Honey Jasmine Wafers Recipe

Honey Jasmine Wafers
From Culinary Tea: More than 150 Recipes Steeped in Tradition from around the World
by Cynthia Gold and Lisë Stern

Makes approximately 8 dozen wafers

Ingredients
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (60mL) crème fraîche or sour cream
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60mL) honey
1 egg yolk
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoon coarsely ground Jasmine tea leaves
1¼ cup(160g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon fine salt

Method
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream the butter until light, about 1 minute. Add the crème fraîche and beat on medium-high until thoroughly combined. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high and blend, about 1 minute. Beat in the honey and egg yolk and mix until mixture is light and fluffy about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, jasmine tea and salt and mix to combine. Add the flour and mix until just combined. The dough should be stiff and not too sticky.

Place an 18 inch (46cm) length piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper on the working surface. Scoop ¹/₃ of the dough onto the wrap and create a log shape, approximately 1¼ inches (3.5cm) in diameter and about 10 -11 inches (25 - 28cm) long.

Wrap the log completely and make sure it is even. Repeat to create 3 logs. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or freeze for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC /Gas 4), and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove logs from freezer one at a time. Unwrap and roll log against a work surface to even it and make edges smooth and round. If desired, sprinkle edges with coarse sugar and roll slightly so that sugar crystals adhere to the sides of the roll.
Slice into rounds ¼ inch (6mm) thick. Place in rows on baking sheet about 1 inch (2.5cm) apart.

Cook 8-10 minutes, or until edges are pale gold and cookies are firm, the undersides should be golden. Remove from oven and let stand on the pan for two minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Store in air-tight container. Optimum freshness for 2 days at room temperature, or in the freezer.