Tas(tea) Treats
Yeah, we know, you're all still stuck on our Cold Brew-nies. But, despite what Monica may have told you, it's probably not a great idea to eat brownies for breakfast. But never fear, beverage-infused baked goods lovers - this Biscot-Tea recipe, courtesy of our own Lauren Johnson and featuring tea from our great friends at Smith Teamakers, has got you covered!
It’s pretty obvious that for us Joyriders, there are few things better than coffee - a comforting cup of third-wave Joe in the morning, an ice cold glass of cold brew in the afternoon, and maybe even some specialty decaf before the workday ends. But what about those other times - the sleepy moments before bed, when you’re feeling a bit sniffly or simply zoning out? So for those times when coffee just doesn’t suit the mood (as infrequently as that may be), we have tea.
Not that tea has ever gone out of style - it’s been around since 2737 BC - but tea trends in the U.S. have been diligently climbing over the past 20 years. These days, around 80% of Americans stock some variety of tea in their kitchens and over 50 percent partake in a cup daily. Popularity for fringe tea varieties such as oolong, rooibos, and white tea have also skyrocketed as consumers become more familiar with the growing craft tea industry.
No longer defined as just a beverage, tea has also been making its debut in the culinary world. Inspired chefs and bakers all over the nation are experimenting with tea’s ability to highlight the floral, fruity, smoky, or herbal flavors in a dish. The options are endless with recipes like Jasmine Chicken Soup with Green Tea Soba Noodles, Rooibos Butternut Squash, and Hibiscus Tea & Poppyseed Shortbread.
Being a hopeless foodie and fascinated by the possibilities, I did my research. There seem to be a fewpopular ways to incorporate tea into your cooking:
Infuse your tea into a liquid component from your recipe. Milk, cream, oil, and melted butter are all great vehicles.
Create a powder from your tea leaves (a mortar and pestle works great) and add it to your ingredients as if it were a spice.
Brew the tea as you normally would, or even as a concentrate, and add it to your recipe as a substitute for water. This is especially great for soups, stews, braising, etc.
Don’t be afraid! Grab your favorite fancy tea and and get ready to spice up your go-to sweet or savory recipe. If you need some inspiration, give it a quick Google Search. Here’s a recipe for a twist on biscotti using my favorite flavor from Smith Tea, Meadow. Best eaten while sitting amongst the flowers.
Biscot-tea (recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
Ingredients:
10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter
3 sachets of Meadow tea
3 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
⅓ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 ½ cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
1 large egg white
Steps:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Infuse your butter: melt butter in a small saucepan. Add the tea sachets and cover.
Let the butter steep over low heat for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and discard tea bags, making sure to squeeze out any extra butter and flavor. Let butter cool slightly.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, infused butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk until thoroughly incorporated. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir gently together until well blended.
Divide the dough in half. Using floured hands if needed, shape each dough half into a log about 12 inches long and 3 inches wide.
Transfer both logs to the prepared baking sheet, leaving some room in between. Whisk egg white in a small bowl until foamy; brush over top and sides of each log.
Bake logs until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool logs completely, about 25 minutes, while maintaining oven temperature.
Using a serrated knife, cut logs on the bias into ½ inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on the same baking sheet.
Bake 12 minutes. Turn biscotti over; bake until beginning to color, about 8 minutes more. Transfer to rack and cool.
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