Japanese American Pocky Sticks Recipes

HOMEMADE POCKY

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: Add 1 1/4 cups flour, the sugar, baking powder and salt to a food processor, and pulse a few times to combine. Add butter and pulse until small crumbs form. In a measuring cup, combine milk and vanilla. Stream into flour mixture while machine is running. Pulse until dough is fairly smooth.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, and roll until it is just over 1/4-inch thick. Use a bench scraper or the side of a large knife to straighten the sides so that it is a 5 1/2-by-8-inch rectangle. Wrap in plastic and transfer to a small baking sheet. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a bench scraper or long knife to cut the dough crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips that are about 5 1/2 inches long. Transfer half the dough to the refrigerator while you work with the other half. Using the palms of your hands, gently roll each strip on a lightly floured work surface until 7 to 8 inches long. Transfer strips to parchment- or silicone mat-lined baking sheets, keeping them as straight as possible and spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining dough. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Bake until golden on edges and bottom, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Decorate the cookies: Melt each of the chocolates in a separate metal bowl set over a small saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. If using dark or milk chocolate, add 1/2 teaspoon vegetable shortening to each and whisk until combined. If using white chocolate, add enough vegetable shortening to make it thin enough for dipping, up to 1 tablespoon, whisking until mixture is glossy. Stir pulverized berries or matcha into white chocolate. (You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave instead: Transfer the chocolate and shortening to a microwave-safe glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk to combine, then heat in 20-second increments, whisking between each, until melted.)
• Holding a cookie stick over a bowl of chocolate, use a small spoon to pour the chocolate over 2/3 of the stick, turning cookie to coat on all sides. Let excess drip off, and scrape against the edge of the bowl. Set chocolate-coated cookie on a parchment- or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with nibs or nuts as desired. (You'll want to keep all the dips in a warm place while working with them, and return them to the pot or microwave to remelt if needed.) Refrigerate until coating hardens. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.

JAPANESE-AMERICAN POCKY® STICKS

Steps:

• Combine all-purpose flour, cake flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix together on low speed.
• Stir milk and yeast together in a small bowl. Mix honey and tahini together in a separate bowl. Add milk mixture and honey mixture to the flour mixture. Mix together on medium speed to form a dough. Add water, butter, and orange zest; continue mixing until dough is firm and elastic.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Divide dough into 3 pieces and knead until smooth. Roll 1 piece into a rectangle that's about 6 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1/4-inch strips using a sharp knife. Arrange strips 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven, watching carefully, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.