Focaccia Frenzy #4 - Blueberry Matcha Focaccia
with a touch of white chocolate, vanilla glaze, and a cinnamon crumble
Attached you will find two versions of this recipe: The Easy Way and the Technical Way. Both are delicious. Enjoy!
I have a strong relationship with matcha that started in 2020. I had been over consuming coffee and needed a break, but I didn’t really want to do the whole “no caffeine” thing…(y’all who can really do that by the way?). So I started whisking up matcha lattes for myself and really loved the delivery of energy that it brought forth: a smoother, lighter, more drawn out caffeine buzz but without the feeling of a crash (at least for me). Admittedly, nothing beats the flavor and satisfaction of a cup of coffee so after about a year of exclusively drinking matcha, I went back into the coffee world and have worked on trying to moderate my consumption.
But out of my matcha phase arose something that sticks with me to this day - baking with matcha powder. The first thing I ever baked with matcha was a matcha babka with a coconut streusel. It was absolutely phenomenal, and ever since, I have found so many different ways to bake with matcha powder. If you’ve ever tried to do this, you might have found out that there are different types of matcha powder out there, some better suited for cooking and baking. Here is a quick breakdown of the two most prominent matcha types you can find:
Ceremonial Grade: best for making drinks, this is the most common type of matcha powder you’re likely to encounter at the grocery store. It’s got earthy, nuanced flavor that is best suited as the start of the show
Culinary Grade: best for use in baked goods and cooking where other flavor profiles will be present.
Honestly, I’ve baked with both types of matcha and had pleasant results either way, so whatever you can find should work perfectly in this recipe.
Although I deviated from the Caribbean focaccia energy for this one, I do find that it is one of the better focaccia’s I’ve ever made. The blueberry jam really makes the difference, and the matcha flavor comes in brilliantly through the dough as it lends itself as a good slurry making vessel to add to the olive oil during the mix.
