The Ninja Baker - Japanese

Matcha Cream Filled Sugar Cookies, #Creative Cookie Exchange

NinjaBaker — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 06:46:33 +0000

Japanese artists like Hiroshige and Shotei have transformed the challenges of winter into masterful works of art. Although aesthetically pleasing, the discomfort of bitter winds and bone-chilling temps are realities for those residing in Japan. (With the exception of Okinawa and Japan’s southernmost islands.)

Whispers of Spring

So, when spring rolled around for this Ninja Baker (when living in Japan), my spirits lifted. Instead of seeing stark tree branches shivering grey, delicate pink cherry blossoms quivered. Bushes which had been bare for months, boldly pronounced the start of a new season with fuchsia and red azaleas.

Katsuura, Japan - A small town where cherry blossoms and
Girls' Day are celebrated in a big way.

Although I’ve lived in Southern California for many years, flowers, chirping birds and reminders of spring still bring a rush of gratitude. The miraculous cycles of life and the beauty that appears out of thin air leaves me in awe. And it looks like a few others are also inspired by Mother Nature.

Spring awakenings, coffee and tea are the themes of Laura of The Spiced Life’s Creative Cookie Exchange party today. (Please scroll down to see Laura’s invite to you.) Cookies filled with matcha green tea cream are my offering. I brought color to pale sugar cookies by filling the middles with green tea matcha cream.

Matcha green tea is an anti-oxidant.
Pour matcha powder into hot water, sprinkle matcha into cookies for a double green tea boost.

If you are ready to spring into a new season with a lighter step, my sugar cookies with matcha cream are designed for you. The cookie sandwiches provide a kick of sugar and caffeine.

Sugar Cookies with Matcha Green Tea Cream rest on a plate
fashioned in the form of a good luck hyotan gourd.

Instead of desiring a snooze on the couch, I do believe my cookies filled with green tea cream will keep you alert…and ready to step into the springtime outside your door. Maybe you’ll sniff fragrant flowers! Perhaps you will hug a tree! What is your favorite thing about spring? Love to hear!

Matcha Green Tea Cream Filled Sugar Cookies, #Creative Cookie Exchange

Time to celebrate! Spring is stepping into our vanilla snow covered world...(With the exception of a few tropical spots on planet Earth.) I've filled sugar cookies with green tea matcha cream and created another reason to celebrate!

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

1 package of sugar cookies mix
1 tablespoon flour
1 egg
½ cup softened butter
Colored sugar

For the matcha cream:

5 tablespoons softened butter
4 ounces ( ½ package of) cream cheese
3 tablespoons French Vanilla organic half and half
2 tablespoons matcha green tea powder
1 cup white chocolate powder (Like the cocoa sold at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf)

Directions:

For the cookies:
Follow directions for cut out cookies on the package. If there are none, add one tablespoon of flour along with the egg and butter. However, there is no need to roll out the dough. Shape into small balls and flatten with the bottom of a sugar covered glass.

Tip: The sugar will adhere better to the glass if the bottom is slightly moistened with water.

For the matcha cream:
Beat together the butter and cream cheese until well combined.

Pour in half and half and matcha.

Add white chocolate powder.

Slather on the bottoms of the cookies to make matcha cream cookie sandwiches.

A note from Laura, our Creative Cookie Exchange hostess:

The theme this month is Wake from Winter with Coffee and Tea--because unlike last month, now our Spring Fever has some basis in reality! Creative Cookie Exchange has decided to stop using the linky. What this means is that the only way to join in the fun is to become a host. Just contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links.

You can also just use us as a great resource for cookie recipes--be sure to check out our Facebook page, our Pinterest Board, and our monthly posts. You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

Vanilla Rooibos Tea Cookies from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
Matcha Green Tea Cream Filled Sugar Cookies from NinjaBaking.com
Orange Spiced Tea Cookies from A Baker's House
Chocolate Espresso White Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Mocha Viennese Swirl Cookies from Baking Yummies
Hazelnut Espresso Cookies from Basic N Delicious
Café au Lait Bars from The Spiced Life
Piped Coffee Butter Cookies from Made with Love
Chai Chocolate Chip Cookies from Noshing with the Nolands
Coffee Crisps from Magnolia Days
Matcha White Chocolate Cookies from It’s Yummi!
Jasmine Lychee Green Tea Shortbread from Food Lust People Love
Mocha Meringue Cookies from Cookie Dough & Oven Mitt
Earl Grey French Macarons with Honey Rose Water Buttercream from Sweet Cinnamon and Honey

A sweet bite of green tea and vanilla.

