As promised in my last post, another rye recipe...I have actually made that marbled rye bread twice since posting it, it is so good!
I've been eating marbled rye bread sandwiches for lunch every day and I haven't had enough of it yet! I made something a little sweeter this time though - rye shortbread biscuits flavoured with masala chai. If you haven't heard of masala chai before, it literally translates as mixed spice tea, and it is exactly that - black tea brewed with a blend of spices.
The exact blend of spices used varies quite a lot so I went for a mixture of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and star anise, you can adapt the mixture depending on what spices you have/like; it is also common to use black pepper so add a pinch of that if you fancy as well.
I also added some ground black tea leaves to my shortbread, this is entirely optional but seeing as chai means tea I figured there should be some in there!
The shortbread itself is very quick and simple to make, I used the basic 3-2-1 ratio (three parts flour, two parts butter, one part sugar), replacing some of the flour with rye; the texture is crisp, buttery and melt in the mouth, and the spices are perfectly balanced - warm and flavourful but not in your face.
It only takes a few minutes to make the dough, and the biscuits only take ten minutes or so to bake, but I do recommend freezing them before baking, this helps to stop them spreading and keeps them crisp, they only take about 15 minutes to freeze, although you can leave them in there until you are ready to bake if you want to make the dough in advance.
If you have been inspired to give masala chai a try, you should also check out these awesome Masala Chai Macarons by Patisserie Makes Perfect and if you want to try making your own masala chai tea here is a recipe.
For more biscuity goodness (to enjoy with your tea), these Nutella and Hazelnut Palmiers are super simple to make but look amazing; you can't beat a selection of home-made Classic British Biscuits; or for a slightly more indulgent treat, Salted Caramel and Wild Hazelnut Chocolate Shortbread - yum!
Masala Chai Spiced Rye Shortbread
Ingredients
- 100 g (¾ cup + 1 slightly rounded tbsp) plain flour
- 80 g (⅔ cup) rye flour
- 120 g (½ cup) vegan block butter cold and cubed
- 60 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground star anise
- the contents of 1 English breakfast tea bag
- demarera sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Combine the flours in a large bowl and add the butter, rub in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, spices and tea then bring the dough together, kneading very lightly until the dough is smooth, don't overwork it. You can also use a food processor if you prefer.
- Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper or silicone liners. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface or between a couple of sheets of clingfilm to roughly 5mm thick. Cut out your desired shapes, re-roll any trimmings and cut out more biscuits. If the dough becomes too soft, wrap it in clingfilm and pop it in the fridge to chill for a bit.
- Place your biscuits slightly spaced apart on the baking sheets, sprinkle with demarera sugar, then place the trays in the freezer for 15 minutes or so while you heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
- Bake the biscuits for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
I am sharing these with Fabulous Foodie Fridays, Fiesta Friday hosted by The Not So Creative Cook and Foodbod, Foodie Fridiy, Foodie Friends Friday, Friday Favourites and Friday Features.
S Bufton
Lemon juice and Bicarbonate of soda are great natural cleaning aids.
Anne Bostwick
Reward yourself with a spiced shortbread biscuit or two when you've taken of your marigolds.
Emily K (@EmilyK1983)
This shortbread looks so good! My kitchen hack is to grease measuring spoons and cups with a little oil before measuring sticky ingredients - makes it easier to get the full amount measured correctly!
Sarah-Jane Laycock
Keep at it and the workload doesn't become overpowering. Swill those cups and plates and pop them straight into the dishwasher. Put food away that isn't being used and reach for those versatile wipes ensuring that your surfaces are hygienic and crystal clean!
Rob Griffiths
Wash up as you go along cooking
claire nutman
My tip would be to make homemade curry pastes instead of jar bought, tomato puree base then add spices, add milk to puree, ta da, delicious and cheap, can freeze portions for future quick use.
Abbie Smith
When cleaning the kitchen use an old toothbrush to clean the nooks and crannies
PS. these look amazing!
Rich Tyler
Supermarket brands are nearly always a good for cleaning
Paula Readings
Loved your facebook page, the cakes look delicious. My handy cooking hint is don't be afraid to try to mix things up.
isis1981uk
Put newspaper on top of your kitchen cabinets so it's easy to clean - just replace the old dusty sheets with new clean ones every 6 months or so.
Louise A
Before I start cooking/baking etc I always have a washing bowl of hot soapy water ready so I can put dirty bits and pieces in (that don't go in the dishwasher) when I have finished with them. I find there is always a few spare minutes (e.g. waiting for veg to cook etc) when I can quickly wash up a few bits which means I don't have a massive amount of washing up to do at the end.
Lyla
No tips that haven't already been mentioned x
sarah birkett
all the ones I have are already here, but I have collected some good new ones so thankyou everyone
Kristy Leanne Brown
My only tip - don't let my hubby near a kitchen!
spudley101
My tip: keep your kitchen knives sharp. It's amazing the difference a good sharp knife can make, and it's easy not to notice when they start going blunt.
Doreen Mccarthy
I use washing powder to scrub stubborn stains off pans, the top of the cooker etc, its a really good abrasive
Kim M
Wash up as you go along when baking
CharlotteYoung (@YCharlotte88)
Always have kitchen roll on hand!
Vic
Wash up as you go. It will make your life easier in the long run
jemma beynon
Use glass cleaner to clean the gloss doors so they sparkle