Matcha Pastry 旋風綠茶酥

Dim Sum Series, part 3:

Matcha is just another name for green tea, right? This is what I always thought, until I recently attended a food show in Northern California. The Fancy Food Show is an international food show offered twice a year: San Francisco hosts during winter while New York City hosts the summer show. With over a thousand exhibits from all over the world, it is an exciting time for all those related to food industry, whether you are a retailer or wholesaler, or somewhere in between. New trends, products and tastes are often introduced during the show.

It is from one of the many Japanese vendors that I learned the difference between matcha and green tea. The leaves that are used to make matcha are grown partly covered so that they have more chlorophyll while green tea leaves are fully exposed to the sun. The ways they are processed after harvesting also contribute to their different qualities and, eventually, prices.

According to some manufacturers, matcha has ten times the nutritional and antioxidant value than green tea powder. One of the amino acids in matcha, L-theanine, is known for its calming effect.

It is this kind of matcha that gives this pastry a nice green hue. I call these little pastries "tornadoes."

點心系列第三炮：

抹茶與綠茶是否一樣呢? 我一直以為它們都是指同一樣的東西，只是兩個不同的名字而已。直至我最近參加一個食品展覽會，才茅塞頓開! 這個展覽會分冬夏兩季，冬季在西岸三藩市舉行，夏季在東岸紐約市舉行。過千的展覽商中，除了來自美國本土外，更有來自世界各地的食品供應及製造商，參展食品林林總總，令人目不暇給，大開眼界。我便是從來自日本的供應商知道原來抹茶與綠茶是不同的。用來製造抹茶的茶葉到將近收成前農夫會將它們覆蓋，避免直接受陽光照射，以致它們的葉綠素增加。隨後的加工及處理方法也與普通綠茶不同，直接影響品質與價格。

抹茶的營養價值及抗氧化功效比起綠茶粉多出十倍，而它其中之一的氨基酸更有寧神效果。

這種酥餅的深綠色便是用上這種優質抹茶粉，我叫它們做"小旋風"。


Ingredients to make 20 做廿個的材料 :

A) Skin 外皮:
     1)  "water" dough 水皮
          210g all-purposed flour 中筋麵粉
          20g sugar 糖
          76g unsalted, softened butter or vegetable shortening 無鹽牛油或固體菜油
          97g water 水
          3g/ 1 tsp matcha powder 日本抹茶粉

     2)  "oil" dough 油皮
          131g cake flour 低筋麵粉
          66g unsalted, softened butter or vegetable shortening 無鹽牛油或固體菜油

B) Filling 餡料:
     400g mung bean filling 綠豆餡(click here to see how it is prepared)
     2 tsp matcha powder 日本抹茶粉


1)  Make the water dough by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl. Knead for about 5 minutes or until it becomes a smooth dough. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2) Make oil dough by combining all the ingredients until a dough forms. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3)  Round both doughs into a ball. Use the water dough to wrap the oil dough and seal the seam tightly.
4)  Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a rectangle. Fold the sides toward the middle (see the picture below).

5)  Fold it together as shown in the picture below. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes and repeat the steps.
6)  After resting for 20 minutes, roll out the dough into a rectangle again and roll up into a log. Use a sharp knife and cut into 20 equal pieces. You should be able to see the layers at this point.

7)  Divide the filling into 20 balls, about 20g each.
8)  Flatten each disc and roll out into a circle. Use each circle to wrap a filling. Seal the seam tight and put on a baking sheet with the seam side down.
9)  Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. The pastry can be served at room temperature and kept for 3-5 days.

Notes:
Different fillings can be used to create other flavors, such as red bean, taro, purple yam, pumpkin, etc.

Taro Pastry 芋蓉酥

1) 先做水皮: 將水皮材料放碗內搓約五分鐘或至麵團光滑，蓋上保鮮紙讓它鬆弛三十分鐘。
2) 將油皮材料混合成團，蓋上保鮮紙讓它鬆弛三十分鐘。
3) 用水皮包起油皮，用擀麵杖搌開成長方型，然後對摺，讓它鬆弛廿分鐘。
4) 之後再重覆搌開及折疊一次
5) 然後搌開成長方型，將麵團卷起，用刀切成廿等份。
6) 將餡料分成廿份
7) 將切開的麵團搌開成圓形，包上一份餡料
8) 放在焗盤上，封口向下。
9) 放入已預熱至350F焗爐焗約廿五至三十分鐘便成。

注意事項：這酥餅可放入不同餡料如紅豆蓉、芋蓉、紫薯或南瓜等而做成不同口味的成品。