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Around 3pm each and every day I find myself wanting a cup of tea and “something”. Sadly in my “freelance office” and most offices, the tea trolley is absent meaning we are left wildly hoping someone will bring us a cuppa. But that itself brings risk: dishwasher tea that is insipid and grey in colour; builder’s tea that is more sugar than tea; the insipid fruit tea that is usually a supermarket giveaway and the worst – the repeat offender. Some people boast that they can make ten cups of tea from one bag - you'll find them hanging out the used ones to dry - and it's people like these who are responsible for the lack of afternoon productivity.

When faced with a life sans tea lady, I suggest you hoard some of these in your bag. The chocolate takes on the flavour of the tea beautifully. Best of all, you’ll be assured a tea and “something” fix in one, and any you are willing to giveaway will ensure steadfast office compatriots. It’s a win win.

You can store left over dough in the fridge for two days before using. Biscuits best eaten on the day of baking.

Lady Grey and Choc Chip Biscuits

Makes 25

Ingredients

110g unsalted butter, room temperature

120g light brown sugar

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp loose-leaf Lady Grey or Earl Grey tea

280g plain flour

pinch salt

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

200g chocolate and white chocolate chips

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Cream the butter and sugars together for 3 minutes or until pale and thick. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla. Add the tea leaves, stirring gently to combine. Sift in the flour, salt and bicarbonate soda. Add the chocolate chips and stir to incorporate. When the dough comes together, spoon dessertspoonfuls of mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, leaving 5-8cm between them.

Bake in batches for 10 – 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.