Wishing you possibilities which bloom into beautiful realities.

The Ninja Baker

© ™ Watkinson 2012

The Ninja Baker has guest blogged and contributed recipes to numerous food sites. These additional recipes can be found here.

Tags:

matcha green tea cream filled cookies recipe

Japanese

#Creative Cookie Exchange

Indulge Like Elvis Presley But Stay As Skinny As Elvis Costello

NinjaBaker — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 04:25:25 +0000

Yes! You can indulge like Elvis Presley but stay as skinny as Elvis Costello. Life is too full of challenges to deny dessert. The trick is finding the right recipes. Here are a few of the Ninja Baker’s discoveries while seeking the sweet stuff of life.

The Ninja Baker's Skinny Elvis Gluten-Free Chocolate, PB and Banana Cupcakes.

Here's the how-to for Skinny Elvis Gluten-Free Chocolate, PB and Banana Cupcakes:
Bake your favorite gluten-free chocolate cupcakes.
For the frosting: Whip up 4 tablespoons of organic cream cheese until fluffy.
Add 5 tablespoons of Just Great Powdered Peanut Butter, 4 tablespoons of coconut milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Mix until blended.
Garnish with a dried organic banana chip.

Containing 85% less fat than regular peanut butter,
Betty Lou's Great Stuff is also organic, gluten-free and nonGMO. (Yippee!)

For sugar free vanilla cupcakes, check out The Six Sisters' Stuff Skinny Funfetti Cupcakes. Or maybe you prefer pumpkin cupcakes which don't require another hour on the stair climber at the gym. Via Pinterest I happened upon a low calorie Weight Watchers 2 Point Pumpkin Muffins recipe which has rave reviews on the world wide web.

For fans of those famous cookies,
try The Ninja Baker's Almost Sugar Free Girl Scout Thin Mint Cupcakes.

If it's breakfast or breaktime when the Krispy Kreme craving attacks, be prepared by baking Averie's gluten-free version of Baked Orange Coconut Banana Donut. I riffed on Averie's Orange Coconut Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze. To 8 ounces of organic cream cheese, I mixed in 1 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar, ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice, 1 tablespoon meringue powder, ½ teaspoon of coconut extract and 3 droplets of orange food coloring. The result was favorable: not too sweet, not too tart. But, honestly, without the frosting, the donut is still superb. The coconut adds a wonderful texture and does not overpower the moist orangey cake.

Tasty Gluten-Free Orange Coconut Banana Donuts from Averie Cooks

The great thing about baked donuts is that they are super easy to make. And deliciousness pops out of the oven in mere minutes. Plus the cleanup is minimal because most recipes only require one big mixing bowl. Of course, having a nonstick donut pan helps, too.

Speaking of stress-free baking and cleanup; morning, noon and night The Ninja Baker's Mini Butter Cake Bites are terrific treats. They're small so you can skip the guilt about eating sweets. Besides a soupçon of sugar, you're getting a smidgeon of red bean protein. Here's the recipe: Whip up your favorite yellow cake. Fill cake pop makers per the instructions on the package. Drop about a 1/2 teaspoon of red azuki bean paste (anko) into each center. Bake for about 18 minutes at 350 degrees. Stick a toothpick into one of the cake pop centers. If it comes out clean, take the cake pops out and cool for at least ten minutes. Release the mini cake balls and cool completely. Then shake the mini anko cakes in a Ziploc bag filled with organic powdered sugar.

A treat of mini butter yellow cakes with a smidgeon of red azuki anko bean paste.

So, go ahead: Indulge like Elvis Presley but stay as skinny as Elvis Costello.

Wishing you a week of rocking and rolling with the good times.

The Ninja Baker

© ™ Watkinson 2012

The Ninja Baker's recipes are also available at:

?Allrecipes.com:
The Ninja Baker's Japanese Plum Sweet Memories and Recipes

Bob's Red Mill

Wholesome Sweeteners:
The Ninja Baker's Gluten-Free Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake Minis with Espresso Cream

Wholesome Sweeteners:
The Ninja Baker's Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Champagne Glaze & Optional Lemon Peach Marmalade Filling

?LifeKraze

Tags:

gluten-free

sugar free

Japanese

red adzuki bean paste

recipes

10 Secrets to Happiness Stumbled Upon Whilst Pursuing Dessert

NinjaBaker — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 07:40:30 +0000

“Life is short so eat dessert first.”
“Keep calm and eat a cupcake.”
Mottos I love.
In my “x” number of years on planet earth, I have, however, stumbled upon 10 secrets whilst pursuing dessert - the sweet stuff of life.

