Luxuriously smooth and creamy crème brûlée infused with the richness white chocolate and the subtle umami flavor of matcha!
During these cold and blistery months, I drink A LOT of green tea. Not only does it instantly warm me up, but it’s much lighter than a rich up of coffee or hot chocolate. And thanks to its subtle flavor profile, green tea can be incorporated into most any dessert.
So this week, I decided to blend the earthy notes and nutty flavor of green tea with the sweet richness of white chocolate in this heavenly crème brûlée…
Why You’ll Love This Crème Brûlée
Exceptionally Smooth and Creamy: Every single spoonful is incredibly silky. The custard is perfectly velvety, creamy, and melts in your mouth. When combined with the crisp caramelized sugar ceiling, you have the most blissful experience imaginable.
Just Enough Matcha: The green tea, aka matcha, is not at all overpowering. In fact, it’s rather subtle, making it more appealing to those who might be hesitant about green tea in their sweets. It adds the perfect hint of earthiness to the crème brûlée.
White Chocolate Sweetness: White chocolate adds both sweetness and creaminess. It pairs so well with the matcha since it helps to balance out the slight bitterness and astringency of the matcha.
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a finely ground powder made from shade grown-tea leaves. Shade growing is what gives matcha its vibrant green color and umami flavor. Matcha originated in Japan during the 16th century, and it’s traditionally whisked with hot water to create a frothy bright green tea that’s slightly sweet and vegetal in flavor.
Where can I buy Matcha Powder?
You may be able to find it in the international aisle of your grocery store. However, the selection is usually very limited and you’re probably not getting the highest quality. You’ll have better luck going to oriental grocery stores or any natural foods grocery store, like Whole Foods or New Seasons.
Tips For Making White Chocolate Matcha Crème Brûlée
Use High-Quality Matcha Powder: When it comes to matcha, there’s a definite difference between high and low-quality matcha powder. High-quality matcha is a vibrant green color with an ultra-fine, velvety texture. It doesn’t have a bitter flavor, and it’s slightly sweet with an earthy nuttiness. Low-quality appears more yellow and can also be grainier.
Use High-Quality White Chocolate: Just like the matcha powder, you’ll want to use high -quality white chocolate as well. Stay away from “white baking chips” or “vanilla flavored chips” since they don’t melt very well, and they aren’t really chocolate. I recommend using either Lindt or Ghirardelli white chocolate bars, which are typically found in the candy aisle.
Blend Matcha Powder First: Matcha powder has the tendency to clump up, so to prevent green-speckled custard, your best bet is to blend the matcha powder with a couple tablespoons of heavy cream BEFORE adding it to the rest of the heavy cream.
Finely-Chop the Chocolate: Chocolate melts a lot better when it’s chopped finely. It also results in a smoother, more velvety custard. When incorporating the chocolate into the heavy cream, be sure to keep the temperature on low heat so you don’t risk burning the cream.
ALWAYS Strain the Custard: This ensures that the custard is completely smooth and void of any lumps. It also eliminates any unmelted white chocolate chunks or rogue matcha clumps that might not have blended completely into the custard.
Don’t Skip the Water Bath: Although the water bath might seem like a frivolous step, when it comes to crème brûlée, they’re mandatory. Water baths provide a moist environment which ultimately prevents crème brûlée from cracking as it bakes in the oven. Water baths also help to maintain a stable, low temperature, which results in a creamy custard that’s evenly baked throughout. It’s the difference between a rubbery crème brûlée and a smooth-as-silk crème brûlée.
Cool the custard COMPLETELY: Proper cooling results in a better set and creamy texture. Once the crème brûlées are out of the oven, let them cool completely before chilling in the refrigerator. I usually remove each ramekin from the water bath, and allow the crème brûlées to cool on a wire rack for about 2 hours before placing them in the refrigerator to chill overnight. It’s best to chill crème brûlée for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
How do I know when my crème brûlée is done baking?
The best way to test for doneness is to gently shake the water bath pan. The custard should be set around the edges but still have a slight jiggle in the center, similar to jello. If you’re still unsure, you can also use an instant-read thermometer. If the temperature of the center of the custard registers 170ºF (77°C), then it’s done.
White Chocolate Matcha Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream, divided
- 1 Tablespoon matcha powder*
- 5 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
- 5 egg yolks
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6-7 teaspoons granulated sugar, for caramelizing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Lay a kitchen towel along the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place six 4-5 ounce ramekins on top of the towel; set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream with the matcha powder until completely smooth. Stir this mixture into the rest of the heavy cream in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Allow the hot cream to soften the chocolate for a few minutes, then stir until smooth. If you still see unmelted pieces of chocolate, return saucepan to stove, heating and stirring on low until completely melted.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, 2 Tablespoons sugar, vanilla and salt together until smooth and combined. Gradually add the warm cream mixture, by whisking in about a half cup. Whisk in another half cup, then finally pour the rest of the cream in, stirring until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps that might have formed.
- Divide custard evenly among the six ramekins, then set the pan on the oven rack. Carefully pour enough hot water into the pan to come about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 33-38 minutes, or until the edges are set, and the centers jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
- Transfer ramekins to a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Place ramekins on a baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Just before serving, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over each custard.** Use a small kitchen torch to caramelize the tops. Enjoy!