Matcha Popcorn With White Chocolate and Pretzels

Have plain popcorn and want to turn it into something sweet to share? Coat it with matcha white chocolate, then add a few salted pretzels for crunch. This sweet version makes six servings in 1 hour 17 minutes, including one hour to set at room temperature.

• Preparation 15 minutes
• Heating the chocolate 2 minutes
• Rest 1 hour
• Total time 1 hour 17 minutes
• Servings 6 bowls of popcorn
• Tools a large mixing bowl, a microwave-safe bowl, a spatula, a baking sheet, parchment paper, and a scale

The corn has already popped: the coating and how you spread it out make the difference. In our matcha confection collection, compare this crunch with soft bites and a spread.

Ingredients for matcha and white chocolate popcorn

• 2.1 oz (60 g) plain, already-popped, unsalted popcorn
• 6.3 oz (180 g) white chocolate for baking
• about 3 tsp (6 g) matcha
• 1.4 oz (40 g) small salted pretzels
• About a generous pinch (1 g) fine salt

Coat the popcorn with matcha white chocolate

1. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Put 2.1 oz (60 g) popcorn in the large bowl and remove any unpopped kernels.
3. Break 1.4 oz (40 g) pretzels into bite-size pieces.
4. Chop 6.3 oz (180 g) white chocolate and put it in the microwave-safe bowl.
5. Heat the chocolate on medium power in bursts of 20 seconds, stirring between them, for no more than two minutes.
6. Sift about 3 tsp (6 g) matcha into the melted chocolate.
7. Mix with the spatula until the color is even.
8. Pour the matcha chocolate over the popcorn and stir gently to coat the kernels.
9. Add the pretzel pieces and about a generous pinch (1 g) salt, then mix once more.
10. Spread the mixture in a single layer on the baking sheet.
11. Let set for one hour at room temperature, until the chocolate feels firm.
12. Break up the clusters by hand before dividing the popcorn among six bowls.

Spread the mixture in a single layer. The center of a thick cluster stays sticky. If the room is very warm and the chocolate hasn't set after one hour, wait until it is firm before serving. The pretzels add a salty note; the result is still a dessert.

Which matcha goes into the white chocolate coating?

For this white chocolate coating, we choose Essence matcha for popcorn because a tea reserved for drinking on its own would be hard to taste here. Sift it after melting to avoid dry specks.

How do you keep the popcorn crunchy?

The popcorn must be dry before coating. Buy or make it plain, without added butter; on a damp surface, the chocolate would set in patches. Remove unpopped kernels before mixing: no one wants a hard bite.

Our tip. Save a little of the melted chocolate to pour over spots that missed the coating. An even layer holds together better than a large lump in the middle of the sheet.

Allergens. White chocolate contains milk and pretzels contain wheat; the chocolate may also contain soy. Check the labels.