Matcha ganache tart

What to do when it’s raining outside and you have free time ? Baking of course !

Today’s treat : matcha ganache tart ! This was a first trial, and finding the balance between sweetness and the subtle bitterness of matcha was quite a challenge.

Got this idea one morning while talking with Hiroe, Akky-san’s assistant on the way to the tea fields. She said she wanted to make some namachoko (生 チョコ, 生 signifie « raw, fresh », et choko, well…), which is the lovely name for ganache – a mix of chocolate and cream.

I was thinking about adding some fruits – raspberry for example – but it turned out to be less easy than anticipated to find it…So the special ingredient here is genmai – roasted rice ! Adds a crispy, nutty, roasted flavor to the crust…

Keep in mind that it is recommended to prepare everything the day before ; but should you be in a hurry, you can still prepare it in the morning for the evening – though it will need to stay in the fridge as long as possible.

And last but not least – taste is a personnal matter. Hence my suggestion, regarding the ganache, to make a trial : start with a certain proportion of the ingredients (e.g. 1/3 or 1/2), taste and adjust when making the rest of it – you might as well not add matcha at all if the first portion was too strong.

For the ganache filling :

• 10-12g of matcha powder (depending on your preference. Above 12g the bitterness may leave too strong an aftertaste)
• 285g of white chocolate
• 200g fluid cream
• 2 tablespoon sugar (or more, depending on your taste)

For the crust :

• 250g wheat flour
• 80g sugar
• 125g softened butter
• 1 egg
• a pinch of salt
• genmai

Ganache :

Melt the chocolate in a hot water bath. In a different pot, warm 60g of cream up and stir in the matcha powder – easier with a whisk to avoid lumps.
Add the warm cream in the chocolate pot. When incorporated, add the rest of the cream little by little and stir well. Set aside to cool down and put in the fridge – preferably overnight.

Crust :

Whisk the egg and the sugar together, add all the flour, the salt and the genmai, mix lightly with your fingers. Stir in the butter. When not sticky anymore – in which case you may add a hint of flour, wrap it and set aside in the fridge.

Preheat the oven at 190°C. Roll the dough out – depending on your preferences, 5-10mm -, softly pierce it with a fork. Bake until golden – 12-17min. depending on the dough thickness. Set aside to cool down.
Once cooled down, spread the ganache evenly. Put in the fridge for at least 1h.

Take it out 15 min before serving.

Feel free to try this recipe out with another kind of cooking powder – it might be a delight…

See you soon with another recipe !

Bon appétit !

Intern Claire