Banana Pudding Hojicha Latte
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Banana Pudding Hojicha Latte is a popular dessert-like drink that combines the roasted, toasty flavor of Japanese hojicha with a creamy, sweet banana pudding topping.
Have you tried the viral Banana Pudding Matcha Latte? Creamy, thick banana pudding on top of a silky, iced matcha latte. How good is that?
How about we switch the matcha with hojicha? The hojicha or Japanese roasted green tea has a rich, nutty, and toasty flavor that pairs perfectly with the creamy banana pudding. The hojicha adds a depth of flavor and a hint of smokiness, balanced by the sweetness of the banana and the richness of the pudding, making for a luxuriously smooth and indulgent latte that’s as satisfying as dessert in a cup.
What is Hojicha?
Hojicha is a type of Japanese green tea that has been roasted, giving it a distinctive brown color and a unique smoky, nutty flavor. This roasting process lowers the caffeine level and creates a mellow, slightly sweet, and toasty taste. The decreased caffeine content means you can drink it later in the day.
Differences Between Hojicha and Matcha
Hojicha and matcha are both Japanese green teas, but they differ significantly in their taste, appearance, and preparation methods. Matcha is a vibrant green powder made from finely ground tea leaves, offering a vegetal, slightly sweet, and umami flavor with a creamy texture. Hojicha, on the other hand, is a brown-colored tea, created by roasting green tea leaves, resulting in a toasty, nutty, and smoky flavor with a mellow sweetness. Additionally, hojicha has a significantly lower caffeine content compared to matcha.
How to Make Banana Pudding
You can pick up a tub of banana pudding from your local bakery to make this recipe. Or you can make my Homemade Banana Pudding recipe at home. Made with homemade vanilla pudding, whipped cream, ripe bananas, and vanilla wafers, this recipe is the very best version you can make. Plus, it is surprisingly easy to make and a great no-bake dessert.
You will need to make the banana pudding a day ahead before making this Banana Pudding Matcha Latte. The pudding will firm up as it refrigerates overnight, and the banana flavor will intensify.
Recommended Tools to Make This Latte
If you love making beverages with matcha powder, I highly recommend getting these tools:
- Bamboo whisk. It is also called chasen. It blends the tea powder and liquid well, introducing air to the mixture to create foam and froth. Before usage, you need to soak it in warm water for a few minutes to soften the prongs and make them more flexible, preventing breakage. This also helps to clean the whisk and remove any impurities. After soaking, gently shake off the excess water and it’s ready to use.
- Spouted bowl. It is also called chawan, specially designed to make whisking and pouring much easier.
- Milk frother. If you don’t have the bamboo whisk and spouted bowl, you can also whisk the hojicha with a milk frother.
More Hojicha Recipes
- Black Sugar Hojicha Latte
- Mini Crunchy Hojicha Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Hojicha Brownie Cookies
- Eggless Hojicha Tiramisu Cake
- Hojicha Panna Cotta
Ingredients
- 2 tsp (4 gr) hojicha powder
- 1/6 cup (40 ml) hot water, 175℉/80℃
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
- Ice cubes
- Sweetener of choice, optional
- 2 scoops banana pudding
- Vanilla wafers, crushed
Instructions
- Add hojicha and hot water into a spouted bowl. Use a bamboo whisk (chasen) to whisk briskly, drawing a letter W or Z, until no lumps remain and a little foamy. You can also use a milk frother or small whisk if you don't have the bamboo whisk. Set aside.
- Add milk, ice cubes, and sweetener into the serving glass. Pour in the hojicha mixture.
- Add scoops of banana pudding and crushed vanilla wafers on top. Serve immediately.
