your holiday menu pt. 2

matcha linzer cookies n' breadsticks

Today’s menu is all about carbs. Cute carbs though. Carbs you can gift! Because everyone knows homemade gifts are supreme. Especially when they come in the form of breadsticks and cookies:

• matcha white chocolate ganache linzer cookies

• grissini aka breadsticks

For the linzer cookies, we’re giving them a bit of a face lift. I have no issues with a classic linzer. In fact, I respect it. It’s managed to maintain its place in cookie tins with it’s simple nature despite the hundreds of fun new cookies being created. And good for all the linzer purists out there! But I’m bored! And I think it’s the perfect cookie to make a lil fun. And these almost end up giving fruity pebbles vibes which..slay.

And as for the breadsticks, they’re so crunchy and delicious and can be rolled in literally anything. I did a variety of furikake, zaatar, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, fresh thyme and sea salt. The options are endless. And when put together with a bow they make the cutest little bouquet of edible flowers. What is literally not to love??

matcha linzers:

makes about 15 sandwiched cookies

• 1.5 sticks unsalted butter, softened

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar 

• 1 teaspoon cardamom

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste/extract

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 2/3 cup almond flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• strawberry preserves/jam for filling

• matcha ganache for filling (recipe below)

• matcha + strawberry sugar for dusting (recipe below)

matcha ganache:

• 1 cup white chocolate chips

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream

• 1.5 tsp matcha 

1. To make the matcha ganache: Bring heavy cream to a simmer in a small sauce pot. Add matcha and whisk to combine until no clumps remain. Add your white chocolate chips to a small bowl and pour the heavy cream over the chocolate. Let set for 1-2 minutes then whisk until the chocolate is fully melted. Refrigerate for 30 min or until set. Once set, give it a good “whipping” with a fork, for about 3-5 minutes. The texture will get slightly fluffier and the color will lighten.

1. To make the matcha sugar: add about 1-1.5 tsp of matcha to 1/2 cup powdered sugar. For the strawberry sugar: pulse about 1/4 cup of freeze dried strawberries and add to 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. You can adjust the quantities of matcha and strawberry powder to your taste if you want a stronger/more subtle flavor.

2. For the cookies: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cardamom and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue to beat until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the salt and all purpose + almond flour until combined. Add to the butter and mix until just incorporated. It’s a rather crumbly dough but this makes for a delightfully buttery and flaky cookie.

4. Divide the dough ball into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refirgerate for about 1 hour.

5. To form the cookies: Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit for about 5 to 10 min until soft enough to roll. Flour your work surface and your rolling pin liberally, and roll one dough out at a time until 1/8"thick. Use a scalloped cookie cutter about 2" wide to stamp out cookies. Move them to a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the dough scraps until you have about 30 cookie cutouts. Make sure to flour and move the dough frequently so it doesn’t stick to your surface. If the dough becomes too warm and sticky, place it back in the fridge for 15 min until firmed up. Use a smaller circle cutter or heart like I did to cut out the center of half the cookie rounds.

6. Chill the cookie rounds in the fridge for about 30 minutes then bake at 350F for about 10-13 minutes. As soon as the edges begin to turn lightly browned, they’re ready. Leave them to cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes or they’ll crumble in your hands. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before filling.

7. To assemble: Flip the cookies with no holes in them, upside down and spread a small dollop of ganache to half and strawberry jam to the other half. If the ganache needs to be softened, microwave in 10 second intervals, being careful not to scorch it. For the heart stamped cookies, sift half of the tops with the matcha sugar and the other half with the strawberry sugar. Top the matcha ganache cookies with the strawberry dusted tops and vice versa, pressly the cookies together lightly. And fin! The cutiest lil cookies you have ever seen!

grissini:

adapted from alison roman’s breadsticks, I prefer bread flour for these!

• 3/4 cup of warm water (100-110 F)

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 tsp active dry yeast

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 1/4 cups bread flour

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

• 1 teaspoon salt

• flaky salt, dried oregano, fresh thyme, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, sesame seed, zaatar etc for dippin

1. For the dough: Combine the yeast, honey and warm water in a bowl and let sit for 5-10 min until slightly puffed up and bloomed.

2. Add in the flour, olive oil and salt and mix with your hands or a mixer fitted with a hook attachment on medium speed, until combined. Add in the parm and continue mixing or kneading by hand until a nice elastic dough is formed. This should take about 10 min by hand or 5 minutes by stand mixer. Flip the dough out onto a work surface, no need to add any flour, and form into a ball. Grease a medium bowl with olive oil and add the dough in. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for about an hour, or until doubled in size. Make ahead: I refrigerated it overnight right after kneading and forming into a ball to split this step up. The next day, remove from the fridge and let it sit covered until room temperature.

3. Take the dough out onto a working surface (again, no flour needed) and form the ball into a rough rectangular shape with your hands. Grease your hands with olive oil to make it easier to manage. Cut widthwise into fourths, to make 4 rectangle dough blocks. If you’re making more than 4 varieties of breadsticks, cut the rectangle into that many pieces.

4. To assemble: Pour your seeds/toppings into small individual bowls and coat each rectangle block in the mixture, gently pressing each side so it sticks. Flatten the rectangles with your hands slightly, and cut vertical strips about 1/4” inch thick. Roll the strips out with your hands or lightly stretching them until you have long breadsticks. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with more of the seasoning if you like. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Bake at 375 F for about 10 minutes, turning them halfway so all sides get golden brown. Let cool and store fully wrapped in plastic wrap. I ate them within 3 days but they stayed good according to my mother for a few days after that too! Tie with bows and a sprig of rosemary or thyme and gift away!!

tag me if you try anything! I love to see it <333

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xoxo love u

katie