Green Tea Cookies

My first taste of matcha, (green tea powder) and I thought a cookie would be a great intro to my palate. Describing the taste of matcha is unique, it has a rich and strong intense sweet and savory flavor unlike the tea you brew. At first the cookie tasted bitter but after nibbling it a while it gradually tasted bitter-sweet.

I love it.

One thing I notice is that, the premium unadulterated matcha has a dark green hue compared to the cheaper version that's looks slightly yellowish green. So keep a lookout on that.

240 g (2 cups) all purpose flour 

15 g (2½ Tbsp.) matcha green tea powder (1 Tbsp. matcha is 6 g) 

170 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened 

130 g (roughly 1 cup) powder sugar 

Pinch of salt 

2 large egg yolks
some slices of broken almonds

Cream butter and sugar until soft and light. Add in the yolks and beat well
Sift flour and matcha powder

Gradually add the flour and matcha green tea powder mix and blend until the dough is smooth.


Cut the dough in half and shape into 2 cylinders, about 1.5 inches (4 cm) diameter, 7" (18 cm) long.
Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours (or overnight). 

Preheat the oven to 175C degrees. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. 
Remove the dough from the plastic wrap, and with a sharp knife, slice the dough into ⅓ inches (7 mm)-thick rounds. Place them on the baking sheet, leaving about 1” (2.5 cm) between rounds.
Wet the surface slightly and  gently press some almond pieces on top.

Bake the cookies at 350F (175C) degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the edge of the cookies starts to get slightly golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; then carefully transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. If you pack the cookies in an airtight container, they will keep for at least 4 days.

You can also freeze the unbaked logs of dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 months. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before cutting and baking. Do not let the dough fully thaw.

                                         

Enjoy...jue
receipe adapted from just one cookbook