Guys, it’s been a big week for me. At work I’ve been training to do a show called Flash! Bang! Wallop! It’s a show where I do experiments, light things on fire, and teach about explosions. Training has been really fun, but learning it all and then gearing up to perform for children has been pretty tiring. And then this weekend, Ryan and I are off to Paris which is awesome, and exciting and keeping me busy. But possibly the biggest thing going on is Star Wars day on Monday. Yeah, May the Fourth be with you. 

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love Star Wars. I became to Star Wars dork in my mid-twenties and all because of Ryan. He had gotten a Christmas bonus from work and he decided to buy me the video game Lego Star Wars for my Wii. I was skeptical I would like it, but then I played and I was hooked. I rented all the movies and now my flat is filled with Star Wars trinkets. I have two aprons, an R2D2 spatula, Legos, and my friends even threw me a Star Wars themed bridal shower. Should I go on? I could, because obviously I’m super cool. But I won’t do that to you.

However, the truth is that as much as I love Star Wars, I’ve never made anything for May the Forth and I thought it was about time I changed that. So, I searched for ideas about what I could make and Pinterest had loads of ideas. Wookie cookies and Obi Wan canapés sounded cool but I didn’t want just a name. The idea I liked best was for green tea shortbread cookies with matcha. I liked it because I’d get that amazing green Yoda color but without food dye. I have decided it’s the grown up way to celebrate May the fourth. Generally you can make these cookies in any shape but if you’re interested in the cookie cutters they came from Williams-Sonoma. Unfortunately they no longer sell them but Amazon does and also so does Lakeland. Also you can find tutorials on Pinterest for how to make Yoda using a spider cookie cutter. 

But back to the recipe. If you’re not familiar with matcha it’s a really finely ground green tea from special tea leaves. And the leaves are de-stemmed and de-veined and so when they are ground it becomes an extra fine powder.

Matcha can be a little bit hard to find, and also sort of expensive. I saw some prices between £16-30! I went to three different stores before I gave up and bought it on Amazon for £10. The search and the cost was worth it because matcha has a really nice flavor.  I decided to add just a bit of lemon zest to brighten it up a bit. And tea and lemon is totally a thing, so why not turn that into a shortbread cookie? Once baked, these Green Tea and Lemon shortbread cookies have a delicate yet somehow creamy, bright and distinct flavor. I brought them to work to share with my coworkers and celebrate my last day of Flash! Bang! Wallop! training and they seemed to be quite a hit. Although, everyone’s favorite bit might have been the cute Yoda shapes.

Messy level: The method is very straightforward and sort of the same thing you’d do for sugar cookies. Mix the flour, mix the butter and sugar, roll them out on the counter, bake them. However the green color makes it a wild card. Once you get green on your hand, everything else you touch will have green fingerprints. Be careful and may the force be with you. 

Adapted from Serious Eats.

Green Tea and Lemon Shortbread Cookies

 

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Prep time

1 hour 15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

1 hour 30 mins

 

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon matcha powder
• 140g/1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 egg yolks
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• zest from ½ lemon
• Pinch salt

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and matcha.
2. Add the butter to the sugar mixture. Using a hand mixer, stand mixer, or your arm and a spoon beat in the butter until all smooth and very green.
3. Add the egg yolks to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until smooth.
4. In a different medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt and lemon zest.
5. Slowly add the flour to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix the flour in bit by bit until you have a smooth dough. You may need to get in their with your hands or a spoon so you can get any dry bits incorporated into the sticky dough.
6. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 1 hour or up to overnight.
7. When you're ready to bake preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
8. Lightly flour your work surface. Then roll out the dough until it is about ¼" thick. Use your favorite cookie cutters to make the shape.
9. Put the shapes about ½-1" apart. Bake in the oven until just lightly brown on the edges, about 10-15 minutes.

3.3.3070

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On Sunday it’s Easter. But later in the day Mad Men returns with the final episodes of the series. Woot woot! I’m excited to see where the show will go with these final episodes. I can easily see it ending simply with Don Draper sitting in a chair smoking (like in the opening credits) or I can see it going down totally dramatically with big reveals, deaths, and jail. Who knows! Anyway, today’s recipe celebrates the drama, the style, and the boozing of this wonderful show with a twist on Don Draper’s favorite cocktail, the Old Fashioned. 

I think Don Draper is an incredible character. He is charismatic, mysterious, and suave. He’s sexy, smart, and he does whatever the hell he wants. But at the same time, he is such a jerk. He’s sometimes selfish, a drunk, a cheater, and he’s tormented by his past. With all of those traits put together, I’m mesmerized by him. I like him, I hate him, I root for him, and I just can’t stop watching him. I need to know what happens next.