1. Step up!

Photos Courtesy of David Cassidy
©Cassidy 2011

Ancient philosopher, Lao Tzu (which means old master in Chinese) was right. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Do you yearn to master the art of French macaron cookie baking? Or write the Great American Novel? Or ________ (You fill in the blank.) Seize five minutes, Saturdays, whatever time you have to follow the song that makes your heart happy.

2. Breathe

The bread for an-pan (azuki bean filled buns) needs time to breathe. So do you.
Take a moment to meditate. Or do yoga. Maybe a Down Dog like kitty cat, Sheba.

Don’t pinch your nose like a kid and cut off oxygen to your brain while enduring the necessary eating of peas. (AKA humble pie, action steps, grunt work.) Just ‘cause dessert hasn’t arrived yet doesn’t mean you get to stop taking action. If you really want your dream. Remember to breathe on your journey. Making and baking sweet an-pan (azuki bean filled) buns take time. Bread needs time to breathe and so do you.

As Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi, the 13^th Century Sufi mystic wrote:
But if in every breath?
You strip naked
?Just like a winter
The joy of spring?
Will grow from within

3. Relaxation: Samurai-Style

For Samurai Cartoon Credit, Click Here
Dancing Samurai Cartoon Courtesy of Dance Toru
And the Ninja Baker with a modern day samurai at Himeji Castle in Japan

A small sizzling pan receives thin layers of egg, rice wines, and soy sauce and turns into Japanese omelet (tamagoyaki.) It burns easily if not watched. Concentration is key. Tamagoyaki is not the best dish to make if you’re distracted. But a perfect marriage of sweet and savory if made right.

My dad who was the VP of Southeastern Asia for a major banking firm always talked about how we are most productive when relaxed. Father was right. Clear the emotional, mental decks: get out your angst with a punching bag at the gym, write a vituperative letter and burn it; then proceed into battle like the samurai warriors of ancient Japan.

4. The Present is a Gift

A Few of the Ninja Baker's Cupcakes

Enjoy the present moment – enjoy the process – the journey. Just ‘cause the goals I wrote down for 2012 have yet to be manifested doesn’t mean I can't be blissed out right now. Au contraire. Contentment encourages further action in my experience. And it feels better. I love prepping my cupcakes with frosting and decorations for a NinjaBaking.com iPhone photo shoot frosting while David clicks away on his computer and we enjoy The Voice on TV. Simple activities, yet, fulfilling. What are your moments of bliss? Love to see your answer in the comments section.

5. Game Time!

Which card are you playing?

Photo Credits: Click Joker or Queen of Hearts or King of Diamonds.

Obstacles are opportunities to play games. Bakerella kindly provided a link to Scharffen Berger’s Chocolate Adventure baking contest. A few others evidently had the same info. Upon arrival at the market, Scharffen Berger’s Semi- Sweet Chocolate boxes had been swept off the shelf. Mercifully one remained. Plus there were a few boxes of cacao nibs left. I had and have choices: 1. I can adjust my recipes. 2. Or take time away from my novel writing and seek other purveyors of Scharffen Berger’s Chocolate. 3. I could stomp my feet on the ground like a three-year-old shouting, "No fair!" So far, I’m choosing number one. It costs less time, gas money and emotional expenditure.

6. Stop Looking at Your iPhone: Notice Nature

I WANDERED lonely as a cloud
          That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
          When all at once I saw a crowd,
          A host, of golden daffodils;
          Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
          Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
-William Wordsworth

Daffodils Photo Credit: Click Here

Granted life does present us harder obstacles than our favorite foods being out of stock. Sometimes the pause button needs to be pressed. When my husband went into surgery to repair a damaged aorta, I felt like I was in a lonely vortex and the world was whooshing by. Although the surgery was successful and my husband was quickly back to work; for a brief time I felt like I was in some sort of vacuum. Yes, my wonderful sister and niece were there for me. As were dance classmates via e-mail. But it was unreasonable to expect anyone to hold my hand in every minute. So allowing myself to take a moment to notice flowers, hummingbirds and my angel-cat, Kiku (Chrysanthemum in Japanese) permitted me to catch seconds of relief, of faith that goodness, a higher power, angels would always prevail on this whacky planet.

