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Dark chocolate-
matcha trufflesDark chocolate-matcha truffles
The bitterness of dark chocolate and the earthiness
of matcha are a surprisingly good pairing. These
are the perfect mouthful to stave off sugar cravings- the challenge is to stop at just one.
Prep time 20 mins, cook 2 mins
(plus chilling, setting)
Makes about 20
250 ml (1 cup) pouring cream
20 gm matcha powder, sieved, plus extra for
dusting
500 gm dark chocolate (56% cocoa solids),
finely chopped
1 Bring cream to a simmer in a saucepan, remove
from heat, whisk in matcha until smooth, then add
300gm chocolate and stand for 5 minutes. Whisk
until smooth, then pour into a container and
refrigerate until set (4-5 hours).
2 Roll heaped tablespoonfuls of chocolate
mixture into balls and refrigerate on a tray lined
with baking paper until firm (1-1½ hours).Matcha comes in
several different
grades. Look for
cooking-grade
matcha for these
recipes. Kenko Tea
(kenkotea.com.au) is
a good online source.
Matcha layer cake with white
chocolate cream
White chocolate and matcha are a match made in
dessert heaven. The key is to use couverture white
chocolate – it’s not as sweet as other white chocolates
and is much easier to handle to boot. Win-win.
Prep time 25 mins, cook 35 mins
(plus cooling, setting)
Serves 10-12
160 gm softened butter, plus extra for greasing
400 gm caster sugar
180 ml vegetable oil
6 eggs
185 ml (^3 / 4 cup) milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
30 gm matcha powder, sieved, plus extra
to serve
450 gm (3 cups) plain flour, plus extra for
dusting
3½ tsp baking powder
White chocolate cream
300 ml thickened cream
1 titanium-strength gelatine leaf, softened
in cold water for 5 minutes
400 gm couverture white chocolate, finely
chopped
300 gm crème fraîche1 Preheat oven to 160C. Butter two 22cm-
diameter cake tins, line bases with baking paper
and dust sides with flour. Beat butter, sugar and
oil in an electric mixer until pale (2-3 minutes),
then add eggs one at a time, beating well
between additions. Gradually beat in milk, then
vanilla and matcha. Sieve in flour and baking
powder, stir to combine, then divide among
cake tins, smooth tops, and bake until risen
and centres spring back when lightly pressed
(25-30 minutes). Cool in tins for 10 minutes, then
turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
2 For white chocolate cream, bring 100ml cream
to a simmer in a small saucepan, then remove
from heat. Squeeze excess water from gelatine
and stir into cream. Melt chocolate in a bowl
placed over a saucepan of gently simmering
water, stir into gelatine mixture to combine and
set aside to cool briefly. Whisk crème fraîche and
remaining cream in a bowl to soft peaks, fold into
chocolate mixture and refrigerate until starting to
firm up (30 minutes to 1 hour).
3 To assemble, trim tops of cakes flush. Place one
cake on a serving plate base-side down, spread top
with white chocolate cream to about 5mm thick
and refrigerate until cream is firm (20-30 minutes).
Top with remaining cake, base-side up, spread
remaining white chocolate cream over top and
sides of cake and refrigerate to firm (30 minutes).
Serve dusted with extra matcha.#serve hot with matcha ice-cream, poached pears
and pan juices.
NotePearl sugar is available from The Essential
Ingredient (essentialingredient.com.au) and
specialist food shops. If it’s unavailable, crush
the equivalent weight of sugar cubes.3 Melt remaining chocolate in a bowl over
a saucepan of simmering water then remove from
heat. Dip chocolate balls in melted chocolate,
shaking off excess, place on a tray lined with
baking paper and dust tops with a pinch of
matcha. Refrigerate to set and store in an airtight
container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.