Chocolate Matcha Oat Bar

Chocolate matcha oat bar is a green, crunchy, and tasty snack. It is a mixture bar of matcha powder or green tea powder, oats, chocolate, and almond. A simple snack for your afternoon slump! Give a shot for this green and less sugar bar.

You must be familiar with the words matcha or green tea. Currently, green tea or matcha becomes a trend. Some people love matcha. Therefore, many people make some drink and food menus with green tea or matcha as an ingredient.

But, behind this excitement, do you know that matcha and green tea are actually different? Even though they come from the same plant called Camellia Sinensis, apparently matcha and green tea are different. The main difference is the way of the process and the color results of the process.

So, what are the differences between matcha and green tea?

The process of matcha is by covering the tea leaves for 20 to 30 days before harvest so that the sunlight doesn’t illuminate the leaves. This method makes the amino acids in the chlorophyll of the leaves increase, making the leaf color darker.

The drying process of the matcha leaves is also deliberately in a short time to keep the green color. After harvesting, the farmer will separate the stems and leaf veins and pound them with stones until they are very smooth.

Because of its smooth shape, many people use matcha as an ingredient in cakes, drinks, ice cream, and pudding. If you consume matcha, this means consuming all the ingredients and good benefits of green tea leaves.

Meanwhile, people usually serve green tea in the general form of chopped green tea leaves. You still have to filter the dregs first even though you’ve brewed it. Meanwhile, matcha has no pulp.

Unlike matcha, green tea, which has a different processing method, is rarely processed into a fine powder. And if the green tea is finely ground, it will produce a different color.

Matcha powder is green in color, while green tea is yellowish. If it is brewed, it will also show a significant color difference. Green tea will look like regular tea but has a clearer color.

Matcha itself has a higher price than Greentea. It has ingredients that are very good for heart health and is known to be slimming. Its contents include antioxidants, polyphenols, caffeine, and L-Theanine. It is richer than other green tea contents.

When it comes to antioxidant content, drinking a cup of matcha can be compared to consuming three cups of green tea. It is also said that matcha antioxidants are higher than some types of vegetables.

By consuming matcha, you can relax, reduce the risk of heart attack, ward off free radicals, and repair body cells.

Tips and Trick using Matcha in Foods or Drinks

Now, you can easily found matcha in various bakeries and supermarkets. The fine texture of the matcha powder with a dark green color makes it easy to blend into various doughs; cakes, puddings, or ice cream.

Even though it looks easy, in fact, matcha as a flavor enhancer is easy to process. But, matcha powder can cause food to become bitter and unpleasant to eat even the slightest dose.

For processed products made from delicious matcha powder like in bakeries, one of the tips that can be done is to measure the right matcha dose. The exact composition of matcha powder is one percent of the size of the main ingredients that you use in the food or drink that you are going to make. For example, if you want to make a matcha sponge cake, that means for one kilogram of flour, you only need to use 10 grams of matcha powder.

You don’t need to use too much powder. Just use it for one to two percent. Anyway, it only takes a little matcha powder. Because if you use good quality matcha, one percent will be enough for the delicious taste and the beautiful color.

If you want a darker green color, you can use matcha paste or matcha essence. In addition to a brighter color, two to three drops of matcha essence can produce a strong distinctive aroma on food.

The quality of matcha powder must also be considered. It can spoil the taste of the foods or drinks. I recommend you using fresh and new matcha powder. The characteristics of good quality matcha are an even green color and a fine powdery texture that does not clump to the touch.

After you have done using it, store the remaining matcha powder in an airtight container. Then, place it in the refrigerator. The cold temperature in the refrigerator can maintain the freshness of the matcha powder. So, it doesn’t go rancid and damp.

The Ingredients of Chocolate Macha Oat Bar

You only need five simple ingredients to make these Chocolate Matcha Oat Bar; matcha or green tea powder, white couverture chocolate, oats, almonds, and a pinch of salt.

Be sure to choose the right matcha or green tea ingredient! Because this ingredient is an essential ingredient of this recipe. Like what I tried, the quality matcha or green tea powder can affect the result of the food.

Good quality matcha has a naturally sweet taste and a distinctive aroma. Apart from that, it will have a natural color like the dark green characteristic of tea leaves.

The second important element is white chocolate. If you use this white chocolate, you won’t lose the green color of the matcha powder.
Good quality matcha powder will keep this snack from tasting like grass. Everybody will love this green bar even they don’t like matcha.

Don’t forget to add oats and almonds to this green bar. These ingredients will make your chocolate matcha oat bar tastier, sweeter, and crunchier. You can use other nuts if you like.

How to Make These Delicious Green Bars

Before you mix all ingredients you need to toast almonds.

Toast almonds in a pan over low heat for about 10 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Stir it frequently. Then, place it in a bowl.

Next, toast oats in a pan. Toast it in low heat for about 10 minutes or until fragrant. Always stir frequently. Then, turn off the heat.

In the next step, you need to melt white chocolate. To melt chocolate on the stovetop, place the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water.

After the chocolate melt, mix it well with matcha powder and salt.

In a large bowl mix almonds and oats. Then, add green tea chocolate mixture into the large bowl.

Next, put the mixture on an 8×8 inch baking square pan with parchment paper. Press it really tightly with a spatula.

In a baking square pan, divide the matcha chocolate oat bar into 4×4 (16 squares) with a butter knife. (don’t scratch the bottom of the pan).

Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. After chilled, remove from the baking square pan. Break the matcha chocolate oat bar according to the dividing line that you have made earlier into 16 square bars.

Finally, the green bars is ready for your afternoon slump!

Store it in an airtight container for about 1 week at room temperature or in a fridge for about 2 weeks.

How do you enjoy these green bars? snack or dessert? I surely enjoy both of them.

I hope this recipe suits your sweet tooth. Let me know how you love this green bars snack recipe by commenting below and giving the star.

Do you need more for your sweet tooth? Check this.

• Fruits and Nuts Granola
• Almond Chocolate Chips Cookies
• Banana Nugget
• Salted Caramel Popcorn
• Almond and Chocolate Brigadeiro