This Teacher’s Day I got my act together and decided to bake some Matcha cookies for these wonderful ladies that lovingly teach my oldest girl every day. I still have some stellar memories of Teachers who changed my own attitude towards learning, and inspired me to do more, with their praise, encouragement and sometimes criticism. A healthy amount of criticism is essential to growth (call it feedback if you like)– the point is how it is delivered and with what kind of heart.
And so dear friends who are reading this post, this is my attempt at making a matcha cookie shine brightly – the thought of buttery Matcha Cha-ness, with a slightly soft, yet crisp texture from the sugar was enough to make me want to make and then eat these cookies so badly. Actually, I ate six or was it eight cookies? Ha ha, all in one sitting (these are for her Teachers so I must try them, it was a decision fuelled by logic, but after the first one I just couldn’t stop) and then after I realised oops! It was too much Matcha at one go and it sadly made my allergies worse for the next week or so…
Thus, I also adapted yet another cookie recipe and have now a barley green version (Yipee!) that is gluten, nut and dairy free to suit others like me with food intolerances, (my self control wanes sometimes so it’s better to always have allergy friendly options) – these 2 recipes I developed have been adapted from one Matcha cookie recipe I got off the beautiful web community of FOOD52.
My point is do have a go and try one recipe or both and leave me some feedback, help me grow, be a friend/teacher just like my Teachers did a long time ago, when I was a wee little chit of a girl.
Matcha green tea powder
To Matcha or not? – Matcha is a green tea powder originated from Japan. It’s different from other teas as in you never find it in loose leaf version so it makes it pretty perfect for adding to baked goods! Health wise, Matcha is very high in antioxidants (buy the best quality you can afford btw), it can reduce inflammation, up your energy levels, boost your immunity and even burn calories! Hey isn’t that great news since it’s going to be baked into a cookie?
On the flip side, if you experience headaches, sleep problems, heartburn, tremors, diarrhoea, sinus congestion after consuming Matcha, you might be sensitive/allergic to the very high caffeine content in the leaves. So tread with caution if black tea (also high in caffeine) gives you similar feels, you bet Matcha is going to be a now-and-then, reserved for a special occasion kind of treat!
Barley Green is it barley? And is it gluten-free? – Well, for a full read on this subject this article has information in it that will be very important for those who suffer from Celiac’s disease. In summary, know your sources. Barley green powder made from 💯 barley grass is pretty much gluten free. However, sometimes contamination happens if say for example a farmer harvests grasses that have already sprouted baby seeds, then that crop won’t be 100 percent gluten free. Or the manufacturer of the barley green also processes other gluten products like wheat or other supplements that contain wheat then that powder will contain some gluten.
But can gluten truly be avoided on a daily basis if you are extremely sensitive/allergic to it? The answer is you will have to put in the checks yourself coz the US FDA in finalising its gluten free label rules has stated that “food products like barley grass can be labelled gluten free as long as the finished item contains less than 20 parts per million of gluten.”
And in this same article from verywell.com, dietician Tricia Thompson mentions that one of the few ways to determine if there is gluten in your barley grass is the test R5 ELISA. So, I hope you don’t have Celiacs (coz I’m not sure how you’re going to test every single item you eat😱😭)- if you do then Matcha/spinach/kale powder will be much better alternatives for baking into your cookie.
What are the health benefits of barley green grass? It’s been touted to be a power house nutritional grass with nine essential amino acids that can’t be produced by your body, its chlorophyll content according to Yoshihide Hagiwara – author of the book “Green Barley Essence”, can help cure skin ailments by promoting the proliferation of new cells. The Japanese also take this as a supplement to help the body heal from sickness and disease. In an informal study, observed by a Japanese dermatologist, patients with eczema and melanosis (skin darkening) that took barley grass regularly healed faster than those who did not. The prescribed daily dose isn’t mentioned, but hey it shows getting more greens that contain the key life giver chlorophyll can help with overall skin health and general well being.
Here’s how to make your cookies into a nice square:-
Make a square blob log with any straight surface.
Rotate square log each time you cut with cookie lifter.
All ready to go!
End product! (This is the Matcha Madness Butter version).
This is the green beauty cookie version (can you spot the difference?)
If you make these beauties tag them at #taystesg
Matcha Madness Butter Cookies – adapted from FOOD52
Makes about 30 square shaped cookies one inch cookies
Prep - 15 mins
Rolling and cutting - 20 mins
Baking time - 15 mins
Total time - 50 mins
Ingredients
100g Ground Almonds
50g Ground Macadamias
½ cup unsalted butter
6 tablespoons icing sugar
1 ¼ cups plain flour
4 teaspoons Matcha powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Either use pre ground almonds or just grind these together with the Macadamias in a food processor.
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla extract together on low speed with hand held or stand mixer.
In a separate bowl, sieve plain flour and Matcha powder and add it to the ground nuts.
On low speed, add this mixture in batches to the creamed butter and sugar.
Mix till everything combines to form a dough. Do not over mix, a crumbly buttery delicate dough will form.
Fridge dough for an hour before using. If cutting shapes out, use plain flour or icing sugar to flour surfaces and rolling pin.
If making square shaped cookies, do refer to the pictures.
Arrange cookies on baking sheet and bake at 145 degrees for 15 mins.
(After baking cookies, cool completely before storing and use a spatula to lift them to transfer from cookie sheet to cooling rack)
Cookies can keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
Tayste Tips
Cookie dough can be kept in the fridge for two months. Recipe can be doubled or tripled for big parties.
Green Beauty Cookies (GF, NF, DF) – Adapted from FOOD52
Makes about 30 square shaped cookies one inch cookies
Prep - 15 mins
Rolling and cutting - 20 mins
Baking time - 15 mins
Total time - 50 mins
Ingredients
50g sunflower seeds ground + plus 1.5 tablespoons sesame seeds
125g vegetable shortening
6 tablespoons icing sugar
40g oat flour
80g rice flour
2 teaspoons barley green/spinach/kale powder
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Grind raw unsalted sunflower seeds and pre-toasted sesame seeds till fine in a food processor.
Cream shortening, vanilla extract and icing sugar on low speed in a separate bowl with a hand held mixer, or in a stand mixer.
In a separate bowl, sieve oat, rice flour, green powders that you want to use and xantham gum.
Add this mixture in batches to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix on low speed till everything combines to form a dough. Do not over mix, a crumbly soft delicate dough will form.
Fridge dough for an hour before using. If cutting shapes out, use icing sugar to flour surfaces and rolling pin.
If making square shaped cookies, do refer to the pictures. (Cookies made with gluten free flours are more crumbly in texture)
Arrange cookies on baking sheet and bake at 140 degrees for 13 mins.
(After baking cookies, cool completely before storing and use a spatula to lift them to transfer from cookie sheet to cooling rack)
Cookies can keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
Tayste Tips
Cookie dough can be kept in the fridge for two months. Recipe can be doubled or tripled for big parties.