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.
Jazz
Yummy! My kitchen tip is to soak dishes overnight so they are easier to clean the next day 🙂
Megan Adams
Cut a lemon up and use it to clean the sink. Sparkling results and smells lovely too! No harsh chemicals.
Amanda A
No sorry but they look delicious! 🙂
Julie Ward
I use the microfibre cloth for bathroom, hate the job cos all males in house
Lynsey Buchanan
I always keep some wipes handy for quick cleaning
Natalie Osborne Thomason
Those biscuits sound amazing
Chris M Baker
Not cooked with Rye but must give it a try, You are an artist at work and are entitled to make a mess, just need someone else to whisk away the dirty dishes and return them ready for next time 🙂
Rebecca Nisbet
tidy as you go, causes less stress and more time to work.
helen tovell
put your favourite recipes in clear plastic sleeves that way they are wipe clean
Samantha loughlin
Viakal to clean round taps gets all scale off
hairbrain
Use Dettol spray/wipes to keep germs at bay
Bob Clark
keep your work surfaces clear - easier to work with and saves knocking things over/spills
Janet Dring
Lemon juice and white vinegar are both handy to clean things
Lillian Fisher
The Dettol wipes are very handy for a quick wipe of worktops and chopping boards.
Carole
White vinegar is great for cleaning windows
Caroline H
I'm loving this recipe. I'm actually not too bad at baking but am never happy with my "traditional" shortbread so maybe time to try something new! And for me, since my least favourite cleaning job is the oven, I always put a sheet of tinfoil on the bottom, where most of the cooking mess ends up so I just have to remove that, give a quick scrub and replace it, to speed up the task.
wizzyh
My tip is simply that it helps if you train your kids in washing up....!
Alison Johnson
Hubby is in charge in the kitchen, so he cleans it every day, just using Dettol spray on the counters & hob. No real hacks or tips - sorry!
corinne peat (@corinne555)
Keep a tidy kitchen area at all times!
Jhuls
I haven't tried masala chai before or any spiced tea or coffee. But every time I encounter recipes like this, I always find them interesting. Rye biscuits + masala chai? More interesting. This sounds so flavorful and perfect. Thanks for joing Fiesta Friday and for bringing these awesome treat. 🙂