Hojicha (ほうじ茶) is like the overlooked sibling of the popular vibrant matcha. Both Japanese green teas, what really sets hojicha apart from other green teas is the roasted nature, giving it a distinctive aroma. The taste is often described as nutty, caramel with earthy undertones. It’s perfect to use in cakes and desserts because of this.
How is hojicha made?
Hojicha is made from the leaves and stems of the tea plant, camellia sinensis. After the leaves are harvested and processed, they are roasted at a high temperature, usually in a porcelain or cast iron pot. The roasting process imparts a brownish colour to the tea and changes its flavour. This also reduces the tea’s astringency and bitterness, making it smoother. Some people remark that matcha or sencha tastes “too green” and grasslike so this would be a perfect alternative!
In comes the hojicha tiramisu cake, or “tea-ramisu”. We love a good tiramisu with strong notes of coffee coming through, and this tea alternative is just as delicious. Hojicha also has low caffeine content, making it a perfect after-dinner treat.
If you liked the hojicha tiramisu cake, try your hand at the Flat white coffee cake or Matcha pudding cake. Both are delicious cake versions of the drinks. Tag your drink inspired cake creations with @ultimateomnoms on Instagram, I’d love to see them and feature you!
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan using low-med heat. Sift in the cake flour and mix
- Add the milk and sugar and mix. Take the saucepan off the heat
- Add the egg yolks in one at a time, whisking between each one
- Add a pinch of salt, hojicha powder and vanilla extract
- In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy and add the cream of tartar. Add the sugar in batches and whisk until the egg whites reach medium stiff peaks
- Preheat the oven to 150ºC and prepare your hot water bath
- Add one third of the egg white to the yolk batter and mix well. Using a spatula, fold the remaining egg white in two batches. Do so gently and thoroughly so no streaks of egg white remain
- Pour the batter into the two lined 6” cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pan against the tabletop to get rid of any large air bubbles
- Put the cake pans into the hot water bath, ensuring that the water height reaches at least a third of the cake pan
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 5min or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean
- Remove from the oven and tap the pans against the tabletop a few times to prevent shrinkage. Transfer to cool on a wire rack pan for 10min before unmolding
- Add all the ingredients in a bowl and whip until medium
- Slather on the cake layers and pipe dollops on the top layer
