I have shared heart shaped Langue de Chat sandwich cookies over here and here earlier this year. Here's another fancy but simple way of making these crisp buttery cookies --- tie-dye!
This is my contribution to this year's Culinary Arts Ministry event at Adam Road Presbyterian Church in April.
I make use of matcha powder and cocoa powder to colour and flavour the cookies naturally. Feel free to use other colouring/flavours if you wish!
50g unsalted butter, slightly softened
Pinch of salt
45g sifted icing sugar
25g egg whites, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp soy lecithin (optional)
*Plain: 17g cake flour
*Matcha: 16g cake flour + 3/8 tsp matcha powder
*Cocoa: 15g cake flour + ¾ tsp cocoa powder
Steps:
1. Line baking tray with template and parchment paper.
If you have Teflon sheet or silicone mat, use it as the spreading of the batter will be more even than parchment paper. Preheat oven to 150-160C.
2. Beat softened butter briefly with electric mixer/ hand whisk/ spatula.
3. Add sugar and salt. Beat until well combined.
4. Add egg whites in 2-3 additions. Beat until smooth. Add soy lecithin if you wish to help with emulsification.
5. Add vanilla and mix until well combined.
6. Divide into 3 equal portions, about 40g each.
7. Add sifted cake flour + flavouring to respective portions. Fold with spatula until combined.
8. Transfer into piping bag with #7 or #8 tip.
9. Position piping tip over middle of the circle, about 4-5mm away from surface of baking tray. Pipe until the batter reaches the circumference of the innermost circle.
10. Switch to another colour of batter and place piping tip over middle of piped batter. Pipe until the first batter reaches circumference of middle circle.
11. Switch to final colour of batter and place piping tip over middle of piped batter. Pipe until the first batter reaches circumference of outermost circle or as large as you like. Repeat for all circles, switching the order of the colours as you wish. Try to stack the circles right in the middle for a neater floral/tie-dye pattern.
12. Use a skewer to pull the batter from the center of the circle to the circumference as shown in the middle cookie, fourth row from the top. Clean the skewer after each stroke.
13. Repeat step 12 but in the diagonal positions (forming an “x” instead of “+”)
14. Use skewer to pull the batter from the circumference to the center of the circle between the points in step 12 and 13 to form the flower pattern. Repeat for all piped batter.
15. Carefully remove the template. Bake for 10-11 min or until edges are browned. Reduce temperature to 110C and bake for another 5-6 min to thoroughly dry it out to be crispy.
Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Feel free to bake the cookies again at 150C for a few minutes to re-crisp it if it has softened after storage.
Enjoy!
with love,
Phay Shing
