Announcing the Winners!

First Place: "Green Tea Panna Cotta - Notta" by Pamela, Hermosa Beach, California
Second Place: "Matcha Cranberry Cupcakes" by Jamieanne, Whitestown, Indiana
Third Place: "Green Tea Banana Muffins" by Andrea, Hillsboro, Oregon

Congratulations to the winning iMatcha recipe entries!

Winning Recipes

Green Tea Panna Cotta - Notta
Pamela
Hermosa Beach, California
www.MyMansBelly.com

Ingredients

2 Cups Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract*
4 Teaspoons Agar Agar Powder
3 Tablespoons Green Tea Powder (matcha)
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
1/8 Cup Agave Nectar
Directions

In a saucepan add almond milk and agar agar, let it sit for 5 minutes to allow agar agar to soften.

In a medium bowl add green tea powder, coconut oil, and agave nectar - stir to combine ingredients thoroughly and set aside.

Bring almond milk, agar agar and vanilla to a simmer then reduce and cook for 8 minutes. Add green tea mixture and stir to combine for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Pour into 4 ramekins or small glasses. (Use ramekins if you plan to turn out onto plates. Use glasses if you intend to serve panna cotta’s in their own containers.)

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To release panna cotta from ramekins - run a knife around edges of panna cotta and place individual ramekin into warm water for approximately 30 seconds. Put plate on top of ramekin and turn over to release panna cotta from ramekin.

Plate with melted fruit sorbet or pureed fresh fruit.

*You can also use a vanilla bean, instead of vanilla extract in this recipe. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds. Place the pod and seeds in the almond milk and agar agar mixture just before you start to simmer the mixture. Remove the pods before adding in the green tea mixture.

Matcha Cranberry Cupcakes
Jamieanne
Whitestown, Indiana
www.sweetestkitchen.com

Matcha Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour, not self-rising
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh matcha powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and matcha powder; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until the cubes of butter are peanut-sized or a little smaller.

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cupcakes have cooled completely, using the cone method, fill cupcakes with cranberry cream cheese filling.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients
1.5 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
pinch of salt
6 ounces confectioners’ sugar
red food coloring, optional

Method
Soften cream cheese and cranberry sauce together in medium sized bowl. Add salt. Gradually add sugar, beating with electric mixer until creamy. Add red food coloring, if desired, for a brighter color.

Cranberry Buttercream

Ingredients
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, more if desired for firmer texture
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
red food coloring, optional

Method
In a small saucepan, combine the juice and cranberries. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until softened. Let cool and either strain cranberry juice, pressing the berries until most of the juice is gone, or chop the cranberries finely.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in the cranberries. Add more confectioners’ sugar for a firmer texture, if desired. Add red food coloring, if desired, for a brighter color.

White Chocolate Drizzle

Ingredients
2-3 squares Ghirardelli White Chocolate

Method
Melt white chocolate in small microwave safe bowl, microwaving in short bursts of 15 seconds, stirring after each 15 seconds. Shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds total. Spoon into sturdy sandwich bag, or piping bag, cut off a small tip of one corner and squeeze white chocolate in a quick sweeping motion on top of frosted cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a fresh cranberry, if desired.

Green Tea Banana Muffins
Andrea
Hillsboro, Oregon

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1egg yolk
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp macadamia nut oil
8 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 - 2 large softened bananas (should look brown prior to
removing skin)
5 tbsp green tea powder

Directions:
1. Cream teh butter and sugar
2. Add the egg and milk
3. Add remaining ingredients wet and then dry
4. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (or
until browned)

Additional items to add if desired: 1/4 cup crushed walnuts
or 1/4 cup macadamia nuts and 1/4 cup white chocolate chips