Start by sifting your matcha into a small bowl to remove any lumps.

Add hot water and whisk with a matcha whisk (chasen) or milk frother until the matcha is well combined. The optimum recommended water temperature for making matcha is 80°C (176°F) so boil water and let it cool a little before adding it.

Once combined, add the sugar and whisk until dissolved. Pour the mixture into a deeper container and add an equal amount of cold water. Use a container deep enough to submerge the lady fingers.

Set the mixture aside for later.

Pâte à bombe is a technique of cooking eggs with hot sugar and whipping them until fluffy and smooth. The result is a rich yet light cream base that adds stability to desserts such as mousse and parfait.

Start by pouring water and sugar into a saucepan and heat it on medium. Mix until the sugar has dissolved, and then stop mixing from this point. If you feel it’s heating unevenly, you can swirl the pan around instead.

The goal here is to heat the sugar to somewhere around 120°C (248°F). You will need a cooking thermometer to accurately check the temperature and make sure it’s no less than 118°C but also doesn’t exceed 121°C (244.4-249.8°F) At around this point, I notice the syrup bubbles more slowly and quietly as it thickens.

While the sugar is heating, prepare your egg yolks by placing them in a heatproof mixing bowl. This technique works best with room-temperature eggs, however, eggs separate more easily when chilled. I recommend separating the eggs in advance to allow the yolks to come to room temperature before you start heating the sugar.

Check the sugar temperature frequently and take it off the heat as soon as it reaches 120°C (248°F). Whip your eggs with an electric whisk for about 1 minute and then slowly pour in the syrup while whipping on high to incorporate.

Once combined, whip on a medium-high setting until pale and doubled in size. It should be thick enough to draw ribbons with the mixture.

Set aside to cool while you prepare the mascarpone cream.

Place mascarpone cheese in a large mixing bowl and soften by mixing it with a spatula.

Once softened, sift in the matcha and mix well. This will stop the matcha powder from flying in the air when you start whipping. Add the heavy cream and then whip with an electric mixer until firm enough to form peaks.

Pour the Pâte à bombe mixture into the bowl and use a spatula to fold and combine.

Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. The final color should be uniform with no streaks of yellow.

Dip the ladyfingers into the cooled matcha, and arrange them in a layer at the bottom of the container. Make sure not to hold the ladyfingers in the matcha for too long because they might become soggy and fall apart. I dip them in for 1-2 seconds and then place them straight into the container. Once the layer is complete, sprinkle matcha over the top for a boost of flavor.

I used a 20x23x8cm (7.8x9x3″) container, but this recipe works for 20x20cm (8″) deep square pan or any container that holds a similar volume (approx 3.5 litres, or 15.5 US cups).

Pour half of the matcha mascarpone cream over the top and smooth it out.

Repeat another layer of matcha-soaked lady fingers and mascarpone cream.

Smooth the top using a spatula and then cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. Rest in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.

Sprinkle with a generous dusting of matcha powder and let it moisten, then sprinkle a fresh dusting of matcha powder right before serving.

Enjoy!

Sweet potato is a pretty standard addition to mushi pan in Japan. Here is how to prepare them so that they’re soft and sweet. If you don’t plan to use sweet potato then you can skip this step.

First, wash the surface of the sweet potato and cut it into small cubes leaving some skin on. Place the cubes in a bowl of water for 5 minutes to remove the excess starch.

After 5 minutes, drain the water and place them in a small saucepan. Sprinkle with sugar and add enough water to just about cover them. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes or until the liquid has gone.

The sweet potato should be slightly softened (parboiled), but not so much that they’re falling apart. You will also notice that the inside color has changed to yellow. Set aside to cool.

Next, mix the flour, starch, baking powder and a pinch of salt together in a bowl.

Pour the milk into a separate bowl and add the sugar, oil and vanilla essence (or flavoring of choice). Whisk until the sugar has dissolved.

Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add about 3/4 of the sweet potato (or filling of choice), saving some to decorate the tops. Let the mixture rest for while you prepare the steamer.