However, before getting to the recipe, I have to say Mad Men is not all about Don. The show is full of memorable moments and the cast has some incredible characters – and the women especially are the best. Betty, while not always likable, is one of my fashion favorites. I love her fit and flare dresses and pearl earrings. I aspire to her style. I especially love that she dressed like a sweet, ladylike housewife when in reality she can be cold and ruthless. Peggy’s transformation over the course of the show has been amazing. She starts off all bright eyed with her bouncy ponytail and now she owns a building, has clawed her way up the corporate ladder, and she doesn’t let anything stand in her way. But my favorite bad ass is Joan. She has curves for days, clear opinions on everything, and doesn’t stand for people’s nonsense. All of them smart and awesome in their own way. I want to be a little bit like all of them and I can’t wait to see what happens to them in the final episodes.

Photo from the Gloss

Anyway, you can’t talk about Mad Men without talking about cocktails. There has been all kinds of noteworthy drinks throughout Mad Men, but Don Draper’s favorite cocktail is an Old Fashioned. This is where liquor aficionados are going to disagree with me, but here’s what I know about an Old Fashioned: it has bourbon or whiskey, bitters, a bit of sugar, an orange slice, a maraschino cherry, and a lemon peel or slice. I decided to take those flavors and turn them into a boozy dark chocolate Old Fashioned Cocktail truffle. For me, this is the perfect way to channel my inner Don Draper while enjoying the show.

In preparing this recipe, I did some research about the differences between bourbon and whiskey – and then which one would most be used in an Old Fashioned, and then on top of that what brand would Don Draper drink. I came up with no conclusive results. I found out Don Draper’s favorite whiskey is Canadian Club – but that it’s not necessarily in an Old Fashioned. I found people saying to use Jim Beam, Jack Daniel’s, and Maker’s Mark – but then I also found people arguing against each of these liquors. So I asked myself, what would Don Draper do? The answer: whatever he wanted. So I like Jack Daniel’s (because Ryan and I once went to the distillery), so I bought Jack Daniel’s. I’m sorry if that makes you gasp with horror. When you make these, use the type of whiskey or bourbon that you like best.

Fair warning, these truffles are fruitier than an Old Fashioned would be. They taste largely of dark chocolate and orange, with just a hint of cherry flavor, and a finishing kick from the liquor. I used minimal lemon zest in the actual recipe. I just sprinkled a bit in the mix and then put some on my fingers before I rolled the chocolate into balls. This gave it a little bit of a lemony hint without being too much lemon. If you like more lemon then substitute it for some of the orange zest. Like regular cocktails, you can alter this a bit to suit your taste.

So, on Sunday, comb your hair back, put on your 1960’s best, and enjoy the final episodes of Mad Men with this chocolaty treat.

Messy level: Surprisingly messy recipe. Mostly this is easy and straightforward, but when you make the chocolate balls, the chocolate melts in your hand and you will be absolutely covered. There are worse problems than having chocolate covered hands, but it does make it hard to turn on the sink when you want to wash up.

Old Fashioned Cocktail Truffles

 

Print

Prep time

8 hours 30 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

8 hours 45 mins

 

A boozy dark chocolate truffle inspired by the Old Fashioned Cocktail

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 4oz/100g dark chocolate, broken into small chunks
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• ¼ cup/50 g butter, cut into cubes
• 2 teaspoons cherry juice (I used juice from the maraschino cherry jar)
• ½ teaspoon orange zest
• sprinkle lemon zest
• 2-3 tablespoons bourbon or whiskey of your choice
• cocoa powder

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer.
2. Place the chocolate and heavy cream into a heat proof bowl. Pop the bowl on top of the pan with simmering water. Make sure the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl.
3. Heat the chocolate until melted. Mix until everything is smooth and melted.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and add in the butter. Stir until it is smooth, shiny, and the butter is melted.
5. Now whisk in the orange zest, cherry juice, liquor and lemon zest. Don't worry about a ton of lemon zest, just grate the lemon a few times over the bowl. Whisk until everything is combined.
6. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a food storage container with a lid. Pop that into the fridge and chill overnight.
7. Once chilled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Remove the chocolate from the fridge. Using a teaspoon, scoop out bits of chocolate. Use your hands to roll the chocolate into balls. (If you want more lemon flavor, zest some more lemons and rub your hands in it before rolling the chocolate. The lemon oils will get on your hands then onto the chocolate)
9. Place the chocolate balls on the lined baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
10. Sift a bit of cocoa powder into a bowl. Sifting is important to remove big clumps. Roll the chocolate balls into the cocoa.
11. Serve on a plate with napkins in front of the television. Eat - but not too much or you'll be tipsy

3.2.2925

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I bet you have some idea of the ridiculous picture I have in my head. Imagine: a restaurant, dressing up a little bit, a fascinator hat, pinky in the air, and a three-tier tray with tiny sandwiches and sweets. I know it’s not really going to be like that and my little fantasy is probably closer to a stereotype than anything else. Regardless, I still want to go to tea and Ryan and I have been collecting a few suggestions for where to go.

Until that day though, I’d like to pretend that these cookies would be  one of the sweets served at tea time. They are simple looking and dainty in size. The cookies have a subtle citrus flavor while also feeling a bit like a decadent treat. Sounds like a nice tea-time pairing to me.

