Hojicha Chocolate Truffles (Print View)

Silky dark chocolate ganache infused with roasted hojicha tea, hand-rolled and dusted with aromatic tea powder for an elegant Japanese-inspired confection.

# Components:

→ Ganache

01 - 7 oz good-quality dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), finely chopped
02 - 4 fl oz heavy cream
03 - 0.35 oz hojicha tea leaves (roasted green tea), or 2 tbsp loose leaf
04 - 0.7 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 1 tsp honey, optional

→ Coating

06 - 3 tbsp hojicha powder (finely ground roasted green tea)

# Directions:

01 - Place the finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
02 - In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, add hojicha tea leaves, cover, and let steep for 7 minutes.
03 - Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing on the tea leaves to extract maximum flavor. Reheat if needed until just warm.
04 - Pour the infused cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes, then gently stir until smooth and fully melted.
05 - Add the butter and honey if using, stirring until glossy and well incorporated.
06 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the ganache is firm enough to scoop.
07 - Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out portions of ganache (about 0.5 oz each) and roll into balls between your palms.
08 - Place the hojicha powder in a shallow bowl. Roll each truffle in the powder to coat evenly.
09 - Arrange on a parchment-lined tray. Store truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving for optimal texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They look impossibly elegant but require zero tempering skills or fancy equipment.
  • The hojicha flavor is complex enough to impress but not so bold that it overshadows the chocolate.
  • You can make an entire batch in under three hours, most of which is just chilling time while you do something else.
02 -
  • If your ganache won't roll into balls, it's either too warm or not chilled long enough—return it to the refrigerator for another thirty minutes rather than fighting it.
  • The texture of hojicha powder matters enormously; if it's too coarse, the truffles look grainy instead of refined, so grind leaf tea until it's fine as cocoa powder if you're making your own.
03 -
  • If you can't find hojicha powder, grind loose leaf hojicha tea in a spice grinder or food processor until it becomes fine powder, sifting out any larger pieces that refuse to break down.
  • The magic temperature for cream is just-simmering, never boiling; use a thermometer if you're unsure, aiming for around 70°C before pouring over chocolate.
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