Matcha Affogato Is The Simplest Yet The Most Crowd-Pleasing Dessert Recipe I Know
Here is my problem: I can make sushi, but not dessert.
When it comes to dessert, I am hopeless (there, I said it.)
It’s been a (small) problem for me.
A dessert is just as important as the main dish. In some cases, it’s more important because it the last dish.
If you have ever been to a wedding reception dinner, you can probably answer this question: Which one do you remember more, the main dish or the dessert?
Some say the main dish, but from my experience, more people remember dessert.
I was never trained to make dessert. I still don’t know how to bake a sponge cake. I cannot bake, event a muffin.
The challenge is to make something simple — requires little prep that tastes great and makes a strong impact.
Mochi ice is easy and sure to please the crowd every time, I know. But it lacks the element of surprise. Most Japanese restaurants would carry the mochi ice. Many of my clients had them before.
I don’t remember exactly how I landed on this idea for Match Affogato (probably my wife said was great). Still, it came from Affogato I had at a neighborhood Italian pizza restaurant.
Affogato is gelato, or vanilla ice cream with hot espresso poured over it. As simple as it may be, it’s is quite a satisfying dessert. The combination of hot and cold is something you don’t usually experience.
The closest thing I can think of is apple pie ala mode (that is my extent knowledge in the dessert), a hot apple pie with ice cream. You get the idea, I hope?
I figure I substitute espresso with the match to make it Japanese fusion to go with sushi dinner.
It took me several years to figure out which ice cream to use. That was the hardest part. I tried some major national brands like dryers, as well as locally made ice cream. It turns out this Talenti Vanilla Bean Gelato worked out the best.
How do I know it’s the best combination with Matcha?
Because I noticed everyone ate this gelato, but not another ice cream. This is what my guests all liked. That was enough. Not the organic or locally made specialty ice cream.
Another key thing is the presentation — make it as beautiful as possible with decoration.
I make it as colorful and beautiful as possible: Rasberry, mint leaf, and rose paddles underneath the glass. And, if you can use nice-looking glass that people normally don’t see, that will make a great impression.
Ingredients
Matcha (ceremonial grade)
Talenti Vanilla Bean Gelato
Raspberry
Mint leaf
Rose petals (garnish)
Bamboo or electronic whisk
Instructions
Put Matcha powder in a bowl
Pour boiling water over Matcha
Using bamboo risk, mix the water until matcha powder is dissolved
In a glass, place one to two scoop of gelato
Garnish with a raspberry and mint lean
Rose petals go underneath the glass
Pour Matcha before serve