Southern Sweet Iced Tea

Nothing is better than some southern sweet tea on a hot day (or any day for that matter)! I know how to make tea, but I thought I would just write it down in case someone wanted to know or just to jog my own memory...

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2 large Lipton "yellow-label" tea bags (black or orange Peko tea)
3/4 cups sugar
1 beverage container
2-3 cups water

Boil water on highest setting of stove. While waiting for water to boil, sugar in beverage container. Use a clothespin to secure tea bags to side of container. When water is ready, pour into beverage container (watch out for the steam!).

Stir water for 1 minute until sugar is dissolved and bob tea bags in water for additional 1 minute to release more antioxidants. Let steep for 1 hour, then remove tea bags.

Add cool water from sink until beverage fills the container and place in fridge until you're ready to drink!
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Earl Grey Macaroon Sandwiches

I love all things tea--smell, taste, sound. I recently went to a dessert expo here at Duke and had some AMAZING Earl Grey Tea Cookies with chocolate in the middle...So I decided to try to find a recipe and create my own spin on it (which, of course, is modeled after the one that I tasted at the dessert expo).

The this recipe is adapted from this website.

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Prep:

3 oz almond flour (2/3 cup) or blanched sliced almonds (3/4 cup) or slivered almonds (2/3 cup)
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa
3 large egg whites, at room temperature for 30 minutes
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Earl Grey tea (from 1 tea bag)

After cooked:
1-2 slabs of Chocolate Almond bark (melt as needed)

Grind almond flour or almonds with confectioners sugar and cocoa powder in food processor until powdery. Sift twice through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl. If it's not fine enough for almost all of nuts to go through sieve, regrind.

Beat egg whites with salt in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in granulated sugar, a little at a time. Increase speed to high and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Fold meringue into almond mixture with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. (Meringue will deflate and batter will be loose.)

Grind tea to a fine powder in grinder.

Spoon half of batter into pastry bag (or gallon-sized bag with hole in corner). Holding bag vertically just above baking sheet, pipe 1 1/2-inch-wide mounds of batter about 1 inch apart, stopping pressure and flicking tip sideways to avoid peaks (tamp down any peaks with a wet finger). Refill pastry bag and repeat. Sprinkle tops with about 1/4 tsp tea powder (reserve remainder). Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature until a light crust forms, 20 to 30 minutes.

Bake at 300 heat for 22-28 minutes until crisp and interior does not give easily when a macaroon is gently pressed. Cool completely on baking sheets on racks, about 30 minutes. Loosen macaroons from parchment with offset spatula (they will be very fragile).

After cookies have cooled, melt Almond Bark and combine it with the remaining amount of ground tea leaves. Spread a very thin layer of melted chocolate onto flat side of cookie and sandwich it between another cookie.

Layer macaroons between sheets of parchment in an airtight container and let stand at room temperature at least 2 hours to soften before eating. Makes 2 1/2 dozen macaroon sandwiches.

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I will make this recipe during the holidays, and we'll see how it goes. Pictures to come.