I make - Earl Grey Shortbread Biscuits

I've always wanted to bake with Earl Grey tea leaves. We've had cakes recently so I thought I would try a biscuit recipe. This shortbread recipe is based on Phil Vickery's recipe. His flour of choice is half rice and half cornstarch. I used my gluten-free flour blend instead and topped up with some Bird's custard powder (cornstarch based). The addition of Earl Grey tea leaves proves to be a great one. This shortbread is so different from my previous (very crumbly) one. It tastes very fine and elegant, buttery and citrusy, smelling very comforting. Not crumbly at all but breakable at the bite. Perfect with a cup of tea!

Earl Grey Shortbread Biscuits

150 g gluten-free flour* (your favorite blend)
50 g Bird's custard powder (or cornstarch)
80 g powder sugar
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp baking powder
A scant 1/2 tsp salt
120 g cold butter, in chunks
2-3 tsps Earl Grey tea leaves (I used F&M loose leaves)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp vodka (or cold water)

Combine flour, custard powder, powder sugar, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Mix to combine. Rub the butter chunks into flour mix until the mixture looks like wet sand. Squeeze the dough several times to encourage the dough to form.

Put in Earl Grey tea leaves, vanilla extract and vodka (or water). Mix again and bring the dough together to a ball. If the dough is still too dry, add another tablespoon of vodka (or water). Shape the dough in a log and wrap it in clingfilm. Rest in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Preheat the oven at 180C. Line a baking tray.

Slice the chilled shortbread dough in discs of 0.8cm. I got 19-20 rounds out of my dough. Place each one on the baking tray. The biscuit will spread a little so make sure there is at least 1 cm space between the biscuits. Bake at 180C for 15-18 minutes. Rotate the baking tray half way through.

*My blend is: 35% buckwheat + 35% white rice + 20% sweet rice + 10% cornstarch