Can't wait for teatime to enjoy these tidbits
Rich matcha caramels
Fragrant hojicha caramels
The flavors of matcha and hojicha roasted tea make these caramels perfect to enjoy while sipping each kind of tea. This recipe has been specially developed to preserve the fragrance of the teas. Since the caramels tend to melt at room temperature or when handled, they need to be kept cool during and after preparation.
(Makes about 100 caramels)
- 300 ml milk
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 6¼ Tbsp matcha powder or 10 Tbsp hojicha roasted tea leaves
- 2⅓ Tbsp sugar, plus 200 g
- 1⅓ Tbsp mizuame (barley or starch syrup)
In advance: Assemble a baking pan lined with parchment paper, an 18 by 18 cm square mold, a large and heavy saucepan, a candy thermometer, a long-handled wooden spatula, thick cotton gloves, latex gloves, and cellophane or wax paper for wrapping.
Matcha caramels
1 Warm the milk and cream in a small pan over low heat. Continue heating until small bubbles form around the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and let cool.
2 Place the 2⅓ Tbsp sugar and starch syrup in a pan and warm over low heat, rotating the pan to ensure even melting. Avoid stirring with spatulas or other implements, as crystals may form. Be careful; put on cotton gloves and do not attempt to taste the caramel mixture during the cooking process.
3 Once sugar has dissolved, add warmed milk and cream a little at a time. Be careful not to let it splash. Mix thoroughly with the wooden spatula after each addition.
4 Sift matcha powder together with the 200 g sugar.
5 Bring caramel to a boil, add matcha and sugar, and blend thoroughly to eliminate any lumps.
6 Reduce heat to medium. To avoid scorching, continue stirring for 20 to 30 minutes, until mixture thickens. Continue until pan bottom becomes visible when scraped with the spatula and mixture flows slowly back.
7 Keep stirring and check temperature. When thermometer reaches 110°C (230°F), remove pan from heat. Be sure that caramel reaches, but does not exceed, the specified temperature, or it will harden.
8 Pour caramel into mold on baking pan and spread evenly into corners using a rubber spatula. Work quickly while caramel is still soft. Set in a cool place for 24 hours to firm up. In summer, caramel may be chilled in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
9 Remove cooled caramel from mold with a knife and cut to desired size, wearing latex gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints. Caramels will melt if exposed to high room temperatures. Wrap in cellophane or wax paper.
Hojicha caramels
1 Prepare hojicha tea. Place milk and cream in a pan and warm over medium heat. When small bubbles begin to form, add tea leaves. Simmer for about 30 seconds and remove from heat. Cover pan and let steep for 5 minutes.
2 Strain tea into a bowl through a sieve and cloth. When liquid has mostly passed through, squeeze cloth to get the last drops out. Liquid will be hot, so be careful; you may want to wait for the liquid to cool a bit before straining.
3 Follow step 2 for matcha caramels.
4 Once the sugar has dissolved, add tea a little at a time, taking care to avoid splashing. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spatula after each addition.
5 Bring mixture to a boil, then add the 200 g sugar and mix thoroughly until dissolved. Follow steps 6 through 9 for matcha caramels.
Source " KATEIGAHO INTERNATIONAL Japan EDITION Spring / Summer 2017 vol.39 "
Special thanks to Marukyu Koyama-en
Photography by Sadaho Naito
Text contributions by Sang Mi Kang and Aki Hirayama
Food preparation by Kyoko Imai, Yuki Uenoyama, and Yuko Koyama
Styling by Yuko Magata
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