paper-towel tubes; freeze 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Space 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
5. Bake until edges turn golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool for 1-2 minutes, just enough to be able to handle cookies.
6. Roll slightly cooled cookies in crushed candied violet petals. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.