Tea at Three: Genmaicha & Matcha Passion Fruit Blanc Manger

TEA: Genmaicha [Harney & Sons]
SWEETS: Matcha Passion Fruit Blanc Manger [Dominique Ansel Bakery]

Green tea pudding paired with green tea. The verrine has layers of matcha pudding and tart passion fruit topped with a green tea butter cookie. The Genmaicha from Harney & Sons brings out the matcha flavors even more. Both, very good.

Pastries in the glass case, including this verrine, at Dominque Ansel's change every 6-8 weeks, so get them while you can.

Matcha Castella & Blueberry Verrine

This is more of a dessert hack than anything. Remember the castella cake from Minamoto Kitchoan yesterday? I added a couple of more ingredients to make a sweet verrines in Weck jars. A verrine is an appetizer or dessert where a number of components are layered in a small glass.

MATCHA CASTELLA & BLUEBERRY VERRINE
Makes 2 verrines 

INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon mascarpone 
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 
matcha castella 
1/4 pint blueberries
4 crepe cookies

DIRECTIONS
1. Whip together powdered sugar, mascarpone, vanilla extract, and heavy cream until it thickens.
2. Layer two jars with cubed castella, whipped cream, crumbled crepe cookies, and blueberries.
3. Repeat with another set of layers. Top with a whole crepe cookie. Enjoy! 

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Love matcha? Check out these other recipes: Matcha Affogato, Matcha Hot Chocolate, Matcha Popsicles, Mini Matcha Madeleines, Matcha Truffles

Minamoto Kitchoan

Kasutera (aka Castella), a sponge cake sold in a long box ($14). There's plain and green tea (above). It's fluffy and dense at the same time. 

Sayamanomine, a matcha crepe folded with red bean paste and mochi ($4). 

Minamoto Kitchoan is right by Rockefeller Center and I used to get afternoon snacks here all the time when I worked in a building nearby. It's a bakery filled with all sorts of Japanese confectionery. And because this place is Japanese, everything sold is adorably packaged.

Plastic replicas of the are on display so you know what's in each package. 

Some of these treats have to be eaten within a couple of days and the saleswomen will let you know which ones as they put them in your shopping bag. I've never been disappointed by anything made with mochi here; They're never too sweet and the texture is perfect. 

LOCATION: Minamoto Kitchoan | 608 Fifth Ave. (It's actually on 49th Street between Fifth & Sixth Ave.) | New York, NY 10020 | 212.489.3747

Matcha Affogato

Instead of the traditional shot of hot espresso being poured over vanilla ice cream, I created this recipe using Asian flavors with matcha, red bean paste and mochi. I cool down the matcha a bit so it's warm—not hot—before pouring on top of the gelato to prevent ice chips from forming.

MATCHA AFFOGATO
Makes 2 cups 

INGREDIENTS
2 scoops vanilla gelato or ice cream
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons red bean paste (like this one)
2 tablespoons mochi
1 teaspoon matcha (like this one) 

DIRECTIONS
1. Boil water and remove from heat. Whisk or stir in matcha. Let cool.
2. Scoop gelato into two cups. Top each with 1 tablespoon of red bean paste and mochi.
3. Serve matcha on the side and pour some into each cup. Enjoy! 

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Love matcha? Check out these other recipes: Matcha Hot Chocolate, Matcha Popsicles, Mini Matcha Madeleines, Matcha Truffles

Step-by-Step Recipe: Matcha Truffles

I'm back in the kitchen with Queenie, my cooking/baking guru. Just in time for Valentine's Day, she made Matcha Truffles with a sprinkle of red from freeze-dried raspberries. Intense flavors from the raspberry and outer coating of matcha go perfectly with the smooth and rich matcha white chocolate. 

INGREDIENTS:

10oz white chocolate (we used bulk white chocolate from WholeFoods)
1/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon matcha + more for coating (like this one)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoon of hot water (if needed)
Freeze dried raspberries

EQUIPMENT:

Silicone ice cube tray
Piping bag or small plastic storage bag 
Strainer to sift the matcha 

1. In a saucepan, warm the heavy cream (1/3 cup) and butter (2 tablespoons) on low heat just so the butter can melt. Add salt (1/8 teaspoon). 

2. Slowly add the warm cream mixture to the matcha (3/4 teaspoon) and whisk or stir until there aren't any lumps. It'll also help if you sift the matcha first. Set aside.

3. Rough chop the white chocolate (10oz) and put into a large stainless steel or glass bowl. 

4. Put about four cups of water in a pot to boil. After the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and place the bowl of chocolate on the pot for the chocolate to melt slowly. Stir occasionally with a spatula.

5. Once the chocolate has melted completely, take the bowl off the pot and pour in the matcha cream into the chocolate. Mix well. 

6. If the chocolate starts to separate or look grainy (see photo above), add in a tablespoon of hot water and the chocolate mixture/ganache will come back together. Add another tablespoon if needed.

The photo above shows what the ganache should look like. 

7. Pour the ganache into a piping bag or a plastic storage bag. Queenie uses a large mug to hold the piping bag to hold it upright while pouring.

8. Pipe the ganache into silicone molds. This recipe makes about 20 cubes with each ice cube tray.

9. To get a smooth and even surface, scrape off the top of the mold.

10. Put the molds into the fridge for about 4-5 hours to solidify the ganache.

11. Once solidified, carefully pop the cubes of ganache out of the molds.

12. Sift some matcha on a plate and coat each cube of ganache. Crush some freeze-dried raspberries on the same plate and sprinkle on top.

MATCHA TRUFFLES
Makes about 25 truffles 

INGREDIENTS
10oz white chocolate (we used bulk white chocolate from WholeFoods)
1/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon matcha + more for coating (like this one)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoon of hot water (if needed) 
Freeze dried raspberries

EQUIPMENT
Silicone ice cube tray
Piping bag or small plastic storage bag 
Strainer to sift the matcha

DIRECTIONS
1. In a saucepan, warm the heavy cream (1/3 cup) and butter (2 tablespoons) on low heat just so the butter can melt. Add salt (1/8 teaspoon). 

2. Slowly add the warm cream mixture to the matcha (3/4 teaspoon) and whisk or stir until there aren't any lumps. It'll also help if you sift the matcha first. Set aside.

3. Rough chop the white chocolate (10oz) and put into a large stainless steel or glass bowl. 

4. Put about four cups of water in a pot to boil. After the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and place the bowl of chocolate on the pot for the chocolate to melt slowly. Stir occasionally with a spatula.

5. Once the chocolate has melted completely, take the bowl off the pot and pour in the matcha cream into the chocolate. Mix well.

6. If the chocolate starts to separate or look grainy (see photo above), add in a tablespoon of hot water and the chocolate mixture/ganache will come back together. Add another tablespoon if needed.

7. Pour the ganache into a piping bag or a plastic storage bag. Queenie uses a large mug to hold the piping bag to hold it upright while pouring.

8. Pipe the ganache into silicone molds. This recipe makes about 20 cubes with each ice cube tray.

9. To get a smooth and even surface, scrape off the top of the mold.

10. Put the molds into the fridge for about 4-5 hours to solidify the ganache.

11. Once solidified, carefully pop the cubes of ganache out of the molds.

12. Sift some matcha on a plate and coat each cube of ganache. Crush some freeze-dried raspberries on the same plate and sprinkle on top.

Keep it refrigerated. It melts easily.
 

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Also made by Queenie: Earl Grey Salted Caramels, Mini Matcha Madeleines, Mini Victoria Sponge Cake, Small Batch Jam, Easy Scones