Fill your steamer with water and heat it on high. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel to prevent water droplets falling on the mushi pan.

If you don’t have a steamer, you can also use a deep frying pan with a lid.

Line heatproof ramekins with cupcake cases. I use small glass containers.

Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases and place the leftover sweet potato cubes on top.

Place the ramekins in the steamer leaving space between each one. Be careful of the steam, wear oven gloves or use tongs to place them in the pot safely.

Also, be careful not to over-crowd the pot as they will expand and stick together. Steam with the lid on high for 12 minutes.

If making multiple flavors, you can prepare the batter while the first batch cooks.

Once cooked, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool before eating or storing.

Enjoy!

Before you start, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line your baking pan. I like to use baking paper for easy removal, but you can grease your pan with butter if you prefer.

Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla in a jug and set aside for later.

Sift the cake flour and matcha into a bowl and mix well. Scoop out 1 tbsp and set aside for later (we will use this to coat the adzuki beans). Then, add the baking powder and a pinch of salt.

Whip the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and continue to whip until combined. Gradually add the egg mixture from earlier while whisking continuously. Note that if your egg mixture was made with chilled eggs, or you add it at once, then the batter might split. You can prevent this by making sure you use room-temperature eggs and add them slowly to the butter and sugar. If it does split, don’t worry too much as you can save it when you add the dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients one-third at a time until well incorporated. Once there is no more dry flour, stop whipping.

Whether you’re using your own boiled adzuki beans or the canned variety, I recommend rinsing them and patting them dry to prevent adding unnecessary moisture to the batter. Sprinkle with the matcha flour saved from earlier and toss until evenly covered, then add them to the batter. Coating the beans with flour will help stop sinking while baking. Save a few to sprinkle on the top if you like.

Mix well and then pour the batter into the loaf pan.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until you can pierce the center with a skewer and it comes out clean.

Tip: If you want to guarantee the iconic cracked top, quickly pull the pan out of the oven around the 30-minute mark and use a knife to lightly score the top to help it along. It’s kinda cheating, but it guarantees results!

When it’s cooked and the skewer comes out clean, transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5-10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan and letting it cool completely.

Once cool, cut, serve and enjoy!

Heat your water to about 80°C (176°F), this will be to whisk the matcha.

Pour the milk into a microwavable jug and add a drop of vanilla essence. Microwave for 1 minute at 600W.

If you are making this recipe on the stove, pour the milk into a saucepan and heat on medium-low until 60°C (140°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, wait for small bubbles to form around the edges and stir continuously to prevent a skin from forming. Be careful not to let it boil.

Pour the heated water into a wide bowl and sift in the matcha (this will help prevent lumps).

Whisk in a back-and-forth motion (rather than around in the circle) until the matcha has dissolved and is foamy on the surface.

Break the white chocolate into small pieces. The smaller they are, they quicker they will dissolve. Drop them into the heated milk, mix and return to the microwave for 1 minute 600W.

If you’re making it on the stove, turn off the heat and add the chocolate. Mix until melted.

Pour the matcha mixture into the milk.

Mix until well combined.

Pour the completed Matcha White Chocolate into a cup.

Add toppings of your choice and enjoy! (See below for topping ideas!)

Take your eggs from the fridge and separate the yolks and whites while they’re still cold. Make sure the whites are in a clean, dry bowl suitable for making meringue. Cover the bowls to stop them from forming a skin and let them come to room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Use this time to measure out your other ingredients. Apart from the cream and strawberries, it is better if all your ingredients are room temperature so that they are easier to mix together.

Wash and dry your strawberries, then finely dice half of them for the filling. The smaller the dice, the easier it will be to roll your cake. Keep the strawberries and cream in the fridge until it’s time to assemble.

Line your pan with baking parchment and make sure it hangs over the edges, this will make it easier to remove the sponge once it’s baked.

I mentioned earlier that I’ve made this recipe in 25x25cm (approx 10×10″) and 22x26cm (8.5×10″) square or rectangular baking pans, but if you are using a standard US jelly roll pan (10×15″) you will need to multiply the ingredients by 1.5

Start preheating your oven to 160°C (320 °F) fan. (A higher setting might be required for conventional oven.)

