…The best matcha comes from Japan and the most popular growing regions are in the southern half of the country…
Matcha powdered green tea has 137 times more antioxidants than regularly brewed green tea. It has shown to help boost energy and focus as well as being a cancer-fighter and fat-burner.
Matcha, as a drink can be served both warm and cold, there’s no shortage of creative uses for the powder: infused into cocktails, whipped into lattes, dusted atop savory dishes, and the powder can be mixed into almost any kind of sweets from macarons to mochi, and cakes to doughnuts. It has a naturally sweet, grassy note that gives it a memorable flavor that can be used in your wildest creations.
Matcha has also recently been making waves in the health and beauty markets because the green tea leaves are believed to be high in antioxidants. Regular steeped green tea is considered healthy because the leaves contain antioxidants, but water can only extract a small about of the leaves’ nutritional properties. Because you are consuming the entire leave when using matcha, it is thought to exponentially healthier.
Although matcha is casually consumed in the US, it is steeped in Japanese tea ceremony rituals . At its root is the notion of mindfulness and ichi-go ichi-e (“one time, one meeting”), the idea that every encounter is unique and can never be reproduced. In terms of drinking tea, this means that each particular occasion and experience, each cup of matcha, can never be replicated and should thus be treasured.
MATCHAMISU- Matcha Tiramisu recipe by Oh, How Civilized
Recipe by Queenie Fok
Makes 10 mini cups
INGREDIENTS
Matcha Syrup
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon matcha
Matcha Sponge Cake
4 eggs
7 tablespoons of sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1.5 tablespoons matcha
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Matcha Cream
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rum
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon matcha + more for dusting
DIRECTIONS
1. Making the matcha syrup first, bring water (3/4 cup) and sugar (1/2 cup) to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes and remove from heat.
2. Let cool, then sift in the matcha (1 tablespoon). Whisk well. (This can be made up to a day before.)
Now, moving onto the matcha sponge cake.
3. Turn oven on to 350°F. Lay parchment paper on a 13″x18″ sheet tray. If the parchment paper rolls up, put a little butter or oil under each corner. Dust the parchment paper with confectioner’s sugar. Set aside.
4. Separate eggs (4). In a mixing bowl, whisk on low speed, the egg whites for 1 minute. Turn up the speed to medium and slowly add the sugar (7 tablespoons).
5. After adding the sugar, turn speed to high. Mix until the stiff peaks form and the egg whites look shiny.
6. Add the egg yolks (4) and fold to mix.
7. Sift in matcha (1/2 tablespoon) and flour (3/4 cup) to the egg mixture and fold to incorporate.
8. Pour the mixture onto the sheet tray and spread evenly.
9. Dust confectioner’s sugar on top.
10. Bake for 10 minutes. Use a cookie cutter (we used the 3″) to cut out circles.
And, the matcha cream.
11. Bring a small pot of water to a simmer. Put the egg yolks (2), sugar (1 tablespoon), and rum (1 tablespoon) in a stainless steel bowl that will sit on top of the pot.
12. Continuously whisk all three ingredients together until it thickens to the ribbon stage (about 5 minutes). Cool for 5 minutes.
13. In another bowl, whip the heavy cream (1/2 cup) until soft peaks form.
14. Combine the lightly whipped heavy cream and the egg mixture. Fold together.
15. Sift in the matcha (1 tablespoon) and mix well. Finally, fold in the mascarpone cheese (2/3 cup).
16. In a small glass (we used these mini cups), put in a piece of the sponge cake. (We cut a smaller piece of cake to fit the tapered bottom of the cup.)
17. Spoon on the matcha syrup over the sponge cake, making sure the sponge cake gets soaked with the syrup. Dollop the matcha cream on top. Layer on another piece of sponge cake. Pour on matcha syrup to the top level sponge cake. Add the final layer of matcha cream and dust with matcha.