Hojicha powder has been growing in popularity in the last few years. I’ve had it in lattes, sweets, and baked goods, but haven’t tried it for the blog!
Description: “Amoda hojicha is slow roasted in small batches, resulting in a rich, roasted flavour that’s incredibly smooth and lightly sweet with nutty notes and caramel undertones”
Instructions: 1 – 2 teaspoon per mug | Whisk one teaspoon of powder with approximately two ounces of hot water. Top up with hot milk of choice and sweetened as desired. We like using oat milk and maple syrup!
Review: Like matcha, which is grounded shaded green tea, hojicha powder is also grounded, but a roasted green tea. Behind matcha, hojicha seems to be the next most popular grounded tea, however, I have seen various types in the last few years, ranging from oolong to black.
While the recommendations on the packaging of the hojicha powder suggested oat milk, I used almond milk instead due to dietary restrictions. I also assumed, that it was like culinary-grade matcha and was meant to be used in lattes, so that is what I did!
When opening the pouch, there was a charcoal-roasted smelling plume that lingered in the air. The powder was fine and a tan brown colour. I sifted hojicha powder into the cup to ensure there were no clumps.
After adding the hot water, the powder quickly mixed and was not clumpy and became an opaque medium-brown colour. Adding the almond milk turned the liquor into a pale tan brown colour. I added a splash of maple syrup. The flavour had a classic hojicha taste – roasted, caramel, woody, and nutty, from the tea, almond milk and maple syrup. With one teaspoon, it was not overly roasted. The maple syrup added a gentle sweetness to the latte.
I also tried using the hojicha powder and almond milk with Lu Ann’s, the author of the Cup of Life, Peanut Butter Hojicha Latte recipe. Lu Ann has a handful of hojicha lattes recipes, but this one caught my eye since I am a peanut butter fan! I did not have smooth peanut butter, but I did have a packet of it and used that instead.
The latte had a nice roasted note with a nuttier profile with the addition of the peanut butter. The nuttiness of the peanut butter was a lovely compliment to the hojicha. Like normal peanut butter, it did stick slightly to the top of my mouth. I also had a little bit of trouble with getting a thick layer of froth when I was whisking the milk. I assume because I did not use smooth peanut butter. So, I frothed a little bit of extra almond milk to top off the cup. I would suggest this recipe to people who like peanut butter!
Going back to the hojicha powder itself, If you want a stronger flavour, you could use 2 teaspoons, however, as someone who does not like strong roasted teas, I found the flavour was overpowered and verged on tasting savoury or like mushrooms. I also tried making the latte with and without maple syrup, the maple syrup added sweetness and enhanced the nuttiness of the tea. However, without the maple syrup, the roasted flavour and woody flavours were more pronounced. Lastly, like with some other hojicha lattes I’ve had, there was a little bit of grittiness that stuck to the tongue and left the mouth feeling dry.
Overall, I enjoyed the hojicha powder in the two different lattes I made and have yet to try it in other things like cookies or sweets. This would be good for people who enjoy roasted teas, Japanese teas, or want a tea where you do not need to steep it before using it in a recipe. I would like to try this in other recipes and see what else pairs well with it (3/5 rating).
- Type: Green tea
- Origin: Kagoshima, Japan
- Caffeine: Very low
- Ingredients: Organic roasted green tea
- Company: Amoda Tea
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