Green Tea Ginger Cookies

This is the ATK Baking Illustrated sugar cookie recipe w/ added ginger and matcha green tea powder.

Ingredients:

2 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp matcha green tea powder (http://www.stashtea.com/w-111855.htm)
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 c granulated sugar, plus 1/2 c for rolling dough later
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c candied ginger pieces, chopped fine
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Directions:

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and matcha powder.
In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together. Add egg and vanilla. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients. Add candied ginger.
In a small dish, stir together fresh ginger and 1/2 c sugar.
Scoop out dough balls with an ice cream scooper and roll each one in the ginger sugar. Place on cookie sheets and press each ball with the bottom of a measuring cup to make slightly flat.
Bake for 15 mins.

Herbed Sourdough "Everything" Bread

For this recipe, you'll need a sourdough starter. My favorite is from Beth Hensperger's Bread Bible. The following recipe is also based on her recipe for Farmstead Sourdough Bread.
I made a crust inspired by everything bagels. This bread is excellent with cream cheese or boursin cheese and is great for sandwiches too. For example, smoked salmon with boursin, capers, greens, etc.

Ingredients:

¾ c warm water

1 ½ tsp active dry yeast

1 ½ tsp sugar

½ c sourdough starter*

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 ½ tsp salt

2 ½ - 3 c all purpose flour

2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

2 tbsp dried onion flakes

¼ c boiling water

1-2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp poppy seeds

2 tsp sesame seeds

Dorure (a.k.a. egg wash)

Directions:

Pour ¼ c warm water in a bowl, add yeast and 1 pinch sugar. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 5 mins.

In a medium bowl, stir together thyme, 1 ½ c flour and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together sourdough starter, remaining ½ c warm water, sugar and olive oil. Beat until well blended. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture. Add Remaining flour, ½ c at a time until dough becomes workable. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is soft and springy, adding small amounts of flour to prevent from sticking. Dough will end up slightly sticky at the end. Grease a rising container or large bowl, deposit dough and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1 – 1 ½ hours.

Gently deflate dough. Grease a loaf pan, shape dough into a rectangle and tuck edges underneath. Put dough in loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to proof for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, pour ¼ c boiling water over 2 Tbsp onion flakes and cover w/ plastic wrap, after 10 mins or until onion is soft. Pour off water.

Preheat oven to 350.

Make Dorure: beat 1 egg w/ 1 Tbsp milk.

Slash loaf 3 times. Brush on Dorure, then sprinkle loaf with onion, poppy seeds, kosher salt and sesame seeds.

Bake for 35- 40 mins or until instant read thermometer registers 180 degrees.

*Hint: to keep bread fresh for several days, wrap in tin foil and store at room temperature.

Coconut Lime Cupcakes

To make citrus cream cheese frosting, pick your favorite citrus fruit, mix with some cream cheese, butter and confectioners sugar and you are good to go. This is the yellow cupcake recipe from Baking Illustrated with added coconut.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c sour cream
1 large egg plus 2 large yolks
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3.5 oz (half a bag) of sweetened coconut, toasted lightly

Whisk dry ingredients together. In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, sour cream. Slowly add dry ingredients, mix until smooth. Add coconut.
Scoop into paper lined muffin pan.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 mins.

Frosting:

(This one I just played around with).
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
juice and grated zest from 1 lime
3-5 c confectioners sugar

Beat butter and cream cheese together. Slowly add confectioners sugar, about 3 cups. Add zest. Taste. Adjust desired sweetness and lime flavor by adding lime juice and confectioners sugar to taste.