Japanese Shortbread Recipes

SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with greaseproof (parchment) paper. Sift the flour and rice flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add the sugar and mix.
• Cut butter into pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture begins to bind together. Knead into soft dough.
• Roll the dough into an 8 inch round (or for exact round, mold it in an 8 inch cake pan). Place on baking sheet. Using a fork, prick top and make tine marks along edge. Using a table knife, score top with wedge marks. (This is where it will break when cooled)
• Bake 45 minutes or until pale golden in color. Sprinkle a little superfine sugar over top and cool on baking sheet. Cut into wedges. Keeps for weeks in airtight tin.

JAPANESE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• The layers will be prepared and arranged in the following order, from bottom to top:.
• Shortbread Crust.
• Jam Layer.
• Pistachio Layer.
• Chocolate Top.
• Shortbread Crust:.
• Heat oven to 350 Degrees F. Grease a 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan.
• Pulse flour and sugar in a food processor to combine. Add cold cut up butter to work bowl and process until mixture is the texture of coarse meal.
• Add egg and pulse until mixture begins to hold together. Note: the mixture should still be crumbly but evenly moistened by the egg.
• Sprinkle the moistened dough evenly in prepared pan. Gently press the dough with floured fingertips evenly along bottom and sides of prepared pan.
• Bake 20 to 22 mninutes until crust is brown at edges and golden in the center. Transfer to wire rack; cool while making filling.Jam Layer.
• Stir jam in a small bowl until smooth and spreadable; spread evenly over bottom of crust. (Note: an offset spatula is a great tool for spreading.)Pistachio Layer.
• Process almonds, sugar, pistachios and flour in food processor, scraping sides of bowl until almonds are very finely ground. This mixture should look like dry bread crumbs. (Note: Grinding nuts in a food processor with flour and sugar prevents the nuts from becoming too moist and turning into nut butter.).
• Add butter and 1 egg. Process until smooth. Add remaining 2 eggs, almond and vanilla extracts and food coloring; process to blend. This mixture should be smooth and creamy in appearance.
• Carefully spoon filling over Jam Layer and gently spread to cover.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes until filling is golden brown and firm when pressed lightly in center. Cool completely on wire rack.Chocolate Top.
• Spread melted chocolate evenly over Pistachio Layer. Refrigerate 10 minutes until chocolate is set.
• Score top of bars to guide knife as you cut 1 1/4 inch squares. Makes 8 dozen.

JAPANESE STYLE MATCHA CHEESECAKE WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• CRUST--------------------.
• Gently combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1/2 cup butter in a medium bowl.
• Spread to the edges of 9" spring form pan.
• Prick all over with a fork, then bake 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees F until lightly browned. Allow to cool on a rack.
• FILLING-----------------.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat cream cheese with milk to soften.
• Add half of the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch and lemon juice. Beat until smooth.
• Dissolve matcha powder with 2 tablespoons of boiling water and mix until very smooth, no lumps; and mix into cream cheese mixture.
• Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until foamy.
• Gradually add remaining sugar and cream of tartar into the whites, beating on high speed until soft peaks form, about 8-10 minutes.
• Gradually fold beaten egg whites into the cream cheese mixture, stirring gently.
• Pour into cake pan and smooth the surface.
• Wrap the cake pan with large aluminum foil.
• Place cake pan into a larger roasting pan and place in lower rack of oven.
• Pour enough water into the roasting pan to come half way up the side of the cake pan.
• Bake 35-40 minutes, until a pick inserted in the middle of the center comes out clean.
• TOPPING-----------------.
• Mix sour cream, sugar, and vanilla well.
• Pour on top of cheesecake and spread evenly.
• Bake at 400 for 5 minutes.
• Turn off the oven and keep in the oven for the next hour with the oven door slightly open.
• Refrigerate overnight.

MATCHA (GREEN TEA) SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, powdered tea and salt into a bowl.
• In a mixer bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.
• Add flour mixture to mixer bowl and mix slowly until dough just comes together.
• Pull dough together carefully in a log, approximately 2 inches in diameter.
• Wrap dough log and place in freezer for 30 minutes or until dough has firmed to the touch.
• Slice dough into 1/4 inch rounds and place on a parchment or Silpat lined cookie sheet, approximately 1 inch apart.
• Bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven for 16 to 18 minutes (or until the cookies are just starting to turn golden around the edges), turning the pan halfway through the baking time.
• Remove cookies immediately from the cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.
• Store in an airtight container or wrap well and freeze.
• The well-chilled cookie dough can also be rolled out and cut into desired shapes before baking.
• NOTE 1-- powdered green tea is not merely green tea that has been pulverized in a food processor or food mill, it's a special kind of tea that has been prepared to dissolve nicely.
• NOTE 2-- don't use the microwave to soften the butter, room temperature butter is the correct consistency for this recipe.