If there’s one dessert food trend that is unlikely to die out, it is Japanese green tea, or matcha. In most cafes, you’re very likely to find a matcha latte or a matcha dessert on the menu. But today, we’d like to talk about matcha’s just-as-delicious but less-talked-about counterpart – houjicha.
Houjicha is essentially roasted Japanese green tea. It is rich, earthy and nutty with a smoky aftertaste that imparts an incredible depth of flavour. This powerhouse ingredient has been used in many desserts in creative ways. Here are some to help you get started!
Hvala – Houjicha Petit Gateau
Hvala is a Japanese-style cafe specializing in curating matcha, hojicha and unique tea from various regions in Japan. Their Houjicha Petit Gateau ($8.80) is made with hojicha rated in Wazuka Japan, and then roasted to Hvala’s specifications. This results in a fragrant nuttiness and warm roasty aroma. Each mouthful of mousse, crumble and sponge cake brings a beautiful contrast of varied textures that are both moist and creamy, yet not overly sweet.
Matchaya – Houjicha Parfait
Matchaya takes great care and details in creating their parfaits; good layers of toppings with different texture and flavors. The Houjicha Parfait ($14.90) is a decaffeinated dessert layered with roasty Houjicha soft serve, coffee tea jelly, toasted rice puffs, Kinako espuma and finished with a dollop of azuki, soft, chewy shiratama, warabi mochi dusted in pure Houjicha powder. A dessert that will leave you wanting more!
Miam Miam – Houjicha Pancake
Miam Miam is known for their delicious fusion-style pasta and mains, but not many know that they have desserts that are just as splendid! The Houjicha Pancake ($13.80) is topped with handmade Houjicha whip (Japanese pot-roasted green tea), soybean mix coated dango balls and Azuki red beans, served with brown sugar syrup.
Sugar Thieves – Houjicha Croissant
The first one on the list to not be a cafe, Sugar Thieves is a local bakery that specializes in mousse cakes and croissants. We have nothing but good things to say about the Hojicha Croissant ($6.50) – a buttery, flaky pastry filled generously with thick, luscious hojicha-infused cream. It’s then dusted with more hojicha powder on top, making it a roasted-tea flavour bomb!
TSUJIRI – Houjicha Soft Serve
TSUJIRI is a dessert tea house specialising in matcha and houjicha. Their Houjicha Soft Ice Cream ($5) is nutty, with a wonderful roasted fragrance and lingering, delicate notes which coat your mouth even after you’ve finished your little treat. If you’d like a little something extra, additional toppings like shiratama (glutinous rice ball), kinako kuromitsu (Japanese sugar syrup), red bean, chocolate chips and genmai (brown rice flakes) are available at $1 each.
Bakery Brera & Fine Foods
We shared about Bakery Brera & Fine Foods previously, but today we’re shining the spotlight specifically on the Hojicha Burnt Cheesecake ($8). If you don’t like your houjicha flavour to come on too strongly, this yummy treat leans towards the sweeter side, but still enough of tea to differentiate from the average.
Nesuto – Konichiwa Houjicha
Lovers of houjicha, don’t miss out Nesuto’s seasonal cake, the Konichiwa Hōjicha ($65 for 16cm). This lovely cake consists of houjicha ganache and houjicha chantilly in between layers of houjicha soufflé chiffon sponge cake, topped with houjicha tea specks. Enjoy a moist creamy cake with the rich, roasted houjicha flavour along with a hint of sweetness.
Sweet Thoughts by M.O.D – Hojicha Shaved Ice
Shaved ice is a pretty popular dessert especially in Singapore’s climate. The Hojicha Shaved Ice ($6.90) at Sweet Thoughts by M.O.D is made with fresh Hojicha tea leaves (instead of the powder) infused into the soft and fluffy shaved ice. The toppings that come with it are also worth a mention – Azuki red beans, Konjac jelly and soya powdered muah chee that is both soft and chewy.
Keong Saik Bakery – Houjicha Swiss Roll
Keong Saik Bakery is home to some of the best contemporary bakes and coffee the city has to offer, including the Houjicha Swiss Roll ($7.50). You can taste the roasty houjicha right from your first bite, where its fragrance really punches through the soft fluffy sponge cake. For some extra creaminess and flavour, the cake is topped with hojicha ganache and further dusted with hojicha powder.
Milksha – Houjicha Jelly Frost
Milksha, is a popular bubble tea brand in Taiwan and Hong Kong that has set up shop in Singapore. The Hojicha Jelly Frost ($5.60) is a fragrant and refreshing drink with a nutty, toasty flavour, enhanced with blended ice and milk that pairs perfectly with their housemade grass jelly. Perfect as a midday pick-me-up!