Shortbread Petticoat Tails - Masters by Adagio Teas Giveaway

Classic Shortbread Petticoat Tails pair soooo beautifully with tea that I chose to include the recipe in this post along with my Masters by Adagio Teas review and giveaway. 

With just four always-on-hand ingredients, it is an easy recipe to make, elegant in its simplicity. It follows the traditional formula: 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, 3 parts flour (by weight). The measures given, for those who prefer to measure, are just tidier approximations of the weights.

It was such a pleasure to kick off the month of September trying five new single-origin black teas from Masters by Adagio Teas. Such teas, with the focus on quality and terroir, are very popular with those who do Gongfu-style brewing (multiple short infusions), but I'm a dyed-in-the-wool British-style tea drinker and that's how I brewed these teas.

I brewed each of the teas in the lidded infuser mug that is part of this giveaway. I found that 1 tablespoon (3 to 4 grams) of tea leaves worked well in each case.

Though my personal preference in Darjeelings is the later harvests, the Balasun First Flush tea is quite special and so delicate as to be perhaps the perfect introduction to black tea for green tea drinkers. 

The third Masters tea I tried, Tongmu Jim Jun Mei, was my clear favorite until I tried the Jin Kong Que (Golden Peacock). My first whiff of the large, golden leaves and buds, revealed hints of cocoa along with a certain roasted toastiness, for lack of a better descriptor. The beautiful honey-colored brew was very smooth and flavorful.

I hope you'll try both the tea and the shortbread and, if you are in the US or Canada, enter the giveaway below. One very happy tea drinker (or tea gifter!) is going to win a Kawa Mug and Infuser and $75 gift certificate redeemable in the Masters by Adagio Teas online tea shop.

If you win the drawing, what kind of teas will you order? What color mug?

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Classic Shortbread Petticoat Tails

Whatever flavorings one might add, the predominant flavor of good shortbread must be butter. And I do mean butter; margarine will not do. This barely sweet treat has less than 3/4 teaspoon of sugar per biscuit (that's British English for "cookie").

(Makes 16 plus 1 round)

1 1/8 dip-and-sweep cup (5.625 ounces/159 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 stick (4 ounces/113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Put a round of baking parchment paper in the bottom of a 9-inch/23 cm removable bottom tart tin set on a baking sheet. In smallish bowl, whisk flour vigorously for a minute to "sift" it.

2 In medium mixing bowl, with hand mixer or wooden spoon, cream softened butter. Add sugar and salt. Cream together thoroughly.

3 Add flour to creamed mixture. If using electric hand mixer, mix in flour just until combined. When thoroughly combined (it will be a bit crumbly, so knead it in the bowl with one hand), scrape into parchment-lined removable bottom tart tin, press into an even layer, cover and chill for about 30 minutes.

Note: You can use the smooth bottom of a cake tin to make the dough very even, then use your fingers to push the dough into the scallops of the tart tin. 

4 With a 2- to 2.25-inch round cookie cutter, cut a circle in the very center of the dough; then cut into 16 slices. Prick all over with a skewer. Pop the dough back in the fridge for another 15 minutes while you preheat oven to 300F/150C/Gas2.

5 Bake for about 45 minutes until firm and lightly golden (not browned). Recut the slices. Leave in tin and cool completely on wire rack. Store for up to 2 weeks in airtight tin.

Masters by Adagio Teas Giveaway

Adagio Teas will send winner: a Kawa mug and infuser (choice of 4 colors) and a $75 gift certificate redeemable in the Masters by Adagio Teas online tea shop.

This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents (Sorry, international friends!) 18 years of age or older. Leave a comment below (one entry per person). Please include your email address in the body of your comment. Must enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday September 11.

Winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday September 12. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Sunday September 15, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline). 

Disclosure: Adagio Teas provided product for review purposes and for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean