In a small pot, gently heat the coconut oil until melted. Add the earl grey tea — loose leaf works best, but if you only have teabags, simply tear them open and pour the tea directly into the oil. Turn the heat off. Let it infuse while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Grate the zest of one lemon and one orange. Add both to the sugar and rub together with your fingertips until the sugar turns a pale orange colour and smells fragrant.
Squeeze the juice of the orange and add it to the bowl with the sugar. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Finally, strain the infused coconut oil through a sieve directly into the bowl, discarding the tea. The oil should be cool to the touch by now — you want it liquid, but not hot.
Mix everything together by hand, just until combined. The dough will look crumbly and greasy — that is completely normal and exactly right. Don't worry if it doesn't hold together perfectly.
Tip the dough onto a sheet of cling film and shape it into a log, pressing it together firmly like a sandcastle. Roll it up tightly in the cling film and twist the ends to seal.
Place the log in the fridge for at least 15 minutes — or overnight if you'd like to bake them another day. Both work perfectly.
When ready to bake, slice the log into rounds and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes, or until just lightly golden at the edges.
Once the cookies are completely cooled, prepare the chocolate coating. Melt the chocolate with a little coconut oil in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between. Be careful not to overheat it!
Dip one half of each shortbread into the melted chocolate and place back onto the baking paper until the chocolate sets completely.
