Matcha Petit Fours

For the petit fours:
Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Grease a sheet pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt and matcha powder and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, 3–5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the extracts. Beat in dry ingredients and milk in 2 alternating additions; scrape down the bowl as necessary.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes, until top is slightly darkened and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to another piece of parchment paper and freeze.

For the white chocolate ganache:
Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, checking every few seconds to ensure you don’t burn it. Add heavy cream to mixer and beat until soft peaks form. Add cooled melted white chocolate and continue to beat until stiffer peaks form.

Remove cake from freezer, then cut in half. Spread with thick layer of ganache on one side, then deposit other side on top. Cut into squares.

For the almond glaze:
In the top of a double boiler on the stove top, whisk together confectioners sugar, water, corn syrup and extracts. Turn on medium high. Continue whisking or stirring until mixture becomes smooth and consistent. It should be thin enough to drizzle from a spoon, but not so thin that it all runs off the cake! You can also check the temperature and when it reaches 92° F, it’s good.

When it’s ready, add in the white chocolate chips and stir until melted.

Set the cake squares slightly apart on a sheet pan and bathe in glaze. Apply whatever decoration touches you would like, then sit back and admire your handiwork. Baking, master level achieved.