St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and it’s this time of the year when I like to roll out a few matcha treats. It’s a strange Irish-Japanese tradition I’ve started, but any excuse to play with matcha is a good one, right? This little treat comes together so easily, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t make it this week. Don’t have any matcha? No worries. This chocolate bark will still taste great! I made a quick video to show you how to make the chocolate bark with the microwave method. For the double boiler method, refer to the recipe below.
MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES
Melting chocolate in the microwave: Melting chocolate in the microwave is quicker, but there are a few things you should note. First, make sure that you don’t microwave the chocolate for too long. The chocolate will seize up and harden. You only want about 60% of the chocolate chunks to melt. When you stir the unmelted chunks with the melted chocolate, the residual heat from the bowl should get the job done. Second, I’ve noticed that chocolate melted in the microwave also cools down and hardens a lot faster, so you’ll want to work quickly.Choosing the right matcha: Matcha can be quite expensive. A decent ceremonial grade matcha can run between $25 to $400 for 100g! When you’re cooking with matcha, I recommend using a culinary grade, which is usually much cheaper. The color of culinary matcha will not be as vibrant as ceremonial matcha, but they have a similar green tea flavor. For aesthetic reasons, I used a ceremonial grade matcha for these photographs.Freezing the chocolate: If you don’t want to wait 2 hours for the chocolate to set, stick it in the freezer for about 35 to 45 minutes. Moisture may develop on the chocolate, but it will still taste good. I suggest storing the chocolate in the refrigerator if you cool the chocolate in the freezer.Chocolate Bar vs. Chips: Feel free to use chocolate baking bars or chips. Personally, I didn’t think that the bark tasted as good with chocolate chips, but it works.
If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes by leaving a comment or sending me a message! Take a photo of the food and tag me on Instagram so that I can give you a fist bump! Seeing your creations makes my day!
