Since I have been living in Vancouver, I have tasted a lot of desserts made of matcha powder. Matcha powder is finely ground green tea leafs. You will find little matcha cream cakes, matcha macarons, really yummy green tea gelato and even matcha latte.
I bought a little can of this intense green powder a while back, but haven't used it until I saw these Green Tea Shortbread Cookies in "Unforgettable Desserts" by Dede Wilson. They are really easy and fast to make, and have a nice subtle taste of green tea.
Green tea desserts can be an acquired taste, so I would recommend to start with just one tablespoon of matcha powder.
225g (2¼ cups) all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
227g (1 cup) butter, at room temperature, cut in small pieces
1-2 tablespoons matcha powder
90g (½ cup) granulated sugar
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour and salt together.
With a mixer beat the butter until creamy. Add the matcha powder and beat until incorporated. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Slowly add the flour and mix until just blended in. Use your fingers to let the dough come together.
Roll out the dough on a slightly floured work surface. Cut out cookies using a leaf shaped cookie cuter. You can use a knife to cut a vein pattern on the leaf. Put cookies on the baking sheet and refrigerate for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (170° Celsius).
Bake cookies for about 15-20 minutes, or until dry and firm to touch. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Enjoy and Guten Appetit!
