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What is matcha chocolate?

Matcha chocolate is chocolate with real matcha worked through it. The matcha gives it everything: a deep green colour, a fresh, grassy taste and a gentle bitterness that balances the sweetness.

Only matcha, chocolate and cocoa butter

That is the whole trick. Green chocolate often gets help from colourings and flavourings. Ours doesn't. Our matcha chocolate sticks contain matcha, chocolate and cocoa butter, and nothing else: no colourings, no flavourings, no emulsifiers. The green you see is the matcha itself, and so is the taste.

Which matcha is best?

The best matcha comes from tea bushes that grow in the shade for at least 20 days before the harvest, often three to four weeks. With less sunlight, the young leaves make more chlorophyll and keep more of their sweet amino acids. That gives a deep green colour and a soft, rich taste with little bitterness. After the harvest, the leaves are steamed, dried and ground very fine. In chocolate that counts twice: a deeper green without any colouring, and a taste that stays smooth even at high strengths.

How much matcha can chocolate hold?

Matcha is ground very fine and contains no fat. The more matcha you add, the drier the chocolate becomes, until it no longer holds its shape. At around 25% you are close to the limit. That is why the darkest stick in 7 Shades of Matcha Chocolate stops at 25%. We make it with Japanese matcha.

Why matcha chocolate in 7 levels?

With a little matcha the chocolate is soft, creamy and only lightly green. With every step the colour deepens and the taste becomes fresher and more intense, with a longer, slightly bitter finish: from 1.2% matcha in the first stick to 25% in the seventh. Tasting them side by side shows how much a few percent of matcha can change.

What is hojicha?

Hojicha is Japanese green tea that is roasted after the leaves have been steamed and dried. The roasting turns the leaves brown and softens the grassy freshness. What remains is warm, nutty and a little like caramel, with hardly any bitterness. In 7 Shades of Matcha Chocolate, two hojicha sticks close the box: a warm, roasted counterpoint after all that green.

How to taste matcha chocolate

1. Let the chocolate reach room temperature first, so the flavour opens up.
2. Start with the mildest strength and let each piece melt slowly.
3. Drink a little water between strengths.
4. End with hojicha as a warm, roasted finish.

Frequently asked questions

Is matcha chocolate the same as green tea chocolate?

Not always. Matcha is made from shade-grown tea leaves that are ground very fine. Chocolate sold as green tea chocolate can also be made with other green tea, or get its colour from colourings. Ours contains only matcha, chocolate and cocoa butter.

Does Hito matcha chocolate contain colourings?

No. The green comes only from the matcha.

Does matcha chocolate contain caffeine?

Yes, a little. Matcha is made from tea leaves, so matcha chocolate contains some caffeine. The more matcha, the more caffeine.

How do I store matcha chocolate?

In a cool, dry and dark place between 15 and 18 °C, away from strong smells. Light fades the green of matcha.

Where can I buy Hito matcha chocolate?

At shops, cafes and online stores that stock Hito Matcha. See where to buy.