Add the whole milk, canola oil and honey to a heatproof bowl and microwave for 20 seconds at 600W. Whisk thoroughly and then add the egg yolks.

Sift the cake flour, bread flour and matcha powder into a separate bowl, then pour it back into the sieve and sift into the wet mixture.

Whisk until smooth and then set aside.

Start whipping the egg whites, and once they become foamy, add the sugar one-third at a time. Make sure the sugar is fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next third.

Continue to whip until the meringue has stiff peaks. It should point up firmly without folding over.

Add one-third of the meringue to the matcha batter and whisk to loosen the mixture. Don’t worry about losing the air too much at this point.

If the matcha batter is still too thick, add a little more meringue but make sure to save at least half of the meringue for folding in. The batter should be loose enough to make ribbons (pictured above).

Gently fold in the rest of the meringue using a spatula, being careful not to mix too vigorously. It’s important that we keep in as much air as possible at this point. Fold the batter, turn the bowl and repeat until there is no more white to be seen.

Pour the mixture into your cake pan and spread it out, making sure to push the batter into the corners. Once smooth, drop it on the counter twice to pop any large air bubbles and place it in the oven for 15-20 minutes. I recommend checking on it after 12 minutes and taking it out of the oven as soon as you start to see any browning.

During the baking time, place a glass bowl in the freezer. This will be used to whip the cream later.

Once it’s out of the oven, immediately remove the sponge from the pan to prevent any residual cooking. You can use the excess baking paper to gently slide it onto a wire rack to cool.

Carefully peel the edges of the baking paper and cover the surface of the cake with plastic wrap to stop it from drying out. Let it cool down for 10-15 minutes.

Take the mixing bowl from the freezer and add your heavy cream, sugar and vanilla essence. Whip together until thick enough to spread. Transfer a few tbsp to a piping bag and store it in the fridge to decorate later.

Add the finely diced strawberries and mix until evenly incorporated.

Flip the sponge over and peel off the baking paper. Replace it with a new piece of baking paper and flip it over once more. Peel the plastic wrap off of the surface, don’t worry if a thin layer of the sponge comes off, this will be the inside of the cake.

The plastic wrap side is the inside of the cake, the baking paper side is the outside.

Trim two parallel edges at a slight angle to make it easier to roll, then add your cream. Spread the cream thick in the middle and then thin at the edges to stop it from bursting out.

Use the baking paper to help you roll the cake tightly. Scrape away any excess cream and wrap the baking paper firmly around the outside, folding in the edges.

Wrap once more, this time with plastic wrap to stop it from drying out, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour to stabilize the cream.

Unwrap the cake and trim off the ends using a warm, sharp knife. (Perfect opportunity to taste test!)

Decorate the top with leftover cream and strawberries, and sprinkle with powdered sugar or matcha.

Enjoy homemade matcha roll cake with family and friends!

Pour the whole milk and heavy cream into a saucepan and heat on low. Stir continuously and bring the temperature to 60-70°C (140-158°F). If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, look out for small bubbles forming around the edge of the pan and then remove the pan from the heat. Be careful not to let the milk boil.

Add the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch to a heatproof bowl and whisk until pale and smooth.

Pour a few tablespoons of the hot milk into the bowl while whisking. This will temper the eggs and prevent them from cooking too quickly and becoming lumpy.

Once tempered, slowly add the rest of the milk and cream while whisking continuously.

I like to wipe out the pan and pour the mixture back in using a sieve to ensure it’s lump-free.

Sift the matcha powder into the ice cream mixture and then turn on the heat to low/medium-low.

Whisk until it’s fully incorporated. The mixture might become a little foamy, but the bubbles will disappear as it thickens.

Stir continuously over the low heat and scrape the bottom occasionally to prevent burning. Remove the pan from the heat once the mixture reaches a thick, custard-like consistency that coats the back of a spoon.

Place a metal bowl in an ice bath and pour the ice cream mixture inside. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the top, touching the surface of the ice cream. This will stop a skin from forming on top.

