Birthday Lunch

Matcha Tea Shortbread Cookies

 Matcha tea is unfermented green tea leaves that are ground into a powder and is traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies. More recently matcha tea has become a common ingredient in baked goods such as icing, cakes and cookies. My cookies are made with a simple shortbread recipe with the addition of matcha tea and they are extremely addictive!

 

Ingredient:
2 cups flour 
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp matcha tea powder
1 cup unsalted room temperature butter
1/2 confectioners sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
4 tbsp chocolate  

1. Mix the flour salt and matcha tea together.
2. In a separate bowl beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar to the butter and continue to mix for 2 minutes then add the vanilla extract. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture in three parts. 
3. Wrap in plastic and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. 
5. Roll the dough out into a cylindrical shape and cut or flatten and cut using your choice of cookie cutters. 
6. Bake for 10 minutes.
7. Melt the chocolate in a double broiler and dip cookie bottoms into the chocolate, then place on a parchment paper and allow chocolate to firm up.

Walnut Tart with Apple Sauce

Crumbly pastry is spread with a layer of crushed walnuts topped with soft buttery cake crumb served with homemade apple sauce.

Recipe:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 egg yolk

bandy (optional)

Topping

3 eggs

1 cup caster sugar

1 cup self rising flour

1/2 cup melted butter

12 whole walnuts

1.  Cut the cold butter into small cubes and mix it into your flour using your hands. Add sugar, egg yoke and  a dash of brandy. Bing together and let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pastry onto a lightly floured worktop and press out into a large round with a rolling pin. Place the pastry into a 25cm tart tin with a removable base. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork. Sprinkle crushed walnuts and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool. 
3. Beat the eggs until fluffy, then add sugar 1 tbsp at a time. fold in the flour. Gently stir in the melted butter. Spoon the filling into the tart base and top with a circle of walnuts. 
4. Bake for 20 minutes. 
5. Serve with warm homemade apple sauce. 

*recipe adapted from British Country Living 

Sticky Orange Honey Biscuits

Ingredient:

1 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4 tbsp soft butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 olive oil
1/4 orange juice

Syrup:
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp orange juice

1.  Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with baking paper. 
2. Mix flour, baking powder, zest and half the walnuts in a bowl. 
3. In a separate bowl mix butter, sugar oil, orange juice. 
4. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture. 
5. Shape the dough into small balls, about 1 1/2 tbsp per ball. Place on tray and flatten slightly. 
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
7. To make syrup mix all the ingredients into a small saucepan. 
8. Bring to a boil over medium heat until sugar dissolves and then reduce heat to low. 
9. Dip the cookies into the syrup and baste them until fully covered in syrup, then place them on a plate. 

Makes 20 


Recipe adapted from Kitchen Classics: Sweet and Savory Bites

Almond Milk

A few months ago my holistic doctor suggested that I stop drinking milk and soy beverages. I very rarely had a glass of milk just on its own so I thought that cutting milk out of my diet would be easy. However, it really is true that you always want what you cannot have. To satisfy my craving for a cold glass of milk I started to buy almond milk which is a source of calcium and is incredibly delicious. Unfortunately, store bought almond milk usually contains large amounts of sugar and therefore I decided to make my own almond milk which has turned out to be surprisingly easy to make and very delicious. 

Ingredients: 
2 cups raw almonds
Cheese cloth (or a mesh bag)
soaking water
2 cups water

1. Cover the almonds in water overnight in your refrigerator (about 8 hours)
2. Drain almonds 
3. Place the cheese cloth over a large bowl
4. Place half  the almonds in a food processor with one cup of water
5. When the nuts have been fully ground, place the mixture into the cheese cloth
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the other half of the almonds and water
7. Squeeze the cheese cloth until there is no more liquid in the almond mixture
8. Reserve the ground almonds because they can be dehydrated and made into almond flour
9. Enjoy a delicious glass of pure almond milk.....yum!