Two Tones Swirl Earl Grey “Biscuits”

I’ve been debating the fact of calling them cookies or biscuits but after researching online, I think the final texture of these are closer the traditional biscuit compare to the cookies just because they are very soft and moist on the inside with a crunchy outside…  Not too sweet, just the way I like it and perfect to go with a good tea or a glass of milk.

Since my Anastasia Bread, I really started enjoy cooking with delicious teas and I think I will keep going with my experimentations.  Hope you will like these biscuits.

– INGREDIENTS –

2 cups of all purpose flour

2 teaspoons of decaff Earl Grey tea (approx 2 pouches)

2 teaspoons of hot water

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 cup of cane sugar

1/4 cup of margarine

1/4 teaspoon of Vanilla extract

1 egg

3 tablespoons of milk

2 teaspoons of cocoa powder

1- In a glass or a cup, infuse your tea in the 2 tablespoons of hot water.  Wait a minimum of 10 minutes to make sure the infusion is very strong and also to let the time for the water to cool down a bit.

2- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder, Reserve.

3- In another bowl, whisk the margarine with the sugar till you get a soft paste.  Then add the vanilla extract and the tea infusion with all the little bits of tea left at the bottom of the glass.  You want to make sure you get as much earl grey taste as possible 🙂  Mix well.

4- Add the butter/tea mixture to the flour and mix well.  I suggest you go with your hands at this point, the texture final should be a little bit like sand.  Then on the side, whisk the egg with the 3 tablespoons of milk before adding it to the flour mix.  Once again, mix well and create a big ball of dough.

5- Divide the dough in 2 balls.  Take one out and roll it down on a floured surface.  Back in your mixing bowl, add 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder to the reserved ball and mix it as well as you can in there.  It’s ok if the mixing is not perfect, as long as most of the dough changed color because that’s what will give us that nice swirl in the middle.  If you would like to have a stronger chocolate taste, add more cocoa powder.

6- Time to roll your second ball of dough on a floured surface, try to make it as identical as your first one.  When it’s done, put the chocolate dough on top of the other one and roll the two dough together to end up with a cylinder shape.  Make sure it’s rolled tight.  Now wrap it in waxed paper and put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.

7- Pre-heat your oven at 375.   Remove your biscuit dough out of the freezer and cut in small slices.  Bake for 15 minutes and let cool down on a cooling rack. Enjoy!