Matcha and spice shortbread

There is nothing even remotely close to a good and light yet dense and flavourful shortbread cookie. I say it with a trembling heart as I do live in France, and I do love French cookies full of butter, yet, shortbread is shortbread, and nothing stands close to it. 


100 g golden caster sugar
5 dried rose heads
1 cardamom pod, seeds crushed
1/3 vanilla bean, seeds only
generous pinch of sea salt
8 g Awachai matcha 
250 g all-purpose wheat flour
50 g rice flour
220 g butter, room temperature

topping:
200 g very good white chocolate, pieces
2 tbsp oil

or

200 g 70% dark chocolate, pieces
3 tbsp oil 


Heat the oven 160 °C degrees hot. Pu baking paper in a pan (20 x 20 cm is the best size). 

In a blender, add sugar, roses, cardamom, vanilla, and salt. Blend to a powdered sugar consistency. Place in a bowl, and add matcha and both flours. Mix. Add butter and knead into a smooth dough just to the point that it is ready, not longer. The longer you knead, the harder the cookies will be. 

Press into a pan in an even layer, prick with a fork, and place in the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and leave to cool in a pan. 

Prepare the topping. Add chocolates to a bowl and place it over a kettle of boiling water (ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water, only the steam). Stir occasionally until the chocolates melt. Once melted, remove the bowl from the steam and stir in the oil. Allow the chocolate mixture to cool until it’s still liquid but slightly firmer so when poured it levels out evenly. Pour over, sprinkle with pistachios, if you want and let it set.