Guess my upbringing in Japan has something to do with my appreciation of the serenity that accompanies nature…Even on the busiest streets in Tokyo, there are verdant trees, parks where children can romp, and artistically combed stone gardens attached to temples are easily found.

7. Two Magic Words: Thank You!

Photo Credit: Click Here

Gratitude lists – feeling positive – saying affirmations - were not a top priority while waiting for the outcome of David’s surgery. But I forced myself to listen to my Hay House Radio mp3s of Doreen Virtue “the Angel lady” and felt relief…And gratitude. Just the willingness to focus away for a second from the dark brought me to a lighter place. And I did feel so very, very blessed that my husband was under the care of a top surgeon, Dr. Rigberg and his team at the UCLA hospital in Westwood. I was also grateful that I could express a small token of appreciation to some of the nurses with my mini cupcakes swirled with matcha tea cream. You could say hope emerged.

"Hope" is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—
-Emily Dickinson

8. Jump for Joy!

Whether in Bayon (Cambodia) or Old Sarum (England),
it's always fashionable to jump for joy!
Photos Courtesy of Maria Cassidy
© Cassidy 2011

You can bet that joy bounced in and out of me when I heard the extended hours in surgery had produced a very positive outcome. I don’t recommend enduring the waiting room or worrying besides a hospital bed to induce such states, but please discover joy. Here are a few suggestions for rediscovering that buoyant feeling inside from one Ninja who sometimes is a little too driven and sours her pleasure in the pursuit of stalking the sweet stuff of life. Besides eating bowls of sticky white Japanese rice (with soy sauce dribbles) and diving into tubs of frozen yogurt, here are a few of the Ninja Baker’s tricks.

Watch the telly – football or your favorite TV show. Many are online like Dancing with the Stars: All Stars
Go get a massage or mani-pedi with sparkles or that crackle stuff which is en vogue en with the ‘tweens.
Exercise: Zumba, stair climber – whatever it takes to whisk those moody cobwebs
My sister loves quilting.
David loves to split his afterwork time between writing a screenplay and developing an App for the iPad.
Share your Joy secrets in the comment box.

9. Humans Only. Robots Exempted. Thou Shalt Reward Thyself.

On a very rewarding outing with David and Maria Cassidy to
Chef Elizabeth Falkner's Citizen Cake in San Francisco last year.

Don’t you express appreciation to your spouse, your friend when they’ve said or done something nice? So, remember to say thank you, to you too. Most of us are not robots. We may act like it at times. But we’re not. So take a break with a cup of tea, a stroll…Or peruse the fabulous places, people and fancy desserts on Pinterest. And get inspired to work, write, bake and blog again!

10. Check it Out!

Photo Credit: Click Here

Check it out! Trust your own experience. Recently I attempted to pipe roses from a frosting recommended for creating the flowers. The mixture was way too soft. The recipe did not call for any kind of vegetable shortening or meringue powder – two substances needed for firm buttercream roses. I should have listened to the voice which whispered, “This is a wee bit soft.” But I overrode the voice with, “Well, the recipe writer is an excellent baker so she must know what she’s doing.” I chalk it up to experience. Next time I’ll tweak the recipe and trust myself more when I see the mixture is a tad too runny.

Whether it’s recipes for frosting or living life, I’ve read and heard loads of advice. I’ve also been given directives from mostly well-meaning folks. But I’ve learned that I’m the one living my life so I’d better stick with what sings to my soul. I’m not saying don’t listen to what others offer. I’ve course-corrected umpteen times thanks to sages disguised in young and old bodies. And am grateful. But I’ve also learned that placing so much value on the words of experts has stirred up dissonance inside. So, check it out. If it works for you, great! If not move on. As the Bard (William Shakespeare) says,

“This above all: To thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
-Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3, 78–81

Wishing you a week of stumbling upon much happiness in your pursuit of dessert.

The Ninja Baker

The Ninja Baker's recipes are also available at:

?Allrecipes.com:
The Ninja Baker's Japanese Plum Sweet Memories and Recipes

Bob's Red Mill

Wholesome Sweeteners:
The Ninja Baker's Gluten-Free Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake Minis with Espresso Cream

Wholesome Sweeteners:
The Ninja Baker's Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Champagne Glaze & Optional Lemon Peach Marmalade Filling

?LifeKraze

Tags:

self improvement. self care

happiness

sweets

Japanese