If you often love to bake your all-time favorite desserts, cakes, bread, and cookies at home, then we would love to know if you have ever tried organic matcha powder. If not, you are in for a treat this season. Most of you may have heard about the incredible match; the beautiful superfood with a pleasing jade hue has become quite popular among millions in the last few years. Without any doubt, the super ingredient is still trending, especially in the US and Canada.
While it may be well received today that some of the best-selling matcha tea blends are still prepared the same way, they were created back in the 13th century in Japanese regions. So not only is matcha extremely perfect for sipping, but it also has many beneficial uses in the kitchen.
Primarily, there are three popular grades of matcha tea – Ceremonial, Premium, and Culinary. It is important to recognize all the different grades available, especially if you try matcha for the first time. Each of them contains a different level of chlorophyll and may impart varying degrees of green color.
Since ceremonial matcha is expensive, it is often consumed in tea ceremonies. On the other hand, the culinary grade releases the flavor and color without breaking the bank. Generally, the ceremonial and premium grade has more of a fine green hue and a stronger taste. Whereas culinary grade is less vibrant, clumpier, and holds a more subtle taste note. That being the case, it is vital to pan culinary grade matcha to get rid of any lumps. While the best organic matcha powders sold in culinary grade are usually sufficient, it should be acclaimed that premium and ceremonial grades will effortlessly give your finished baked goods a brilliant green color. For the color alone, they are worth the added expense!
Here are a few reasons why you should also give this unique ingredient a try:
- Flavor
The earthy zest of matcha easily pairs with lemon, chocolate, ginger, and vanilla-flavored baked goods.
- Nutritional content
Obviously, numerous scientific evidence we can explore on the Internet suggests matcha tea is enriched with antioxidants. That is because of the higher levels of chlorophyll.
- Color
Why not skip the artificial coloring agents and start using organic matcha powder to add a natural, soothing pop of green color to cakes, cookies, frostings, or glazes. A little pinch goes a long way!
- Interest
There’s something to be mentioned when taking a sample recipe and giving it a new and fresh taste. For example, you can add a tablespoon of matcha powder to your dry baking ingredients and transform them into something different.
Best baking foods to use matcha powder with:
- Cookie dough – Sift almost 1 tbsp of matcha powder into your flour mixture for a batch of 6 standard size cookies.
- Granola – Sift 1-2 tsp of organic matcha to your granola mixture before adding any wet/liquid ingredients.
- Ice cream – sift 1 tbsp of matcha powder into a single cup of milk, and bring to a boil on low flame. Let it rest cool for a while; add it to the prepared mixture to be put in the freezer.
- Cake batter – Sift 1-2 tbsp of matcha for every cake layer into the dry ingredients.
- Pudding – Whisk 1-2 tbsp of matcha powder into the hot milk or the prepared batter.
Would you like to try experimenting with matcha powder and adding it to your favorite baking recipes? Let us know in the comments below.
