Hojicha - All About Hojicha Tea, Hojicha Latte, Hojicha Powder and More!
35 videos • 338 views • by Nioteas TV In this playlist, we are going to show you everything you ever wanted to know about hojicha tea! We'll get into what hojicha tea is, how to prepare hojicha, hojicha benefits and more. We'll also show you how to use hojicha powder in everything from hojicha lattes to hojicha desserts. Hojicha tea has become very popular in recent years. Unlike most Japanese green teas, hojicha is roasted. The roasting process of hojicha tea takes place in either a large hot pan, or in a roasting machine. During the roasting, the tea leaves change from green to brown, and they trade these grassy or vegetal notes, for warmer notes of coffee, caramel and chocolate. Instead of being yellowish green, the color of hojicha tea becomes a reddish brown due to the roasting process. This may make it look like a black tea, but it is actually a type of green tea. The reason it is a green tea is because the leaves are unoxidized. The moment tea leaves are picked, they will begin to oxidize naturally, as the polyphenols are converted into theaflavins and thearubigans. In order to stop this process and lock in the natural vegetable flavors of the leaf, the tea farmer needs to apply heat. Because hojicha tea is a Japanese green tea, the steaming process is favored. After the leaves are steamed, rolled and dried, they are ready to be roasted. The hojicha tea leaves are roasted for a long time at an intense heat. This separates the tea from Kamairicha, or partially roasted green tea. Hojicha is fully roasted, which requires an even higher temperature and a longer time. After the leaves are roasted, they are ready to be sold. Because of the roasting process, the hojicha tea can be brewed at a higher temperature. Normally, this would extract bitterness from the leaves but the bitterness of hojicha is essentially cooked off during the roasting. The hotter water brings out the stronger roasted flavors in the hojicha. Hojicha tea also works great as a cold brew, with the colder water extracting the slightly sweeter caramel notes of the leaves. The hojicha tea leaves can also be ground into a hojicha powder. This gives it more versatility, similar to matcha. Hojicha powder can be mixed into all sorts of hojicha recipes like hojicha lattes, hojicha desserts and more! In this playlist, we are going to explore all of these hojicha topics in greater detail. Come along with us and let's explore the magical world of hojicha tea!