Leave to cool for 10-20 minutes or until cool to the touch.

Take the chilled container from the freezer and pour the matcha ice cream mixture inside. Cover with a lid and place in the coldest part of the freezer for 30 minutes.

While the mixture is still soft, you can churn by whisking. Make sure to scrape down the sides and stir them into the middle so that the ice cream freezes evenly all over. I whisk for about 1 minute before placing it back in the freezer.

Continue to churn every 30-45 minutes for 3-4 hours (about 6 times in total). The more you churn, the smoother the ice cream will be so feel free to churn more if you have time.

Once it becomes too thick to whisk, switch to a spatula or spoon.

Once you’ve finished churning, freeze for about 2-3 hours. This can take longer, depending on the season or temperature of your freezer.

Remove your homemade matcha ice cream from the freezer 5-10 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop.

Serve on its own or as part of another dessert and enjoy!

The first step is to mix the butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth. To do this easily, the butter should be room temperature or slightly warmer so it’s easy to combine with the sugar.

You shouldn’t use melted butter for two main reasons. Firstly, it won’t cream properly, and when you add the flour, it will absorb too quickly and can make the cookies dense and uneven. They’re also more likely to spread in the oven if you use melted butter.

For best results, butter should be soft enough to easily press a dent with your finger.

Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla essence until combined. The egg yolk adds moisture and helps bind the cookies, and vanilla adds an extra element of sweetness that compliments the matcha.

In Japan, it’s a lot cheaper and easier to get hold of vanilla essence, but if you’re using vanilla extract, use half the amount.

For an even result, I recommend combining the flour, matcha and salt in a separate bowl.

Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to ensure there are no lumps of matcha, and then combine them by mixing the dough with a spatula or wooden spoon.

If the dough is very stiff and difficult to mix, add a small amount of whole milk (about 1/2 tsp at a time) until it’s slightly softer and pipe-able. It should still be quite firm and stable for a defined end result.

For this recipe, you will need a piping bag and a star nozzle. Place the bag in a tall glass, drop the nozzle in and add the dough to the piping bag. If you’re doubling or tripling the recipe, I recommend adding half or one-third of the dough at a time so that it doesn’t become too warm in your hands. Cut the tip of the bag and push the dough down. Twist up the top and you’re ready to pipe!

Line a baking sheet with baking paper and pipe your designs, leaving about 2cm of space between each cookie. If the dough is still too stiff to pipe, try running the piping bag under warm water for a minute to help soften it further.

I recommend drawing your designs on a piece of paper and placing it underneath the baking paper so that you can trace it. I start from the top of the trunk, make a “U” shape and then pipe from left to right to make the tree branches.

If you like, you can download my free printable Christmas tree template here!

If you’re decorating with sugar sprinkles or decorations that don’t melt, you can add them before baking too. Don’t add chocolate or meltable decorations until later.

For best results, chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before baking!

While your cookies are resting in the fridge, preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F).

Once they’ve been chilling for 30 minutes, place them in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 12-15 minutes.

I recommend baking multiple trays in batches to ensure even cooking, but if you increase the recipe and want to use multiple shelves, you can swap and turn them every 5 minutes to ensure they’re all evenly cooked.

Allow them to cool for about 20-30 minutes, and then decorate as you like! I usually dip the tree trunks in chocolate and dust them with powdered sugar for a simple approach, but my wife decorated them this time, and she really went to town.

You can use things like royal icing, different colors of chocolate, sprinkles, etc! Why not go all out? It’s Christmas after all!

First, add both the white and brown sugar to a mixing bowl with room-temperature butter cut into cubes. (If you forgot to take the butter out of the fridge in advance, microwave it for 20-30 seconds or until softened but not melted.)

Mix together until combined. I do this by hand but feel free to use a mixer if you prefer.

Crack the egg into the bowl and add a small amount of vanilla essence or extract.

Mix thoroughly until evenly distributed. If you’re using a mixer, use a slow setting so that the egg doesn’t become too airy.

Add the plain flour, matcha powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt to a separate bowl.

