toasted sesame & matcha ice cream cookie sandwiches

 

ice cream sandwiches are a staple treat over the summer months & using homemade cookies as the base is a must! this combination of toasted sesame & matcha is so unique, think bakery level status. it pairs perfectly with the simplicity of the creamy vanilla ice cream. justin couldn't get enough!

the chewy sugar cookie base features aiya's culinary grade matcha. my go to matcha for baking. i also want to note that i used toasted sesame oil instead of regular sesame oil because it adds a way stronger flavour to the final cookie. a little goes a long way!

lastly, these cookies can be both pre-baked, frozen & assembled as you serve OR preassembled so they are ready to go anytime the craving strikes. a little trick i like to do is to portion the ice cream into individual scoops & freeze them on a baking sheet. this will keep the ice cream frozen for longer as you assemble, trust me on this one!

ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 2 teaspoons aiya’s culinary grade matcha
  • 1 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • black & white sesame seeds, for sprinkling

directions

  • preheat oven to 350(f)degrees. line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar & matcha until fluffy.
  • add the sesame oil, vanilla & egg. beat until combined.
  • sift in the flour, baking soda & salt. beat until dough comes together.
  • using a small ice cream scoop for evenly sized cookies, scoop the mixture into 16 rounds. transfer 8 cookies to each prepared baking sheet & sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  • bake until the edges begin to turn golden, about 10 minutes. let cool completely before filling with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

sheep (oatmeal cookie) cupcakes

 

ok, but how adorable are these sheep cupcakes for easter? ok maybe more like baby lambs! i was originally going to go with a classic carrot cake for the base base, but then the idea of an oatmeal cookie cupcake popped into my head. after a quick google search i realized there are no recipes for oatmeal cookie cupcakes. why would such a thing no exist?! i used chocolate chips (obviously) because chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are way better than raisin oatmeal cookies. however, if you are one of those people who love raisins, that works as a mix in too.

the cake base is a simple one bowl batter featuring a mix of bob's red mill all purpose flour & old-fashioned rolled oats. do NOT use any other type of oats in this recipe, old-fashioned is a must! to decorate you can get as simple or as detailed as you like with the buttercream. i used white fondant so the base was smooth enough to draw the eyes on using an edible ink marker, but if you aren't into fondant you can frost the base smooth with buttercream & use candy eyes. either way they will be adorable!

happy easter baking! xo

ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted & cooled
  • 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups bob's red mill old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 cups bob's red mill all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 2 cups vanilla buttercream frosting, to decorate
  • 1 lbs white fondant, to decorate
  • pink sprinkles, to decorate
  • edible black marker, to decorate

directions:

  • preheat oven to 325(f) degrees. line two 12-tin cupcake trays with parchment wrappers.
  • in a large mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, butter, oil, eggs & vanilla until well combined.
  • add the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. stir together as you gradually add the milk.
  • continue mixing until batter comes together, about 30 seconds. fold in the chocolate chips (or raisins).
  • using a large ice cream scoop evenly divide the batter amongst the prepared cupcake trays. bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops bounce back to touch. let cool completely before decorating.
  • when ready to decorate roll out the fondant to a 1/4-inch thickness. using a biscuit cutter, cut into 24 rounds. using the scrap pieces cut out 48 small trinagles for the ears.
  • lightly frost each cupcake (this will act as the glue for the fondant) & place the fondant cut outs on top. press down to smooth & flatten.
  • using the edible marker draw on the eyes. transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip & pipe the edges with dollops of buttercream. finish each sheep with 2 fondant ears & a pink sprinkle for the nose.

matcha lemon tart

 

something about the start of spring just screams fresh citrus & this twist on a lemon meringue pie (my childhood favourite) is the perfect treat to kick off the arrival of a new season! it features a sweet tart shell base (almost shortbread like) with a matcha infused lemon filling. the filling is baked in the oven instead of on the stovetop, making for a very simple dessert to whip up.

the recipe uses aiya’s culinary grade matcha, which can easily be found online (check below for a promo code) or at a variety of super markets (whole foods, sprouts & publix). it is my favourite matcha to bake with as it keeps its strong & bold tea flavour even when mixed with other ingredients.

now this tart can easily be made into one large 9-inch tart, two smaller 6-inch tarts or two dozen mini tarts (hello store bought tart shells)! a wonderful treat to drop off to friends & family this upcoming easter. cheers to sunny days ahead & ALL the spring baking!

xo

ingredients

for the tart shell

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold & cubed
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 large egg yolk (reserve the white)

for the filling

  • 2 teaspoons aiya’s culinary grade matcha
  • 2 teaspoons hot water
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks (reserve the whites)
  • 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

for the meringue

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions

for the tart shell

  • using a food processor add the flour, salt, sugar & butter. pulse until a pea sized crumb mixture is formed.
  • add the heavy cream & egg yolk. pulse until dough comes together. turn out onto a lightly floured surface & shape into a disk. wrap in plastic & refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.
  • on a lightly floured surface roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. transfer to a 2-inch deep 9-inch tart shell. shape & trim edges.
  • preheat oven to 350(f) degrees. line tart shell with parchment paper & fill with pie beads or dried beans. bake for 15 minutes, until golden before adding the filling. prepare the filling as the crust bakes.

for the filling

  • in small mixing bowl stir together the matcha & water until the matcha is fully dissolved.
  • transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl followed by the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, cream, lemon juice, lemon zest & salt. whisk until well combined.
  • strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer & transfer to the partially baked tart shell. bake at 325(f) degrees until the edges have set & the center has a slight jiggle, about 30 to 35 minutes.
  • let cool to room temperature before refrigerating until fully set, about 4 to 6 hours.

for the meringue

  • in a clean glass mixing bowl whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. gradually add the sugar followed by the vanilla extract. continue whisking until stiff peaks are formed.
  • transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip & pipe dollops of the meringue on the chilled tart. using a kitchen torch brown the meringue.
  • dust with additional matcha powder if desired & serve!