Green Tea Brioche and a touch of whimsy

You know when you get a weird urge some times; something in your head that you can’t shake, and it’s not because you ate some dodgy takeaway? It’s been in my mind all week, to make green tea brioche. I even knew what I wanted to do with it, once it was baked. Cut them into stars, skewer them and serve them alongside a hot beverage. Tea is my usual default option, but this time I thought I would attempt to overcome my prejudice against hot chocolate, to try Michel Bras’ recipe. There was also Michael Recchiuti’s recipe for white hot chocolate to consider, but I think that would be like stepping too far into the deep end without arm-floaties, for me.

So, dark hot chocolate it is. The recipe below serves two kids, or 1 adult who might claim to not like hot chocolate, until they taste this and beg for more, so make sure you prepare a little extra for such eventualities.

Other great things you can do this brioche (apart from eating it as is), is make caramelised green tea brioche and blackberry custard sandwiches (as pictured), a brioche and red bean bread ‘n’ butter pudding, or even green tea brioche ice-cream. Or, you could just eat it as it is. Really!

Hot Chocolate :
(Un chocolat chaud pour petit e pour grand; from The Notebooks of Michel Bras, by Michel Bras)

150g to 200g whole milk
60g butter
50g bittersweet chocolate
5g pralin (optional)
small pinch of salt
10g sugar

Combine all the ingredients and boil. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Mix [with an electric blender]. Serve piping hot. Drink and have another.

If you are a “grown-up”, you can strengthen the flavour by adding a teaspoon of cocoa powder.

31 Comments »

  1. Christie @ fig&cherry said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 10:47 am

    These scream high tea! Or a little girls fairy party. I wish I was going to a child’s birthday soon so I could make them… Great shots Y!

  2. Y said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 10:57 am

    Christie, I’m sure they wouldn’t be out of place at a big kid’s party too 🙂 The hot chocolate seems particularly appropriate at the moment, given the weather!

  3. Katie said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 11:34 am

    I know what you mean about an idea being stuck in your head for days. Usually, for me, they are good ideas. Star-shaped green tea brioche on a stick with hot chocolate … now that’s a good idea!

  4. pea and pear said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 11:37 am

    Y, I am looking out my rainy window and thinking about hot chocolate..then I find this entry waiting for me!!! Thank you for the perfect timing and the yummy hot chocolate 🙂 Ali

  5. Y said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 11:47 am

    Katie : Usually the ideas in my head never turn out the way I want them too, but this one kind of worked out alright 🙂

    Hi Ali! Is it raining where you are? It looks threatening here, but I hope it will wait until I’ve been to the shops and back. I’ve run out of butter!

  6. cakebrain said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 12:06 pm

    I so love matcha…and it’s so good for you too! What a fantastic idea. Great food styling, yet again!

  7. Christy said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 2:02 pm

    I think I know how you feel about hot chocolate—i like them as long as i don’t have to take more than 5 mouthfuls. But this one by michel bras should be good, no?

  8. Vera said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 2:59 pm

    Y, what an interesting way of using matcha! And absolutely adorable idea of serving.

  9. the caked crusader said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 6:35 pm

    what a lovely idea – perfect for a winter treat! Love the idea of cutting the bread into stars and other little shapes

  10. Aran said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 8:56 pm

    this must taste like heaven… all that butter and matcha… lovely!

  11. E for KC said,

    July 23, 2008 @ 11:07 pm

    Oooh, everything you make is so beautiful and creative! I can’t wait to try some of these things in my kitchen!

  12. grace said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 12:28 am

    how fancy-shmancy of you! here’s what i’d do with my brioche-pop: submerge it in the hot chocolate until it became fully saturated and then eat it whole. i’m not dainty when it comes to chocolate. 🙂

  13. Sophie said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 12:33 am

    I love how you’ve taken a simple thing like hot chocolate and made it elegant without taking one bit of the comforting aspect away from it. Your pops are so adorable. I could see these being served for an afternoon tea, or a quick sweet snack. Great presentation!

  14. Sophie said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 12:35 am

    I almost forgot to answer your question :): lactaid is lactose-free milk that they sell here in the US. It’s quite popular among lactose intolerant folks, and it’s very good, tastes just like milk but a tad sweeter.

  15. Donal said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 1:06 am

    They are so cute! I love your presentation!

  16. christine. said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 2:02 am

    these are darling! I love the idea of a hot chocolate-fondue-ish set up. Perfect for tea parties of any kind. I’m sorry if this sounds dumb, but a recipe for green tea brioche? 🙂 Or if you could direct me to one. Thanks!

  17. Food.Baby said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 8:31 am

    Beautiful presentation! I never would’ve thought to pair them like that!

  18. Alexa said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 9:45 am

    That’s brilliant! I love the idea of combining the two… very original. The presentation is just so sweet as well.

  19. matt wright said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 9:56 am

    Look at those cute little bows. Blimey. I made this hot chocolate last winter (I think it was this one anyway), and it was awesome. The brioche looks great too!

    White hot chocolate sounds nasty.

  20. Y said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 11:04 am

    Thank you all for the comments! Christine and anyone else who requires a recipe for brioche, you might like to try this one which I bookmarked via Eva.

  21. Rindy R. said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 12:01 pm

    Yum- Food on a stick – how can you go wrong with that….and then add hot chocolate to the equation and you have a home run! Looks adorable and I bet it tastes even better! Thanks for sharing this cute idea!

  22. Vanille said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 12:21 pm

    With this end-of-world weather, what a good idea to drink a hot chocolate and have an other one…

  23. courtney said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 1:41 pm

    What other brilliant ideas are floating around in that head of yours?

  24. fanny said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 7:51 pm

    oh these are totally gorgeous and so so cute. I’m most definitely trying to find some time to make them.
    xx fanny

  25. Lorraine E said,

    July 24, 2008 @ 9:40 pm

    Interesting, butter in a hot chocolate! I must try that!

  26. cakewardrobe said,

    July 25, 2008 @ 12:34 am

    Great photos! I feel like a tea party now!

  27. Tartelette said,

    July 25, 2008 @ 10:36 am

    Matcha and chocolate go so well together, this must be heaven on a brioche! Love it!

  28. Mandy said,

    July 25, 2008 @ 11:09 am

    the idea of green tea brioche is intriguing. I can totally imagine how tasty it is with hot chocolate. 🙂

  29. Patricia Scarpin said,

    July 26, 2008 @ 3:42 am

    These are so delicate and beautiful!

  30. Tea Info said,

    July 27, 2008 @ 2:25 am

    That looks absolutely fantastic!

  31. Thip said,

    July 27, 2008 @ 3:54 am

    I love green tea & red bean combination. Brioche is also my favorite bread–gotta try this recipe sometimes. 🙂

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