Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Chai - Scotti #CreativeCookieExchange

Chai tea is a big thing with some of my coworkers, and definitely a favourite of most of my yoga class. On one level I can see why - the complex, layered, warming spices, dark tea and creamy milk definitely stimulate and soothe the soul all at once. However, I've never been a "milky tea" drinker, and when I have to incorporate spice in my tea it's usually a cinnamon stick with an apple herbal infusion (a la Sugar-Free "Apple Cider"), so settling in with a mug of the frothy masala-spiked brew just never appealed.

Around the holidays (when mugs of coffee and tea abounded in the school to cope with the -20C weather) I took another look at chai and broke it down to the basics of the spice blend. After I did that, I realized that while I might not like everything in a mug all at once, I did like the majority of the flavours going on. Since I was in the midst of a biscotti blitz, I figured I would make a tea version - after all, there are only so many Empire biscuits one can eat on their china plates. These crisp cookies are very lightly sweetened (since most chai tea is sweet), scented with coconut and peppered with a sprinkling of sesame seeds for some extra nuttiness. For a little extra sugar, a powdered sugar icing was whipped up with brewed chai and drizzled on, which capped off the flavours without overwhelming them with sugar. I kept them vegan by using ground chia in place of eggs - a substitution that also helped keep them just tender enough to keep from breaking your teeth when eaten as is (chia absorbs water and holds it amazingly well).

Chai-Scotti

Cookies in the afternoon at “teatime” are a long held tradition, whether served with tea, coffee or even milk for an after school snack. No matter what you serve with your cookies, we’ve got a great list for you to choose from!

You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:


Chai - Scotti
Makes ~12
2 tbsp ground chia
⅓ cup warm chai (or black) tea
2 ½ tbsp canola oil
¼ tsp liquid stevia extract
½ tbsp vanilla extract
½ tsp coconut extract
1 cup spelt flour
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp baking powder
pinch salt
½ tsp cardamom
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp nutmeg
pinch white pepper
pinch black pepper
pinch turmeric
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, plus some to sprinkle (I used a mix of white and black)

Optional:
powdered sugar + chai tea for glaze
  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper.
  2. Whisk together ground chia seed, tea, oil and extracts.
  3. Mix in the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices until well mixed.
  4. Add sesame seeds and stir to just combine.
  5. Shape the dough into a log on the baking sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  6. Bake 25 minutes, until the loaf is firm and golden brown.
  7. Reduce oven to 300ºF (convection if you have it).
  8. Using a serrated knife, slice loaf into 12 sticks.
  9. Place sticks, cut side up, on the baking sheet and return to the oven for 15 minutes more.
  10. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 95.1
Total Fat: 4.0 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 0.2 mg
Total Carbs: 12.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g
Protein: 1.7 g

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