Images by Mikayla Warford
One of the best-hidden gems on the cafe menu at Pink House HQ is an Iced Herbalicious Matcha. The combination of the fresh herbs (lavender, fresh mint, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme) in the pH Herbalicious Syrup brings out the earthiness of the matcha while giving it the perfect level of sweetness to create a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up.
I have been playing with the idea of a dessert that showcases the complexities of the herbalicious matcha and dark chocolate. The natural bitterness in Dutch-processed cocoa powder makes it the perfect medium for bringing matcha to life in dessert form. The herbalicious syrup is the bridge to balance these two powerhouse flavors together.
This Matcha Brownie is best after resting overnight to give all the flavors time to infuse together. Sometimes, citrus zest is an optional ingredient in dessert recipes, but this is not one of those times. The orange zest helps bring vibrancy to this recipe.
Herbalicious Matcha Brownie:
Brownie Recipe:
¾ cup butter
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, Valrhona is my favorite, but Ghiradelli is readily available
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest from 1 Orange
¼ cup Herbalicous Syrup
½ cup flour (all-purpose, or you can use a 1;1 gluten-free flour mix)
¼ cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment
In a microwave-safe bowl, add butter, sugar, and cocoa powder. In 30-second increments, whisk everything together until the butter is fully melted. It usually takes three intervals.
Remove the bowl from the microwave and add eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, orange zest, herbalicious syrup, and salt. Whisk until everything is incorporated.
Fold in flour and dark chocolate chips
Bake for 35-40 minutes
Cool for at least an hour before frosting
Matcha Buttercream:
½ cup butter, room temp
1 TBSP Herbalicious Syrup
2 TBSP Orange Juice (from the orange you zested)
1 TBSP Milk
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 TBSP Matcha Powder
½ tsp salt
Beat butter on high until light and fluffy
Scrape the sides of the bowl and sift in powdered sugar, matcha, and salt
Mix and slowly add in pH Herbalicious syrup, orange juice, and milk
Beat on high until the buttercream is light and fluffy
Frost brownies
Store any extras in the fridge for up to two weeks
Hannah Davis is the culinary director for Pink House Alchemy, and you will always find your way to her for that mid-day snack. Her passion for food as a creative outlet started in 2004 when she read Southern’s Living Thanksgiving Issue for the first time and convinced her mom to let her cook every item out of that issue for Thanksgiving dinner. With roots in the South and Hawaii, she is constantly surrounded by strong food ties that connect culture, land, and people. Outside work, you will find her reading the latest cookbook, exploring National Parks with her husband, and hosting dinner groups.