Hojicha Pudding (Printable)

Earthy roasted green tea meets silky custard for a refined Japanese treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Custard Base

01 - 2 cups whole milk
02 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
03 - 2 tablespoons hojicha loose leaf tea or 2 hojicha tea bags
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Garnish

07 - Whipped cream
08 - Roasted tea leaves or cocoa powder

# How To Make It:

01 - In a saucepan, combine milk and heavy cream. Heat over medium heat until just below simmering, taking care not to boil.
02 - Remove from heat and add hojicha tea leaves or tea bags. Steep for 5 to 7 minutes, then strain the mixture to remove leaves or bags.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until pale and smooth.
04 - Gradually pour the warm hojicha-infused milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
05 - Stir in vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
06 - Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan to ensure a silky smooth texture.
07 - Cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Do not allow to boil.
08 - Remove from heat and pour into serving glasses or ramekins.
09 - Allow to cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until the pudding is set.
10 - Serve topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of roasted tea leaves or cocoa powder, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a secret—elegant and understated, the kind of dessert that makes people pause and ask what they're eating.
  • Ten minutes of actual work, then the fridge does the rest, so you can impress without the stress.
  • Hojicha's earthiness paired with custard feels grown-up without being pretentious or fussy.
02 -
  • The custard thickens more as it cools, so when it looks barely done on the stove, that's actually perfect—it will firm up beautifully in the fridge.
  • Straining twice removes every trace of graininess and makes the pudding taste like silk, not sand.
  • Room temperature eggs make all the difference between a smooth custard and one with little scrambled bits throughout.
03 -
  • If you only have hojicha powder, whisk 2 teaspoons directly into the warm milk and cream—it incorporates smoothly and tastes just as good, though loose leaf gives a slightly cleaner flavor.
  • For a vegan version, use coconut milk and plant-based cream with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch whisked in instead of eggs; the custard will be slightly less silky but still delicious and sets the same way.
Go Back