Did you know that ‘Matcha’ is the new coffee?

Matcha comes from the Camella sinensis plant . It’s grown differently and has a unique nutrient profile.

Matcha is Japanese style green tea in a quick definition and has a lot of health benefits – it is rich in antioxidants, helps protect the liver and heart and boosts brain function to name a few.

The way matcha tastes depends on the matcha grade, the location of the farm and the way you consume it. There is a very fine line between bitterness and the not so bitter taste of matcha. The amount you whisk into hot water or the amount you add to your latte – all makes a difference. Suddenly, matcha seems to be finding its way into coffee shops, desserts thereby making it a sought after flavour.

Starbucks does serve a matcha cake where the colour is more dense but I would say taste wise it’s comparable. I’ve always wanted to try out a matcha tea cake, it’s the current favourite at home.

I would like to share with you a simple recipe of an exotic tea cake, you can enjoy any time of the day. It’s simple, moist and delicious.

Ingredients:

• Butter – 200 grams
• Castor sugar – 200 grams
• Eggs – 4
• Flour-225 grams
• Baking powder-1 and 1/2 tsp
• Matcha powder -4 level tsp
• Sour milk -1/2 cup
• Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Method:

• All the ingredients have to be at room temperature.
• Take a deep bowl, and add butter and sugar. With a hand beater whisk till creamy and light in colour.
• Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
• Sift the flour with the baking powder and matcha powder.
• Add vanilla essence and mix lightly.
• To the buttercream mixture, add the flour and the sour milk alternately and fold in with a metal spoon lightly till just combined. Do not overmix.
• Pour the batter into a parchment lined cake tin -6×6 and tap lightly to release any air pockets .
• Bake in a preheated oven(180deg.c) for 45 minutes.
• Remove onto a wire rack, let the cake cool in the tin before overturning it.
• Dust some sifted Icing sugar on top and serve with a cup of tea.

Chefs tips:

• Amul butter is what I have used. If you are using unsalted butter, add a tsp of salt to the flour along with the baking powder and sift it all together. 200grams is 1 cup
• Castor sugar or finely grained sugar has been used. 200 grams is 1cup.
• For flour, 225 grams is 2 cups.
• If you feel that the flavour of matcha is not coming through as desired, increase the quantity of matcha powder by a teaspoon.
• Sour milk is nothing but a few drops of vinegar taken in a bowl to which milk is added. Let it rest for a few minutes before adding it to the butter cream mixture.
• Always preheat the oven to the baking temperature(180 deg.c)- it takes roughly about 15 minutes.

Use this lockdown time to try out recipes and don’t forget to post a feedback.

Stay at home. Be safe.

Till my next post,

Cheers

Rose