Green Tea Pudding & Poached Rhubarb

After a trip to Japan two years ago I was very inspired to create desserts with green tea powder after sampling green tea Tiramisu and green tea ice cream. Upon my return I had been talking to a very good friend of mine about this and she kindly gave me a tin of the green tea powder. It has taken me a while to make anything and I wish my friend who gave me the powder lived a bit closer so she could sample what I have made. It’s quite an unusual flavour for the uninitiated and therefore I suggest going easy on the tea powder when first experimenting.

The original recipe was in a Woman’s Weekly book of Japanese recipes.

Ingredients

• 2.5 cup single cream (or milk for light variety)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp green powder
• 1 tsp agar agar powder
• seeds from 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 stalks of rhubarb
• 1 tbsp sugar

Method

• Mix together the cream, vanilla and sugar and place in a heavy bottom pan over a low heat.
• Mix the green tea powder with a tablespoon of water to a smooth paste then add to the cream in the pan.
• Combine the agar powder with a 3 tablespoons of water to a smooth paste and add to the cream.
• Gently heat the mixture stirring constantly so the cream doesn’t stick on the bottom of the pan. Once the liquid is just below boiling, continue to simmer for 2 minutes while stirring so the agar dissolves completely.
• Remove from the heat and strain through ha colander then divide between 6 ramekin size dishes and place in the fridge to set.
• Wash and cut he rhubarb down to 1.5 inch pieces. Place the wet rhubarb in a wide pan so each piece touches the bottom of the pan (there should be enough water from washing the rhubarb to cook the fruit).
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the rhubarb and place pan over a very low heat with a lid on pan.
• The rhubarb should only take about 2 minutes to cook once the temperature in the pan has become hot. Keep checking, you don’t want it to boil and the rhubarb loose it’s shape.
• Allow rhubarb to cool then spoon onto the cool puddings and serve.
• Note: Quanties of agar agar I have specified to the brand I use. I recommend you go by the ratio liquid to agar that is stated on your packet and if is gives an estimate 1/2 – 1 tsp to a cup go with whatever the lower ration is. The pudding should set set but not as much a jelly.

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