Okay, so I decided to give these matcha chocolate lava cakes a shot today. It sounded interesting, that mix of green tea and gooey chocolate.
Getting Started
First thing, I gathered all the bits and pieces I needed. Got out the white chocolate, some butter, eggs, a bit of sugar, flour, and of course, the matcha powder. You really need good matcha for this, otherwise, it just tastes grassy.
I also prepared my little ramekin dishes. Rubbed butter all inside them, then dusted them with flour. Tapped out the extra. This is super important, otherwise, getting the cakes out later is a nightmare.
Mixing it Up
Next, I tackled the chocolate. Chopped up the white chocolate pretty small. Put it in a heatproof bowl with the butter. I set this bowl over a saucepan with just a bit of simmering water – like a makeshift double boiler. Stirred it pretty much constantly until it was all melted and smooth. You gotta watch white chocolate, it burns easy.
While that cooled slightly, I cracked a couple of eggs into another bowl. Added the sugar. Whisked them together. Didn’t go crazy, just until it was mixed well.
Then, I poured the slightly cooled, melted white chocolate and butter mixture into the egg mix. Stirred it all together gently. The smell was starting to get good already.
Adding the Green and Dry Stuff
Time for the main event. I sifted the flour and a decent amount of matcha powder right into the wet mixture. Sifting helps avoid lumps. Gently folded everything together with a spatula. The key is not to overmix it here. Just combine until you don’t see streaks of flour or matcha.
Baking Time – The Nervous Part
Okay, filled up the prepared ramekins with the green batter. Maybe about two-thirds full, you need space for them to rise a bit. Carefully placed them on a baking sheet and slid them into the preheated oven.
This is where you gotta pay attention. Lava cakes bake fast. Too long, and you lose the lava. Too short, and it’s just raw batter. I watched them closely. The edges started to look set, but the middle still had a little jiggle. That’s what I aimed for.
The Moment of Truth
Pulled them out of the oven. Let them sit in the ramekins for just a minute or two. This part always makes me nervous. Ran a small knife around the edge just to be safe.
Put a plate on top of a ramekin, took a deep breath, and flipped it over. Gave the bottom a little tap. Lifted the ramekin off… and yes! It worked! The little cake stood there.
Did the same for the others. To check the lava, I took a spoon and broke into the side of one. That lovely green, molten center oozed out. Looked fantastic.
- Gathered ingredients: white chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, flour, matcha.
- Prepped ramekins: buttered and floured.
- Melted chocolate and butter together.
- Whisked eggs and sugar.
- Combined wet ingredients.
- Folded in sifted flour and matcha powder.
- Filled ramekins.
- Baked until edges set, center soft.
- Rested briefly, then inverted onto plates.
They tasted great. The slight bitterness of the matcha cut through the sweetness of the white chocolate really well. Definitely a fun bake, and that lava effect is always cool to see. Worth the effort, I’d say.
