SHF #16: Matcha Truffles

Two truffle combinations of matcha, milk chocolate, and white chocolate.

What is more delectable than chocolate? Perhaps matcha. In my mind, they share the same qualities of ecstasy. I love them both. So why not put them together? Matcha truffles… in two varieties: one a white chocolate matcha ganache with a cocoa coating, the other a milk chocolate matcha ganache powdered with matcha. This is my Recipe for Love for Sugar High Friday.

Pop a green one in your mouth. The matcha powder around the ganache teases you with a complex, yet completely unsweetened flash of flavor. Bite into it, and the rich sweetness of the chocolatey ganache fills your mouth. Repeat with a brown one, and your tastebuds do a summersault . . . matcha, chocolate, cocoa, matcha… swoon.

The flavor of matcha is rich and complex, frighteningly similar to cocoa. However, in its most common form (whipped tea), it’s not at all sweetened. Put it in an unconventional dessert with raspberries and/or chocolate, and matcha can hold its own against them. In fact it pairs beautifully.

For those not familiar with purchasing matcha, I highly recommend trying Ippodo Tea, which is the most famous tea store in Kyoto, and happens to be only a few minutes walk from my house. Their tea is of especially high quality, and their prices remind you of the fact. For cooking and baking, it’s best to use usu-cha, or thin matcha, rather than koi-cha, thick tea, which might be compared to a very fine wine.

Be careful in choosing your matcha to not buy the cheapest one, because the lower the price, the more bitter the tea. Take something from the middle of the price list. Each tea has a name. The tea I bought is called “enishi no shiro,” which means “the innocence of destined relationships.” *

Matcha Truffles
(makes at least 27 truffles… more if you don’t taste test too much)

3.5 oz. milk chocolate

3.5 oz. white chocolate

1/3 cup heavy cream (perhaps a little more to make up for sticking to the pot)

1 1/2 tsp matcha powder

matcha and cocoa powder for coating

In a small pot, heat the cream and add the matcha powder. Over low heat, vigorously whisk the mixture until the tea is completely blended with the cream. Turn off the heat if the cream begins to boil.

In a double boiler, completely melt the milk chocolate. Slowly add 3 tbs of the cream to the melted chocolate. Mix thoroughly, but not too long. As soon as the it’s evenly mixed, cover and place in the refridgerator. Repeat with the white chocolate. Let the ganache rest in the refridgerator for 1 to 2 hours or until it’s reasonably hard.

Take the ganache out of the refridgerator. Roll into little balls. (I like my truffles small, so it feels like you have more. The bigger they are, the more overwhelming the sweet ganache will be.) Since handling the ganache makes it melt again, let the ganache rest for another 10 minutes.
Prepare two small dishes with matcha powder and cocoa powder. Roll the dark ganache in the matcha and the green ganache in the cocoa.

Bon Appetit! I enjoyed my truffles with a rustic genmai-cha green tea, which offset the rich truffle flavors.

This recipe is open to multiple of variations. Try covering the ganache with kinako powder, nuts, powdered sugar, or add different components to the ganache, and explore the flavors!

一保堂
Ippodo Tea

Address:	京都府京都市中京区寺町通二条上る Kyoto City Nakagyo-ku Teramachi-dori Nijo-agaru
Directions:	On the east side of Teramachi street, 5 minutes walk south of Marutamachi street or 5 minutes north from Oike street. It’s just north of Nijo street in a traditional machiya (townhouse).

* “Enishi no shiro,” the tea I used, costs ¥525 for 20g. I’m sorry to report that this tea is not sold in their online store.

SHF16