An Homage to “The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane”

I just finished reading Lisa See’s new book, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane. More accurately, I just finished listening to this wonderful book. I often listen to books while I commute into work, and the narrators of this particular novel are great! Lisa See is a very talented author, and her stories transport me to other times, places and cultures. This particular novel centers around tea and the Akah ethnic minority living in the Yunnan province of China.

After finishing this novel, I was inspired to develop a  cookie using matcha (green tea) powder.

Here you go!

Matcha Shortbread Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

2 ¾ plus 2 TBS cups all purpose flour (14 ¼ oz)

2 TBS plus 1 tsp matcha powder

½ tsp salt

1 ½ cups unsalted butter (12 oz), room temperature

¾ cup sugar (5 ¼  oz)

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar (4 ¾ oz)

3 TBS lemon juice or as needed

METHOD:

Whisk together the flour, matcha powder and salt, set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar together until combined.

Add the flour mixture slowly.

Divide the dough into 2 parts. Roll each half into a log about 1 ¾  inches wide.

Wrap each log in parchment or wax paper. Chill until firm.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice about 1/3 inch thick. Place on parchment lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart.

Bake 15-18 minutes until the cookies are set and very slightly golden on the edges.

When cookies are completely cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice to make a glaze.

Drizzle on the cookies.

Yield about 4 dozen.

BAKER’s NOTE: These are very delicately flavored- for a more robust matcha flavor, use up to 3 TBS in the recipe.