Matcha Leaf Shortbread Cookies

I saw these cookies while browsing matcha dessert recipes and knew I had to make them. These cookies have a very delicate flavor and are not too sweet. They would pair well with a cup of coffee (I know, a little ironic). I wasn't lucky enough to have a leaf-shaped cookie cutter, so I just cut them myself with a small knife. It didn't take that long, but I know having a cookie cutter would've probably saved me a lot of time. It was a fun project, nonetheless. Enjoy!



Recipe can be found at Kirbie's Cravings:

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!

A friend posted this blog on my facebook a loonngg time ago, and I bookmarked it hoping that I'd get a chance to make it someday. Well, that day finally came. A different friend of mine has this odd obsession with Domo-kun, that strange little Japanese character. Why? Who knows. I guess it's cute in its own little way. I wanted to make it for her as a little treat.

Several steps went a little south when making this cookie, but overall, it looked okay. Something weird happened with the salt content, and the cookies came out really salty. Maybe it's because I used kosher salt in the dough. Definitely won't be doing that next time. Actually, I think I would lower the salt content in the recipe by half just to be on the safe side.



So here are the instructions from the blog. The only adaption I made was to lower the salt content. You can see photos on the original blog to help you assemble the brown and red dough.

Domo TKOs

adapted from The Essence of Chocolate

Brown Dough
1 cup + 2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2/3 of 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
10 tbsp butter, cut into 3/4" cubes, room temperature

Red Dough
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 of 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
5 tbsp butter, cut into 3/4" cubes, room temperature
a few drops red food coloring

First for the brown colored dough, mix the flour, cocoa powder,sugar, baking soda, and salt together. Add the butter and incorporate it into the dry ingredients until it comes together as a dough. Gather it in a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for 10 minutes.

For the red dough, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Incorporate the butter with a spatula and then add the food coloring, mixing just until no more red streaks remain. Gather the dough and refrigerate for 10 minutes.


Take some of the brown dough and make it into a rectangular prism so that the short sides measure 1 1/4 x 3/4" and place it so the longer edge (1 1/4") is parallel with your table. Next take a red piece of dough and make a rectangular prism with 3/4 x 1/2" short sides. Center this red rectangular strip on top of your first brown one with the longer edge (3/4") touching the brown dough.

Then make two narrow rectangular prisms with the brown dough with the short sides measuring 3/4 x 1/4". Place them on both sides of the red rectangular piece of dough with the shorter edge (1/4") touching the brown base. Finally, make another brown rectangular prism with the short side measuring 3/4 x 1/4". Place that prism on top of the red prism and between the other two narrow brown prisms.

Now smooth away the lines between the dough pieces and round the corners of your large rectangular prism. I find it easier to repeat this whole process multiple times with all of the dough to ensure that the shape of the mouth doesn't get distorted by working with too much dough at once. Once finished, wrap the shaped dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate till firm, around 30 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Take the dough out from the fridge and slice it into 1/8-inch pieces, placing them onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake them for 12 minutes. Let them cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. 


I used store bought white frosting and chocolate frosting to make the eyes and mouth.

Red Velvet Cookies

It's almost Labor Day weekend and for every patriotic holiday we have, some random person goes around my neighborhood and places little American flags on every person's lawn. It's nice of them to do that. As I was looking at that flag flying in the wind, a light bulb went off in my head -- bake something "American". Little red velvet star-shaped shortbread cookies. The name is a mouthful, but the cookie is wonderful. Whoever decided that shortbread and red velvet go well together is my hero.

Using a small dollar-coin size star cutter, I made approximately 50 cookies. These little guys are great because they aren't as sweet, but have a hint of cocoa in them. And because of their small size, I don't feel as guilty eating 3 or 4. I left out the white chocolate just because I didn't have any on hand and didn't feel like going out to the market. I do think they would taste good with it though, so next time I have white chocolate, I will definitely use it! Enjoy~

Here's the recipe from Better Homes and Garden:

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, cut up
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 3 ounces white chocolate (with cocoa butter), coarsely chopped
• 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening
• Finely chopped pistachios or rainbow nonpareils (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Cover and process with on/off turns until combined. Add butter and red food coloring. Process with on/off turns until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Process until mixture just forms a ball.*

2. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough lightly until nearly smooth. Roll or pat dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Using a floured 1-1/2-inch round cutter, cut out dough. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press scraps together and reroll.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until centers are set. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.

4. In a heavy small saucepan, melt white chocolate and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate. If desired, sprinkle with pistachios or nonpareils. Let stand on waxed paper until set. Makes about 24 cookies.

*Hand-mixing method: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and food coloring until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling together (it will take a while for the dough to come together). Form mixture into a ball, kneading until smooth.

To Store: Place cookies in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.