What is Green Tea Custard?
Green tea custard is a dessert used as a filling for donuts, eclairs, cakes and other baked desserts. It is made from milk, eggs, sugar, cornstarch and green tea powder. The result is a light custard, with a smooth creamy texture. The color is light green and the flavor is sweet, and gently bitter.
What does Green Tea Custard Taste Like?
Sweet is one of the five main tastes. It has smooth and round notes in its flavor profile. Sweet is a naturally occurring flavor in many foods, including fruits, berries, winter squashes, sugarcane, and honey. The sweet taste in these foods is due to a higher sugar content. Sweetness is characteristic of desserts and is used as an accent in savory foods.
Bitter is one of the five main tastes. It has a sharp and pungent profile. Bitter is a naturally occurring flavor in many foods, including coffee, chocolate, bitter melon, and chicory. Bitter is used sparingly to accentuate the flavors around it and can be mellowed by other tastes in both savory and sweet dishes.
Ingredients
Milk is almost always sourced come from cows. Sometimes sheep, goat, yak and water buffalo milk are used. In general, store bough milk comes from a cow, unless specified otherwise. Whole milk is white, or cream colored and has a higher fat content than skim milk and therefore a creamier and richer texture and flavor. The flavor is mild and bland with a hint of savory sweetness and is satisfying, especially due to its creaminess. Milk is served as a beverage and used in a multitude of dishes both sweet and savory.
Sugar comes from sugar cane and sugar beets. The sugar is extracted from the juice of both plants and refined into the granulated substance known as sugar. Sucrose, the sweet substance of sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose. White sugar is composed of tiny white, dry granules. The flavor is sweet and neutral. Brown sugar is brown and has more moisture, with a richer flavor that hints at molasses. Sugar is used in both sweet and savory foods.
Egg yolks are the small round and bright golden colored center of the egg. Some yolks may be a paler yellow, while others are almost orange, this has to to do with the diet of the hen who laid the egg. The egg yolk is surrounded by the egg white and holds its shape until punctured. The yolk is viscous and runny with a shiny quality. Once cooked the sheen disappears. Egg yolks taste somewhat sulfurous and mild.
Butter is made from churned cream, usually from a cow. It has a cream color and a texture that is smooth and melts easily. The flavor is mild and creamy. Butter is often sold in square sticks, or as a flat or round block. It is delicious on bread. It pairs better in baked goods than salted butter, due to its more neutral taste. It also makes an excellent cooking fat.
Cornstarch is obtained from the endosperm of the corn kernel. This is the main body and juicy part of the kernel. Cornstarch is a fine, white powder with a squeaky texture and neutral flavor. It is used in many foods, particularly in America. Cornstarch makes an easy thickener for liquids, such as sauces and an excellent binding agent for baked goods. In the 1800's cornstarch was used for starching laundry, making the clothing appear stiff and professional.
Matcha is a popular powdered green tea from Japan. It is made by finely grinding young green tea leaves into fine powder. The power is green and when mixed with water creates a vibrant shade. The flavor is bitter, strong, slightly sweet and almost floral and grassy. Matcha is used as a beverage and also in desserts for its flavor and color.
Vanilla extract is a flavoring used in baked goods, candies and drinks. It is made by infusing alcohol with vanilla pods or beans. This mixture sits for some months and is then strained. It is also extracted using heat and alcohol. The result of either is a thin brown liquid that smells and tastes like vanilla. It has a rich and gentle sweetness to its flavor.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
