For Christmas, and more generally for the holiday season, Olivia and I decided to offer you a very festive dessert for a change from the usual Yule logs.

This is a chocolate and matcha tea dessert, somewhat similar to an "opera" cake. It consists of several layers of matcha Joconde biscuits (lightly soaked in a light matcha syrup) and dark chocolate ganache, all enclosed in a very light matcha mousseline cream.

This is a delicious dessert that will delight both matcha tea and chocolate enthusiasts alike.

The recipe I am giving you is for a chocolate matcha Christmas dessert measuring 18 cm in diameter and 4.5 cm in height.

The recipe for chocolate matcha Christmas dessert

Matcha Joconde biscuit

• 130g of organic whole eggs
• 50g organic powdered sugar
• 110g of organic almond powder
• 25g organic flour
• 25g of melted organic butter
• 80g organic egg whites
• 25g organic caster sugar
• 13g of organic culinary matcha

Matcha punch syrup

• 100g of water
• 25g organic powdered sugar
• 7g of organic premium matcha tea

Dark chocolate ganache

• 200g of 65% organic chocolate
• 200g organic whole liquid cream
• A pinch of salt

Matcha mousseline cream

• 255g organic whole milk
• 50g organic powdered sugar
• 40g organic egg yolks
• 20g organic cornstarch
• 130g organic softened butter
• 1 heaped teaspoon of organic premium matcha tea

Cocoa mirror glaze

• 165g organic powdered sugar
• 50g of water
• 8g gelatin
• 50g of unsweetened organic cocoa powder
• 105g organic whole liquid cream

+ White chocolate QS, mini multicolored balls, matcha, etc., for decoration.

Method for making chocolate matcha Christmas dessert

Dark chocolate ganache

Bring the liquid cream to a boil and gradually pour it over the previously melted dark chocolate, in three stages, to obtain a smooth ganache. Add a pinch of salt, then cover the ganache with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature while you realise the Matcha Joconde biscuit.

Matcha Joconde biscuit

Whisk whole eggs with powdered sugar, matcha, and almond powder, add flour, then melted butter.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, gradually adding the powdered sugar, and delicately fold the whites into the previous mixture. Then spread the biscuit evenly on a 30×40 cm baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 7-8 minutes at 200°C.

Remove the cookie from the baking sheet as soon as it comes out of the oven and let it cool.

Matcha syrup

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, and set aside.

Assembly of the Joconde biscuit insert with matcha/chocolate ganache

Cut out three matcha cookies using a 16 cm circle (you can cut two "cleanly" and use the scraps for the third).

Place a first Joconde biscuit in a 16 cm stainless steel ring lined with rhodoid (I recommend starting with the biscuit reconstituted with the scraps) and lightly soak it with matcha syrup using a brush.

For 110g of dark chocolate ganache on top and repeat the process so that you have three layers of biscuit and three layers of chocolate ganache.

Freeze for at least 4 hours.

Matcha mousseline cream

Pastry cream: Bring the milk to a boil with the matcha, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and add the cornstarch. Gradually pour the boiling milk into the egg yolk-sugar-cornstarch mixture while whisking. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook for one to two minutes at a boil.

Spoon the cream onto a dish, cover with plastic wrap in contact with the cream and let cool before placing in the refrigerator.

Mousseline cream: Start by beating the softened butter (soft) a little with a mixer, then add the pastry cream and whisk at medium speed. Scrape the bottom of the bowl several times to incorporate the butter. Let the cream thicken for 5 minutes with the mixer on medium speed. When it seems light, you can move on to assembling the chocolate matcha Christmas dessert.

Assembling the chocolate matcha Christmas dessert

Using a spatula, spread matcha mousseline cream around the edge of an 18 cm circle (as shown in the photo below), place the Joconde biscuit/matcha chocolate ganache insert in the centre, fill with the remaining mousseline cream and smooth to level.

Freeze for at least 7-8 hours.

Cocoa mirror glaze

Bring the sugar and water to a boil, remove from heat, add the rehydrated gelatin, then the cocoa, and finally the liquid cream. Mix, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate if preparing the day before.

When the matcha chocolate Christmas dessert is well frozen, remove the ring, place it on a rack and coat it with the cocoa mirror glaze at 30°C. Spread the glaze over the top with a spatula, allow it to run off, then place the dessert on a serving dish or cardboard base. You can decorate the bottom with a few sparkling sprinkles.

If you want to realise the same decoration as me (the Christmas tree): Melt a little white chocolate, let it cool at room temperature until it reaches a thick/almost paste-like texture, spread it on a guitar sheet, then cut out the Christmas tree using a template you have made beforehand. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours so that the chocolate crystallizes well, then sprinkle with organic premium matcha.

Let the matcha chocolate Christmas dessert thaw slowly in the refrigerator for at least 7 hours before tasting.