Queenie, my cooking/baking guru, came up with this recipe for a savory shortbread cookie with maple bacon and Lapsang Souchong tea. It's the perfect afternoon snack for when you want something sweet and salty to go with a cup of tea. We made them into mini bite-size pieces and be careful, they're highly addictive.
INGREDIENTS
Maple Bacon
(Prepare this about 30 minutes ahead of time so it has time to cool.)
6 strips of bacon
3 tablespoons maple sugar
1 tablespoons Lapsang Souchong loose tea (We used Harney & Son's.)
1 whole lemon zest
Shortbread
2 cups all purpose flour
1 stick cold butter, cubed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons or more cold water, as needed
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place six slices of bacon on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake bacon for 10 minutes at 350°F.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the maple sugar (3 tablespoons), Lapsang Souchong (1 tablespoon), and 1 whole lemon zest. Mix together well.
4. After 10 minutes in the oven, take out the bacon tray and evenly, and generously cover all 6 bacon slices with the sugar/tea/lemon zest mix.
5. Put the bacon back in oven and bake for another 15 - 20 minutes at 350°F. Let cool completely.
6. In a food processor, combine flour (2 cups), salt (3/4 teaspoon), sugar (1 tablespoon), and cubed butter (1 stick).
7. When it reaches the consistency of wet sand, add the cooled down maple bacon, broken into smaller pieces. Blend until well combined.
8. Add the parmesan cheese (2 tablespoons) and pulse until combined.
9. Add cold water, a little at a time until the shortbread dough starts to combine together into a ball.
This is what it should look like.
10. Take half the dough and place on a large piece of parchment paper about 16 inches long. Form dough into a long, rectangular shape.
11. Use a straightedge to create flat and even sides as you roll the parchment paper around the dough. Tape and fold the ends.
12. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
13. Put the parchment wrapped dough in the freezer for 20 minutes.
14. After the dough has hardened, slice into 1/2 inch thick pieces with the parchment paper still on to make it easier to cut.
15. Peel off parchment paper from each sliced piece of dough and place on parchment lined baking sheet. They should be about 1 inch apart.
16. Bake at 350°F for 12 -15 minutes. Just the bottoms will have browned.
MAPLE BACON & LAPSANG SOUCHONG SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Makes about 36 cookies
INGREDIENTS
Maple Bacon
(Prepare this about 30minutes ahead of time.)
6 strips of bacon
3 tablespoons maple sugar
1 tablespoons Lapsang Souchong loose tea (I used Harney & Son's.)
1 whole lemon zest
Shortbread
2 cups all purpose flour
1 stick cold butter, cubed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons or more cold water, as needed
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place six slices of bacon on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake bacon for 10 minutes at 350°F.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the maple sugar (3 tablespoons), Lapsang Souchong (1 tablespoon), and 1 whole lemon zest. Mix together well.
4. After 10 minutes in the oven, take out the bacon tray and evenly, and generously cover all 6 bacon slices with the sugar/tea/lemon zest mix.
5. Put the bacon back in oven and bake for another 15 - 20 minutes at 350°F. Let cool completely.
6. In a food processor, combine flour (2 cups), salt (3/4 teaspoon), sugar (1 tablespoon), and cubed butter (1 stick).
7. When it reaches the consistency of wet sand, add the cooled down maple bacon, broken into smaller pieces. Blend until well combined.
8. Add the parmesan cheese (2 tablespoons) and pulse until combined.
9. Add cold water, a little at a time until the shortbread dough starts to combine together into a ball.
10. Take half the dough and place on a large piece of parchment paper about 16 inches long. Form dough into a long, rectangular shape.
11. Use a straightedge to create flat and even sides as you roll the parchment paper around the dough. Tape and fold the ends.
12. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
13. Put the parchment wrapped dough in the freezer for 20 minutes.
14. After the dough has hardened, slice into 1/2 inch thick pieces with the parchment paper still on to make it easier to cut.
15. Peel off parchment paper from each sliced piece of dough and place on parchment lined baking sheet. They should be about 1 inch apart.
16. Bake at 350°F for 12 -15 minutes. Just the bottoms will have browned.
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Tuesday, April 16, 2013 
