Ingredient preparations finished the previous day, Sunday would mark the busiest of all weekends with nonstop baking and chores.
A total of three projects would ensue at 9 AM sharp:
A total of three projects would ensue at 9 AM sharp:
- Granola
- Matcha White Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
- Tiramisu
The cookies would be produced in bulk, intentionally for the purpose of bidding farewell to all those on my floor. On the other hand, the Tiramisu was an exclusive gift for my supervisor, who had played a vital role throughout my time from the very first day. With the pâte à bombe using two egg yolks, I saw the opportunity for another batch of scale-free granola.
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Matcha White Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
The cookies were adapted from Sunday Baking's 1 Batter 4 Types Korean Famous Ugly Cookies recipe. Instead of splitting the dough for different flavours, the base would be kept consistent for one large batch of matcha cookies.
The cookies were adapted from Sunday Baking's 1 Batter 4 Types Korean Famous Ugly Cookies recipe. Instead of splitting the dough for different flavours, the base would be kept consistent for one large batch of matcha cookies.
Ingredients:
- 400 g unsalted butter
- 200 g dark brown sugar
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 g baking powder
- generous pinch of salt
- 540 g AP flour
Theoretically, the total cookie dough base should have weighed in at 350 g x 4 = 1400 g
Add-ins were scaled up 4x as follows:
Add-ins were scaled up 4x as follows:
- ̶3̶2̶ ̶g̶ → 24 g matcha powder *
- ̶1̶2̶0̶ ̶g̶ → 130 g chopped white chocolate
- ̶1̶2̶0̶ ̶g̶ → 130 g toasted hazelnuts
Yield: 50 cookies
It should be noted that:
- Four different types of matcha were used: Hokusan Niju, Momo Tea Matsu, Camelia Sinensis Uji, and Kato Matcha (in order of increasing to decreasing proportion). The decision to include four brands in one concoction had not been intentional, though I had attempted to make up the 32 g by weight by clearing out any and all leftover matcha in my pantry. Though I ultimately only succeeded in scaling up the matcha quantity 3x, the resulting product still boasted a natural green hue and acceptably grassy undertones.
- Hazelnuts were toasted at 325 F for 5 minutes, then rubbed aggressively in a paper towels to remove their skins. Less than 60% of the skins were removed, though, again, this was not apparent in the final product whatsoever.
- In hindsight, I would have increased the amount of add-ins by at least 50%, for most of the cookie is dough and a bit lacklustre in terms of chocolate and nuts with omission of the post-baking toppings.
- Sunday instructed to chill the dough for 1h before scooping. A 40-minute chill resulted in a tacky dough that could not be readily scooped. Having pressed the heavy, guacamole-like slab between two layers of parchment, I settled to portion using a dough cutter, then roll into neat spheres before baking.
Baked across four trays, the total yield was 50 cookies of roughly 2 inches in diameter. Due to the high proportion of baking powder, the cookies domed instead of spreading. Surface fissures were apparent across all batches; browning was particularly evident on the trays baked for longer. That said, the interiors did not vary vastly in moisture levels in spite of the noticeable colour change.
I found the cookies generally tasty, but lacking in chocolate and subdued in grassiness. That said, not everyone enjoys the intense complexity of matcha, thus the resulting subtlety may have actually worked in my favour for office distribution.
Textural variance was minimal, as the specimen was mostly dry and crunchy. The amount of baking powder can probably be reduced to enable a soft, pliable center in the next iteration.
Textural variance was minimal, as the specimen was mostly dry and crunchy. The amount of baking powder can probably be reduced to enable a soft, pliable center in the next iteration.
Tiramisu
Tiramisu is a creation whose authenticity is often overlooked in favour of simplicity. In reality, the traditional variation is hardly a last-minute compilation.
Tiramisu is a creation whose authenticity is often overlooked in favour of simplicity. In reality, the traditional variation is hardly a last-minute compilation.
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