What is matcha?
Matcha is green tea that's been shaded before harvest, then dried and stone-ground into a fine powder. Because you consume the whole leaf instead of steeping it, the flavor and color are much stronger than regular green tea. It comes from Japan, where it's the tea of the traditional tea ceremony.
What does matcha chocolate taste like?
Sweet and creamy up front, then the tea comes through: grassy, a little bitter and savory, a bit like a matcha latte in solid form. The chocolate softens matcha's bitterness, and matcha keeps the chocolate from tasting only sweet.
Is matcha chocolate white chocolate?
Usually. White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, milk and sugar, with no dark cocoa solids, so it lets matcha's green color and flavor show. Some makers use milk or dark chocolate instead, which gives a deeper, more bitter bar where the tea plays a supporting role.
Does matcha chocolate have caffeine?
Yes, a little. Matcha is green tea, so it has caffeine, and white chocolate on its own has almost none. A matcha bar has far less than a cup of matcha, since a bar uses a small amount of powder spread across the whole thing.
What goes well with matcha in chocolate?
Fruit, mostly. Sweet, juicy fruit balances matcha's grassy bitterness. That's why frens pairs it with real diced mango in Mango Matcha and with strawberries in Strawberry Matcha. For matcha on its own, smooth and milky, there's Matcha Latte.
How do I pick a good matcha chocolate bar?
- Color: bright green usually means fresher, better matcha. Dull or yellowish green often means older or lower-grade tea
- Ingredients: look for matcha near the top of the list and cocoa butter as the fat, not palm or other vegetable fats
- Taste: you should taste tea, not just sugar
What's a good gift for a matcha lover?
All three frens matcha bars together make a small matcha tasting: Matcha Latte, Mango Matcha and Strawberry Matcha. For more gift ideas by person and occasion, see our gift guide.
How should I store matcha chocolate?
Somewhere cool, dry and dark. Light and air fade matcha's green color and dull its flavor, so keep the bar in its box, away from windows and heaters, and skip the fridge.