Whisk thoroughly until all the ingredients are evenly distributed through the flour.

Pour the contents of the bowl of dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Mix until a firm but slightly sticky dough forms.

Once there’s no more dry flour visible, add the chocolate. I personally use a chocolate bar cut into chunks, but chocolate chips are also perfectly fine.

White chocolate works well with matcha because it doesn’t overpower the flavor, but if you don’t like white chocolate, you could use milk chocolate, nuts, or even boiled adzuki beans.

Shape the dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or a silicone baking mat (these tend to help prevent too much spreading). I usually make 16 cookies from this dough, approximately 2 tbsp (40g) of dough per cookie.

Place 8 balls of cookie dough on each sheet with plenty of space between each one; they will spread as they cook. I also recommend baking each sheet separately to ensure even cooking.

Place the baking sheet in the fridge (or freezer for a short time) and preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). The time it takes for the oven to preheat (10 minutes or so) is the perfect amount of chilling time for the cookies.

Once the oven is heated, place the tray of cookies on the middle shelf and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.

Remove the cookies from the oven and while they’re still soft, use the edge of a knife or a large glass/cookie cutter (larger than the actual cookies) to neaten the edges. This will improve the presentation but is not essential. (Don’t cut the cookies though!)

Once you’re happy with the shape, leave them to cool on the baking tray for about 20 minutes. You will not be able to move them because they will be too soft when they’re warm. (Patience is needed here, sorry!)

Once the cookies have cooled and firmed up, tuck in and enjoy!

First, boil your water and then let it cool to about 80°C (176°F). While you’re waiting for it to cool, sift the matcha into a small bowl. I recommend a wide bowl with a pourable spout, but it’s not essential.

For iced latte, I recommend 2 tsp of matcha per serving.

Matcha tends to absorb moisture easily and it’s common for it to have lumps. It’s very important to sift it before use!

Add sugar to the bowl. The sugar helps elevate the flavor of the matcha, but if you want to reduce the sweetness, you can omit it here.

Once the water has reached 80°C (176°F), pour it into the bowl.

Whisk thoroughly using a matcha whisk (chasen).

Whisk back and forth until the matcha and sugar have dissolved and a foam has formed on top.

In a separate measuring jug, add the milk and honey (or syrup of your choice).

Whisk until well incorporated.

Fill a glass with ice one-third of the way up.

Pour the milk over the top.

Carefully pour the matcha mixture on top. I use a spoon to slow the flow and create a matcha layer on top.

Admire your creation for a few seconds, then mix well and enjoy!

Measuring out your ingredients in advance and letting them come to room temperature will make them easier to mix and incorporate.

Once you’re ready to start, preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F) or 170°C (338°F) for fan assisted ovens.

Place your chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl.

Microwave for 30 seconds (600W) and mix.

Continue to microwave in 20-second intervals until the chocolate and butter have completely melted, mixing each time.

Add the caster and light brown sugar while the chocolate mixture is still hot.

Mix until fully dissolved into the chocolate and then leave it to cool for 5-10 minutes. (It should be cool enough to touch before adding the eggs.)

While waiting for the mixture to cool, line the cake pan with baking parchment. For best results, use a 7 inch (18cm) square cake pan for this recipe.

If your pan doesn’t have a removable base, be sure to make the baking parchment overlap the edges so it’s easier to lift out the brownie once it’s cooked.

Add the flour, matcha powder and salt to a bowl and mix until evenly distributed. Set aside for later.

Once the chocolate is cool to the touch, add the eggs one and a time and mix well in between.

Add the vanilla essence and mix well.

Sift the flour, matcha and salt into the chocolate mixture.

Fold gently while turning the bowl until the ingredients are fully combined.

Pour the mixture into the lined cake pan and smooth out the top.

Bake for 23-25 minutes or until you can pierce it with a toothpick and it comes out with moist crumbs. Be careful not to overbake.

Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes. Carefully lift the brownies out of the pan (still in the paper) and onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Cut the brownies into 9 or 12 squares and sprinkle with matcha powder.

Enjoy!