Aloha from Maui! We finally got enough of Seattle’s rainy winter and escape to a sunny paradise. Since the baby will come next year (have you read my big news yet?!), we decided to splurge once and have a sunny Baby Moon👼🌙 Okay now you know where I am, I’m gonna make this post short and sweet. Let’s get directly to our star today – Matcha Christmas Wreath Shortbread Cookie.
I have made these many years ago as a Christmas gift to my friend. She absolutely loved them. Shortbread is actually my favorite kind of cookie. Unlike most cookies (American cookies at least), shortbread is not too sweet. I love its buttery taste and crumbly texture. The base of these Match Christmas Wreath Shortbread is my go-to recipe for any kinds of shaped shortbread.
Piping cookie dough can sound scary, but what you really are doing here is just piping a circle. I used a smaller drop flower tip (like Wilton 224) this time. Wilton tip 2D will be an even easier choice. Some of you might worry about the shape will disappear after baking. Wanna know my secret for easy piping and never disappeared shaped shortbread?
Matcha Christmas Wreath Shortbread Cookie
Yield: About 40 small cookies
Author: HerBakingLab
Materials:
For Shortbread:
1. 100g (7 tbsp) Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
2. 50g (1/2 cup) icing sugar
3. 25g (2 tbsp) heavy cream
4. 1/8 tsp table salt
5. 20g (3.5 tbsp) almond flour
6. 115g (1cup) pastry/cake flour
7. 4g (2 tsp) matcha powder
For Royal Icing (or you can melt some white chocolate):
1. 1 egg white
2. 150g (1 1/2 cup) icing sugar
For Decoration:
1. Dried cranberry
2. Chopped pistachio
PROCEDURE:
To make the shortbread:
1. Combine all the dry ingredients together and sift at least once. In a standing mixer or in a medium bowl with hand mixer, add half of the icing sugar to butter. Beat for 30 seconds in low speed and add the other half of icing sugar. Beat in high speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is fluffy and lighter. Beat in the heavy cream in three times. Scrape the bowl after each addition.
2. Beat in the dry ingredients until just combine (about 30 seconds). Don’t over beat the mixture. Using a spatula to scrape the bowl and mix any left dry spot into the mixture.
3. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Put the mixture into a piping bag with a drop flower shaped tip and start to pipe cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. You should be able to fit everything into one baking sheet, but if you feel nervous piping them tightly together, by all means use two baking sheets.
4. Freeze the piped dough for 10 minutes. This step will keep cookie’s shape. Bake for 15 minutes. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
To assemble:
1. Using your favorite royal icing recipe or melt some white chocolate. Dip the cooled shortbread in royal icing/melted white chocolate and decorate with dried cranberry and chopped pistachio.
OBSERVATIONS & Notes:
1. Make sure your butter is soft and beat till fluffy. Or your shortbread dough might be hard to pipe.
2. Depending on what brand of matcha powder you’re using, 4g might be a little too subtle or too bitter. Adjust accordingly.
3. Freeze the dough + using icing sugar should ensure to remain the cookie’s shape. So don’t worry too much about piping cookie dough. Believe me, you will get it once you start to pipe.
4. The shortbread itself is not very sweet. The main source for sweetness comes from the icing on top. If you’re used to American cookies, use melted white chocolate instead of royal icing. It’s sweeter.
