Handmade Christmas gift idea: Earl Grey and Ginger Shortbread Recipe

I don't know about you but I love shortbread and it's a great handmade gift idea for Christmas. I may have mentioned a few times that I love Earl Grey tea and it was while enjoying a cup recently with a piece of shortbread I thought up the idea of combining the two! Mr Writer suggested adding the stem ginger for a Christmassy flavour. The Earl Grey flavour is subtle but you could leave it out if Earl Grey isn't for you. Enjoy!

I'm all ready for Santa!

Makes 8 pieces 

Ingredients:

150g Plain Flour

100g Butter cut into small cubes

50g Caster Sugar and a little extra for sprinkling

4 balls of Stem Ginger chopped into chunky pieces

4 Earl Grey tea bags- tea removed from tea bags

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees

1) Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the butter and sugar

2) Rub the butter into the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs

3)Stir the ginger and Earl Grey tea through the mix

4) Bring the mixture together as a dough and add to a greased 8" round tin. Press the mixture down with the back of a spoon, ensuring an even layer. Sprinkle with caster sugar and lightly score slices with a knife

5) Bake at 190 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden

6) Leave the shortbread to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then slice, remove from the tin and leave to cool completely

These biscuits look lovely as gifts wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon. Make some for yourself too, they are really moreish!