Green Tea Recipes

The week that I didn’t publish the Hysham Echo (July 8th issue) I drove two Japanese ladies to Yellowstone and Glacier Park. We then came back to Forsyth and I barbecued T-bone steaks for them and they taught me how to make “Green Tea Cake.” It was outstanding so I thought I would share the recipe with you along with other things you can make with Green Tea Powder (Matcha). They brought me quite a supply from Japan but I see that you can find it on the Internet as well as in an Asian market or you can put green tea leaves in a coffee grinder and make your own powder. The sweet beans found in the first recipe can also be found on the Internet or you can make your own (Recipe also on Internet)
The first recipe is the one that Tomoko Sato and I made. She interpreted it from a recipe written in Japanese. I copied it exactly as she wrote it.

Green Tea Cake
260 g butter
4 egg
200 g sugar
240 g flour
1 t. baking powder
2 T. powdered green tea
300 g (canned) sweet beans
 1. Blend flour, baking powder and powdered green tea. And sift.
2. Mix butter fully.
3. (Add) Half of sugar mix twice.
4. Dropping in dissolve eggs.
5. Mix small beans and flour. (paste)
6. Paste in (buttered) mold.
7. Bake the paste (345 F. 35 minute)

Green Tea Shortbread Leaves
I made this recipe a few weeks ago. They have a mild green tea flavor and go well with a cup of tea.
Chinese green tea, which is sold as a powder, gives buttery shortbread a mild, somewhat exotic flavor, as well as a delicate tint. If using Japanese green tea, grind it first in a spice grinder.
2 cups all-purpose flour - plus more for rolling
2 tablespoons Chinese green-tea powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar - or granulated sugar
1. Sift flour, tea powder, and salt into a small bowl; set aside. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar; continue to beat until very light in color and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add flour mixture; combine on low, scraping sides of bowl with a spatula if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed with fingers.
2. Place a piece of parchment on a clean surface; dust with flour. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness; chill in refrigerator or freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Cut chilled dough with 2-inch leaf cutters. Using a wide spatula, transfer to baking sheets. Chill until firm. Gather scraps together, re-roll, chill, and cut shapes. Bake until firm and barely starting to color, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool completely on wire rack; store in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 weeks.

Chocolate & Matcha
Green Tea Cakes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
8 tablespoons butter, melted (1 stick)
3 large eggs
3 ounces 70% cocoa chocolate, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa, sifted and diluted with
2 tablespoons cold whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons matcha green tea powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
Melt the butter and keep.
Melt the chocolate using a double-boiler.
Beat the eggs with the sugar until white in color.
Add the melted the butter and mix well.
Add the sifted flour and baking powder, with a pinch of salt.
Divide the batter in two halves. In the first half, add the Matcha tea, in the second the chocolate and cocoa diluted in milk.
Grease 6 small molds and coat with flour. Remove the excess.
In equal proportions, pour in each the chocolate, then the Matcha tea preparation. Run a fork in the batter to describe a movement. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 min, temperature 350 degrees F.

Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons matcha
* 1/2 sheet pan / 350 degree oven
1. Prepare “1/2 sheet pan” by rubbing with butter, covering with parchment, rubbing with more butter, and dusting with flour.
2. Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.
3. Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs/egg yolks one at a time, beat for 30 seconds between each.
5. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add to batter and mix to combine.
6. Mix matcha in with the milk. Add to the batter and mix until combine.
7. Pour into prepared 1/2 sheet pan and smooth flat.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Matcha Cupcakes
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
2 cups self-rising flour, sifted
180 ml cold green tea
1 1/2 tablespoons matcha green tea powder
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; add eggs until well-incorporated. alternate folding in the flour and adding the cold tea into the mixture. stir until smooth, adding enough powdered matcha to reach a jade-coloured batter, or whatever shade you prefer. be careful adding more than a few tablespoonfuls as it can get quite bitter the darker you go.
Fill paper-lined muffin tins and bake in a 350 degrees F preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Cool completely before frosting.
Matcha Buttercream Frosting
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons half and half or light cream
1 tablespoon matcha powder
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1. Mix matcha in with the light cream to make a paste.
2. Beat butter briefly, scrape bowl.
3. Add the sifted powdered sugar and matcha paste. Beat until smooth.
Assemble
Smooth a thin layer of buttercream over the cupcakes and top with a decoration.

‘Healthy’ Matcha Creme Icing
1/2 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon agar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
6 ounces extra-firm silken tofu
1/3 cup Splenda sugar substitute
1 tablespoon matcha green tea powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
Cook 1/3 of soy milk and all of the agar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, continue to cook until agar is completely dissolved.
Whisk cornstarch into remaining soy milk.
Pour cornstarch mixture into agar mixture, cook until it resembles a thick pudding.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Blend tofu with matcha, splenda and salt.
Mix both mixtures together.
Add vanilla and blend again.
Chill for about an hour. Print this post