... the last time I made these.
Actually, the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that it'd be about 2 years since I last made and ate these.
These and the originals from Amai Tea and Bake House.
Amai Tea and Bake house, as we all know closed almost 2 years ago - and that is (almost) how long it has been since I left London. 2009 seemed like it was only yesterday, when I left London for home with hopes of return that were never fulfilled. (Yes, I did go back to London last year, but it was regretfully more of a farewell visit than a return)
2009 was also the year I last visited New York and stepped into the quaint little store called Amai on 3rd Avenue and left with almost USD50 worth of goodies - cookies, cakes and the lot.
Let me just say that, the green tea brownie was worth the $$. Of the rest that I lugged back to London, only the memories of the Earl Grey and Cranberries cookies lingered in my mind. But anyway, that was a glimpse of the past.
Since the recipe for these famous cookies were made available online (in 2007), many a moons have tried it. This lot was my 2nd attempt, that was semi (ok, heavily!) modified in flavour.
I think I like mine better... LOL
Matcha (+ Kurogoma) Cookies
adapted from this recipe
Ingredients (for 1 flavour)
3/4 cup (2.25 oz) Icing sugar
5 oz Unsalted butter, cut into cubes (room temperature)
1 + 3/4 cup (8.5 oz) All-purpose flour
3 Large egg yolks
1 cup (8 oz) caster sugar (for coating)
1.5 tbsp Matcha OR 3 tbsp Roasted Ground Sesame*
1 cookie cutter (shape of your choice)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Whisk the icing sugar and green tea together in a bowl.
- Add butter and green tea/sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Mix until smooth and light in color.
- Add the flour and mix until well combined.
- Add the egg yolks and mix just until the eggs are fully incorporated and the dough comes together.
- Form the dough into a disk and chill in the refrigerator until firm (approximately 30 minutes).
- Roll the dough out to roughly 1.25cm (1/2") thickness.
- Cut the dough with a cookie cutter.
- Toss each cut cookie in a bowl of granulated sugar to coat.
- Place the sugar-coated cookie on a lined pan.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges.
*Notes
I used roasted ground black sesame purchased from a japanese supermarket.
I also used 3 tbsp as the flavour didn't quite come out with 1.5 tbsp - yep, I tasted the cookie dough.
