Thin Mint Scones

THIN MINT SCONES

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 cup heavy whipping cream, very cold
1 sleeve thin mint cookies, chopped
1 egg [for egg wash]
2 Tblsp granulated sugar [for sprinkling on top]

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
• Using a pastry cutter or fingers (or make it really easy and use a food processor) to cut all the butter into the flour mixture.
• Add cream and cookie bits and blend quickly and be careful to not over-blend.
• Shape the dough into 8 or 9-inch round or square and cut into shapes.
• Place on parchment sheet on a cookie pan.
• Brush with wash and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown on top!

recipe derived from SisBoomBlog.com

Daring Kitchen Challenge: Cooking with Tea!

Sarah from Simply Cooked was our November Daring Cooks’ hostess and she challenged us to create something truly unique in both taste and technique! We learned how to cook using tea with recipes from Tea Cookbook by Tonia George and The New Tea Book by Sara Perry.

CHINESE TEA EGGS

6 eggs 
2 tablespoons black tea leaves, or 4 tea bags
2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
1 tablespoon coarse grain salt
toasted sesame seeds, to garnish [I didn't]

Directions:

1. In a large enough pot to avoid overcrowding, cover the eggs with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for twelve minutes.
2. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and keep the cooking water.
3. With a spoon, tap the eggs all over until they are covered with small cracks. This can also be done by tapping and rolling the eggs very gently on the counter.
4. Return the eggs to the pan and add the tea leaves or bags, Chinese five spice powder, and salt. Cover the pan.
5. Heat gently and simmer, covered, for one hour.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and let the eggs cool down in the liquid for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the eggs from the liquid. Peel one egg to check how dark it is; the others can be returned to the liquid if you wish to have the web-like pattern darker. Allow the eggs to cool fully.
8. To serve, peel and slice the eggs in halves or quarters. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

These we so freakin good. I mean, good. If they didn't take so long, I'd make them more often. But even then, totally worth it. My kids even chowed down on them! haha!