I was also drawn to this recipe because I love desserts that use citrus. My usual go-to are lemon desserts, but I wanted to expand my horizons and using grapefruit felt exciting and unusual. Grapefruit is nice because it has a little bit of lemon’s tartness while also being a bit sweeter. Eat these cookies however you like, but I’ll eat them while pretending I’m at tea with Ryan in London.

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Ingredients

Cookie:

zest of 1 grapefruit,  plus 1/4 cup of juice

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 egg yolks

Filling:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 tbsp honey

3 tbsp grapefruit juice

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In a small bowl, combine the zest and 1 tbsp of sugar.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, and salt.

4. Using the paddle attachment on an electric mixer, beat the butter and remaining sugar on medium-high for 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

4. Add egg yolks and beat until combined. The dough will turn a gorgeous yellow. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

5. Mix in the sugar-zest mixture.

6. Add flour mix in two batches, alternating with the juice. Mix until combined.

7.  Collect dough into a disk shape and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

8. Flour your work surface and roll out the disk of dough to about 1/8″ thick. Using a 2″ round to cut out circles. Place cookies on parchment paper lined baking sheet about 1″ apart. These cookies don’t spread much as they bake so they can be pretty close together.

9. Bake until the edges start to turn golden. For me, this took 10 minutes. Martha Stewart recommends 18-20 minutes. So, set your timer and check them regularly.

10. Let cool completely before adding filling.

11. For the filling, using an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy – about 4 minutes. Then add the honey. Once the honey is incorporated, add the juice 1 tbsp at a time. Mix until creamy.

12. Spread filling onto the flat side of one cookie. Put another cookie on top of the filling with the flat side down. Store cookies in the fridge because butter cream will melt!

Messy level: I’m giving this two spoons. Anything with flour is inherently messy for me, but this recipe isn’t too different from sugar cookie type recipes. The grapefruit is actually the messiest part. During the zesting it releases a lot of oils and that makes things a little sticky. Also my juicer is too small for a grapefruit so I got a lot of juice on the counter. If you have a better juicer, you should be fine.

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The reason it’s perfect is because of the balance of tart and sweet. I think it mirrors the opposite ways people feel about this holiday. Some people are very anti-Valentine’s Day and some people love all the decorations, chocolates, and flowers. I’m lucky that Ryan is so accommodating because I both dislike and want to celebrate Valentine’s Day, all at the same time. Yes, I think going out to a fancy dinner is an important thing for couples to do, but why do I have to go out when it’s going to be crowded with an over priced prix fixe menu? So he took me out last week to a place I really really wanted to go, even though it was in Bethesda. And he buys me flowers because even though I don’t want fancy plans, I want pretty red roses that make me feel girly. So, I want it both ways and that’s why citrus squares are perfect.

This dessert isn’t heart shaped, but it is a little pink. It’s sweet, but it’s not chocolate. And it’s tart enough to fly in the face of a traditional Valentine’s Day. Use two forks to make it a romantic treat.

This recipe is adapted from Sweetly Serendipity. You want 1 cup total of citrus juice. You might not get exactly 1/2 cup from 3 blood oranges, or 1/4 cup from one lime, but use a combination of lemons, limes, and oranges and you’ll get enough a juice.

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling:

6 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar (you can add up to 1 cup more if you like it really sweet)
3-4 blood oranges (zest from 3 oranges, and squeeze 1/2 cup of juice)
1 lemon (zest and 1/4 cup of juice)
1-2 lime (zest from 1 lime and 1/4 cup of juice)
1 cup all-purpose flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.

2. Start with the crust. Using the paddle attachment on an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. I like to do it for about 2 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt. Then slowly add the flour mixture to the butter. Combine until just mixed.

4. Flour your hands and gather the dough into a rough ball. Place in the center of a 9×13″ baking pan. Use your hands to press the dough into the bottom of the hand. Keep flouring your hands as the dough begins to stick to you.

5. Put in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes. Use these 20 minutes to zest and juice your oranges, lemon, and limes. You’ll end up with tri-color zest and some gorgeous dark pink juice.

6. Bake the crust for 15-20 minuets, until it is very lightly browned. Take out and let cool for 5 minutes before adding the filling.

7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, zest, juice, and flour. Whisk until it is fully combined.

8. Pour the filling over the crust. Bake for 30 minutes until the filling is set. My oven runs hot so the filling was set in 25 minutes.

9. Let cool to room temperature and then sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Messy level: The messiest part of this recipe is preparing the zest and the juice. I had zest, juice, and seeds everywhere. Part of the reason was that I didn’t give myself enough space to work and I knocked something over, which then hit my little juice, which then spilled everywhere. But it’s also dirty because my hands were covered in sticky juice and the fruit oils. My hands also turned orange from working with so much citrus. The good part though, was the whole apartment ended up smelling like fruit.

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