Green Tea (Matcha) Shortbread

One of my all time favorite store-bought cookies is Pepperidge Farms^® Chessmen^®. Classic shortbread deliciousness. They’re dangerous, as you really can’t stop at just one. I came across this recipe from Martha Stewart Living for Green Tea Shortbread and have been wanting to try these for months.
These turned out to also be shortbread buttery goodness, with green tea, Matcha, infusion. I thought after adding 2 tablespoons of the tea powder gold (gold because it was expensive), that it might be too much green tea flavor, but that was not the case. If anything, it might have needed more?    The dough becomes a rich, deep green, reminiscent of sculpting with Play-Doh.    The shortbread dough was easy enough to work with, just don’t skip any of the chilling steps.   I did have a challenge keeping the cut-out shapes.   After pans of testing and adjusting, I still wasn’t happy with the shape retention.    I’d love to hear your experiences and any tips you may have for that sharp cut-out shape preservation.

Update 10/18/2010: This is going to sound silly, but it came to me in a dream with regards to why the cookies didn’t retain their shapes like I would’ve liked.  The baking sheets I used for these cookies is the air-cushioned pans that has served me well for years.  However, it may be to the shortbread’s detriment because when going from the refrigerator to the oven, it would take the pan longer to heat due to the cushioned layer.    It’s just a hunch…but this also happened to me during a vanilla scone attempt.    I’m betting that’s what it was.   Good excuse to invest in a couple more cookie sheets. :)

About Matcha Tea

• ma = powder and cha = tea
• Matcha is a stone-ground form of tea where the whole leaf is consumed.
• It is rich in antioxidants and dietary fibers.
• According to research conducted by Tufts University, the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) capacity of matcha green tea is exponentially higher than other foods known for their high antioxidant levels such as blueberries and spinach.
• The Japanese tea ceremony known as Chanoyu centers around the preparation, serving and drinking of matcha tea.

Note: I am not a dietitian or nutritionist. Consult with your family doctor(s) for nutrition and dietary needs.

• Matcha Green Tea was difficult to find.    I finally found it at Teavana – 40 grams for $19.95, which to me is quite expensive. I understand that Matcha is a more expensive tea. I’ve read that it can also be found at Whole Foods, although I did not check myself.
• Even though I cut the cookies out in cute little shapes, I had a challenge with the shortbread retaining the crisp shape of the cutter.
• Don’t skip the steps of chilling the dough, it’s essential.
• The original directions baking temperature and time was 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes. I altered that time to 375 degrees for 8-9 minutes.  Like many recipes, you’ll need to test what the best temperature and baking time is for you based on the thickness and size of your cut-outs.
• I used leaf cutters found at Williams Sonoma (may be a seasonal item).   The cutters are great in that it also imprints and easy to transfer the dough to your baking pan.