Matcha, a type of green tea with an earthy flavor, is not only good for you but delicious too! It is a popular ingredient used in Starbuck drinks and Japanese desserts, giving them a vibrant green color. Here are...
Matcha, a type of green tea with an earthy flavor, is not only good for you but delicious too! It is a popular ingredient used in Starbuck drinks and Japanese desserts, giving them a vibrant green color. Here are some easy sweet & savoury matcha recipes that save you from going to the coffee shop!
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a type of Japanese green tea powder.
Japanese teas have been gaining popularity in the United States over the last few years although Matcha has been part of the Japanese diet for much longer. (You might have seen it at your local Starbucks coffee shops in the form of an iced latte? I have a good matcha latte Starbucks copycat easy recipe here!)
There are a few differences in how you consume traditional matcha tea vs green tea though, which I'll elaborate on below.
Note: there are 2 grades of matcha, the more expensive, higher quality ceremonial grade matcha and the more affordable culinary grade matcha. The former is a brighter green, with a sweeter taste.
VS Green Tea
Green tea powder cookie on the left, matcha cookie on the right.Matcha is basically young green tea leaves, from Camellia Sinensis tea plants.
They are grown under shade for 20-30 days to increase the chlorophyll content, before the matcha leaves are ground into a fine powder. (This also boosts the amino acids content, such as the L-theanine level, which is believed to have beneficial effects on human health.)
With regular green tea, you steep the whole green tea leaves (or tea bags) in hot water, drink the resulting tea then toss the tea leaves away. When you drink matcha, you ingest the entire tea leaf- the powder doesn't actually dissolve in water but is actually suspended in it.
You have to sift the matcha powder to get rid of clumping, then whisk the matcha and hot water together in a circular motion to form a foamy tea that you drink.
For information on matcha's health benefits and FAQ, scroll down to the bottom of the post.
Drinks
Matcha Syrup
Matcha Soda
You can add some club soda to the matcha syrup or cold matcha drink to make a super quick & easy matcha soda.
Matcha Latte ????
Keeping matcha syrup on hand makes it easy to whip up matcha lattes!Vanilla Matcha Latte
Strawberry Matcha Latte
Vegan Matcha Latte
Note: you can also use other non-dairy milks such as oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, almond milk etc (Remember to use maple syrup instead of bone char sugar or honey!)
You'll actually get a healthier mug of green tea latte this way, as research has shown that adding cow's milk to tea reduces its health benefits. (Specifically, it reduces its vascular protection.)
Matcha Masala Chai Latte
Make a big batch of this Masala Chai Concentrate and it'll make whisking up this green tea chai latte, as well as other chai lattes, possible in seconds!
Dunkin Donuts Latte
Cold Brew
Starbucks Pineapple Latte with Green Tea
For more Asian drink recipes, such as Japanese Royal Milk Tea, click here.
? Cookies
Matcha Shortbread
Whirly Cookies
Korean Cookies
Too pretty to eat, almost!These no bake dessert cookies go really well with Korean plum tea or boricha/ barley tea!
Asian Shortbread
For more cookie recipes, 2 of which are matcha flavoured, check out these Galentines Day Asian cookies.
? Other Bakes
Matcha Mochi Bites
If you're on a plant-based diet, you can make vegan mochi muffins!
Cupcakes
If you're not a fan of the gooeyness of glutinous rice flour and mochi, try these regular cupcakes!
Mini Bundts
Buttercream Cake
? Sweet Treats
Truffles
Energy Balls
