St. Patrick’s Day will be here in less than a week on Saturday, March 17, so I thought I would get my green recipe posted in a timely manner. Actually, only the icing is green and it is made with Japanese matcha green tea powder, but what the heck, it’s green, right? Do they have St. Patrick’s Day in Japan? Yes! St. Patrick’s Day parades are now held in nine locations across Japan. The first parade was in Tokyo in 1992 and was organized by The Irish Network Japan (INJ). There are parades and events nowadays spread across the entire month of March.
I started my hunt for matcha at Penzeys Spices, but was informed that they carry no tea. They kindly suggested I go to the nearby Japanese market, Marukai. There I found about twenty different matcha products, so I asked and was told to get the Culinary Quality matcha for my icing project. But another thing happened, which I try not to let happen, but I wandered around the store and homed right in to the dishes and utinsel area. Think Props. I went there for a little can of matcha and left with three interesting plates, two sizes of tongs and a ginger grater. Does this ever happen to you? I was laughing at myself as I walked backed to my car. Food blogger malaise. Never enough props.
These chocolate cookies look smooth and firm on the outside, but on the inside they are like chocolate cake. But not too sweet. They leave the sweetening job to the frosting. If you have ever had Green Tea Ice Cream, then you can imagine the flavor of the cream cheese filling. This was my first time cooking with matcha and I was so pleased with the result. And surprised how well the matcha flavor paired with the chocolate cookie. These would be perfect to take in your lunch box to work, or with a cup of tea in the afternoon. I stored my filled cookies in the fridge in an airtight container, but they are already going fast. Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!
Print Recipe
Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Matcha Cream Filling
Makes about 25 filled sandwich cookies
Cakes
2 cups flour
½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup salted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Matcha Filling
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 ½ tablespoon matcha
3 oz. cream cheese
3 oz. mascarpone
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.
3. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl of stand mixer on medium speed until very fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture. Then gradually beat in buttermilk until smooth, scraping down inside of bowl as needed.
5. Put batter in a piping bag with a large tip (or cut a ½-inch corner off a resealable plastic bag and spoon batter into it.) I used a 1-tablespoon ice cream scoop.
5. Form 1-tablespoon mounds of batter 2 inches apart on sheets. Bake about 8-9 minutes or until cakes spring back when poked. Transfer to rack to cool.
6. Make filling: Sift powdered sugar and macha together with your smallest gage strainer into your stand mixer bowl. Add cream cheese, butter and mascarpone, and beat with on low speed at first, then on medium until very smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Using an offset spatula or a butter knife, generously spread some filling on the flat side of a cake and top with another cake. Or use a piping bag. I used a little Ateco 27 tip to make the fluted curls. Repeat for rest of cakes.
Note: Make cakes ahead up to 3 days, stored in an airtight container between sheets of parchment at room temperature. Make filling up to 2 days ahead , chilled. Bring to room temperature before spreading. Store frosted cookies in airtight container in fridge.
Print Recipe
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I have been trying to figure out what else I could do with Matcha tea besides drink it. This is a fabulous idea! Thanks.
I am so glad to see you finally met your matcha. These look glorious and would make any Japanese leprechaun proud!
I love matcha, especially in ice cream, a combo with chocolate is amazing… and of course i have the same sickness, never enough plates, napkins, utensils etc
I’m having a cup of tea as I read this and I’m disappointed the cookies won’t come through the screen. I thought we lived in a technologically advanced country?
Kudos to you for coming up with something green! I probably won’t get the chance until the Fourth of July. Always a few months behind…
[K]
P.S. I’m bursting at the seams in chicken eggs. I have to give them away… please say you’ll take some off my hands?