Matcha Chocolate Truffles
Matcha green tea has a sweet, grassy taste that makes a delightful cup. It can be used as an ingredient in recipes for matcha lattes, smoothies, shakes, ice cream, baking, etc. It consists of crushed up tea leaves that end up in powdered form, so it is not steeped in water like traditional tea.
Matcha is a super food! Some studies have shown that it produces over 20 times more anti-oxidants of regular loose green tea, and surpasses other super foods known for their anti-oxidant properties. Great plan to pair it up with dark chocolate for a special treat.
A special homemade twist on truffles for someone you love, or yourself. Pair with a creamy cup of freshly whisked matcha, and enjoy!
Matcha Chocolate Truffles*
Prep Time: 35 minutes plus chilling time
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Makes: 4 dozen 1-inch-square
truffles
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon matcha powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces high-quality milk chocolate
2 1/2 ounces very soft butter, in small pieces
About 3 1-ounce cans matcha powder for dredging
Directions
1. Bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil and remove from heat. Whisk in 1 teaspoon matcha powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Gently melt the chocolate in a medium bowl over a pot of simmering water (or you can microwave it in 30- to 40-second increments). You don’t want the chocolate hot, just melted.
3. Now pour about 1/4 cup of your still-warm cream into the chocolate. With a rubber spatula, vigorously stir in the cream. The mixture may look grainy at this point, but that’s okay.
4. Continue to add the cream to the chocolate mixture, stirring well with each addition, until everything is in the bowl. The mixture will go from grainy-looking to greasy to smooth and silky.
5. Now add your pieces of very soft butter and stir until it melts into the chocolate. If you find you still have bits of butter, use a whisk to incorporate. You have just made the perfect ganache!
6. Immediately pour the ganache into a 9-by-13-inch sheet tray lined with plastic wrap. Tap the tray on the table to level out the ganache. Carefully place another piece of plastic directly on the surface of the ganache. Chill to set, about 2 hours, or overnight.
7. Have another tray lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap ready for your truffles. Remove the top sheet of plastic and flip the ganache onto a cold cutting board. Using a thin bladed knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry, cut the ganache into 1-inch squares.
8. Once everything is cut, place the remaining matcha powder in a shallow bowl or dish. Dredge each square of ganache into the powder, coating all sides, and gently shake off any excess.
9. Rechill these and pack into gift boxes or keep in airtight containers. Consume within five days. Alternatively, you can store the naked squares in airtight containers in your freezer for your next truffle craving. Just defrost overnight in the same container in the fridge and dredge in matcha.
* This recipe was originally posted at Food Republic.
