Perfect for tea

 

Ginger sugar cookies

It’s International Tea Day. A day set aside for self-declared tea addicts like me.

A major component of this love affair with tea, is the fact that tea goes oh so well with baked goods; whether it’s the bread we used to get at 4 o’clock after school, or the biscuits we would find in our parent’s offices when they had to swing by the office for some work before taking us home in the evening, or even those rare occasions we visited well to do family friends who knew how to serve a proper evening tea feast. It all brings back wonderful memories.

It has been a long time since I sat to have a cup of evening tea. Let’s face it, we don’t even use cups anymore. The addiction has gotten us to using mugs, big mugs. And rarely do we take the tea a cappella either. It has to come with an accompaniment. Preferably, a sweet, dainty, decadent treat. Also, I like my tea brewed properly, let it stew, let it brew. I am serious about this. So serious that I went all the way to Zanzibar to have a taste of proper Swahili tea. Oh, they did not disappoint! Lastly, I am a sweet tooth, with a thing for spices. A spicy sweet tooth if you will. It’s the reason I add sugar to my chevra! And take my chevra with my tea.

Because of all of these reasons, it has become increasingly rare to find me indulging in the ritual of evening tea. But look, they have set an entire day to honour my addiction, so this year I will do it proper:

·         Well brewed spicy tea. No popping a teabag in a mug full of milk and water and zapping it in the microwave!

·         Tea cups, saucers, kettle… the works. I will even use the fancy place mats and coasters.

·         A nicely baked sweet treat.

·         A guest or two to indulge with. There must be witnesses to this extravaganza!

The question now becomes, what treat to bake? A cake? Some decedent cupcakes? Or my favourite, some spicy cookies? For this occasion, I choose cookies. They keep for so much longer.

Spicy ginger cookies

Ingredients:

125gms butter or margarine                        2 cups flour

¼ cup brown sugar                                      2 teaspoons ground ginger

¼ cup sugar                                                 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg                                                            ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon baking powder                         The zest of one orange

1 teaspoon orange extract/ essence             ¼ cup black treacle

Extra sugar to coat

 

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180^oC

Line baking trays with parchment paper.

Sift flour, baking powder and spices.

Add sugars and orange zest and mix.

Cut butter to pieces and add to flour mixture. Incorporate with hands till it’s well mixed in.

Add beaten egg, treacle and orange extract.

Transfer to a flat surface and knead till a doughy ball is formed.

Section into small balls and roll them in the extra sugar.

Place on lined baking tins and flatten with a fork. Place them some centimetres apart to prevent sticking together when they rise.

Bake for 10min, or till edges turn golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool, before serving.

 

Storage:

Because these cookies have no preservatives, aim to consume them within a week, though the can last longer.

Store in an air tight container or zip lock bag. To keep longer, store them in the freezer and allow to defrost before eating.

 

Notes:

Margarine will give the cookies a slightly saltier taste than butter.

For a softer cookie, substitute the white sugar for 1/3 cup icing sugar.