Easy stovetop hojicha milk jam recipe

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This version of milk jam is a delightful hojicha dessert spread made popular in Japan and Korea, and also more commonly known in other parts of the world as condensed milk, dulce de leche, or cajeta (when made with goat milk) [1].

Hojicha is a roasted Japanese green tea with low caffeine content and an earthy, nutty flavor. Combined, hojicha milk jam makes for a perfectly balanced dessert add-on, topping anything your heart desires with a sweet, roasted tea magic.

Hojicha milk jam and even its better known variety, matcha milk jam, are not just really tough to find in the United States, but can be a bit pricy online—before factoring in shipping. For example, Kyoto tea company Chikiriya has a hojicha milk jam at $11, while Maiko Tea and Japanese online grocery store Honeydaes list their hojicha milk jam at $12-16 a jar.

This hojicha milk jam recipe makes the same amount or more for just a fraction of the cost. And, it’s super simple to make!

Hojicha milk jam recipe

Prep time = 2 min | Cook time = 20 min | Total time = 22 min

Yields = 150g (about 5.25oz)

Ingredients:

• 10g (2 tsp) Senbird Tea hojicha powder
• 50ml warmed whole milk
• 150ml whole milk
• 100ml heavy cream
• 75g granulated sugar

❕ You'll also need a small jar to store your milk jam.

Directions:

1. In a small bowl sift 10g, or about 2 tsp, hojicha powder into a fine powder.
2. Warm 50ml of milk in the microwave for 1 minute. Whisk warmed milk into the hojicha powder using a bamboo whisk until well incorporated. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine remaining 150ml milk, heavy cream, and sugar.
4. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then immediately lower to a simmer.
5. Maintain the mixture at a high simmer for 15-20 minutes while stirring, until you're left with a thick consistency. Turn off heat.
6. Whisk the hojicha milk mixture into the milk jam on the stove, until fully incorporated.
7. Pour into a jar and use immediately or refrigerate for up to 10 days.

Enjoy hojicha milk jam as a spread on toast, ice cream, pancakes, crepes, crackers, and any other dessert item in need of a drizzle of goodness.

For a detailed, step-by-step breakdown of how to make this delectable spread, keep reading below.

Hojicha milk jam ingredients

This recipe for hojicha milk jam takes only four ingredients, with the milk, sugar, and heavy cream readily available at most local grocery stores.

It’s important to use whole milk, as the fat contributes to the chemical reaction and creaminess of the milk jam.

And while there are some recipes like for Earl Grey milk jam that use tea bags or loose leaf tea, this one uses hojicha powder, which might be a bit trickier to find.

Where to get hojicha powder

Luckily, there are several tea companies from which you can buy hojicha powder online. For this recipe, I used Senbird Tea’s hojicha homura powder.

Senbird Tea sources its hojicha directly from a farmer in Kyoto, Japan. It’s made from tencha, the same high-quality green tea used to make most matcha, so its flavor is bold and full-bodied.

If you’re looking for powdered hojicha, Senbird Tea is definitely a great place to start! You can save 15% on Senbird Tea with code: steepedreams.

How to make hojicha milk jam

1. Combine warmed milk with hojicha

In a small bowl sift 10g, or about 2 tsp, hojicha powder into a fine powder. Warm 50ml of milk in the microwave for 1 minute. Whisk warmed milk into the hojicha powder using a bamboo whisk until well incorporated. You can also use an electric frother or metal whisk.

Set aside.

2. Bring remaining ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan

In a medium saucepan, combine remaining 150ml milk, heavy cream, and sugar using a metal whisk. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then immediately lower to a simmer.

Tip: Make sure the simmer is right below a boil. If the heat is too low, the mixture will take much longer to thicken.

3. Stir for 15-20 minutes until the milk jam thickens

Maintain the mixture at a high simmer for 15-20 minutes while stirring, or until you're left with a thick consistency. It should look like condensed milk at this point and pile up nicely when poured (see above image). If the mixture is still too liquidy, keep stirring on a simmer.

Turn off heat.

4. Whisk hojicha mixture into the milk jam

Whisk the hojicha milk mixture that you prepared in Step 1 into the milk jam on the stove, until fully incorporated. It will be an earthy brown color.

At this point, don’t worry if the mixture seems a bit more liquidy with the hojicha and extra milk. Once refrigerated or cooled, the hojicha milk jam will solidify and have more of a spread texture. And that’s it!

Pour into a jar and use immediately or refrigerate for up to 10 days.

• REFERENCES

  [1] McElwain, Aoife. “What Is Milk Jam and How Do I Make It?” The Irish Times, The Irish Times, 2 Sept. 2019, https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/what-is-milk-jam-and-how-do-i-make-it-1.3992917

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