Matcha is a huge trend, which feels so right to me because matcha is a tasty, earthy, and magical tea made up of finely ground tea leaves. It seems that matcha lattes are everywhere now, and the really dedicated matcha drinkers make their own at home. If whenever you try to make them yourself they never come out as good, this article will fix that! Here is how to make the best matcha latte at home.
Matcha is a specially grown and processed Japanese tea that has traditionally been used in tea ceremonies. It is a tea that deserves the utmost respect, as the powder made from finely ground tea leaves is sensitive to boiling hot water. As this tea is used ceremoniously, there are many different grades of matcha to choose from, which can get very expensive.
You don’t need a really fancy matcha powder to make a delicious matcha latte, but I recommend this one for a good, organic matcha option. Although you can choose a cheaper matcha, you won’t get the same matcha flavor, so it might not taste as good. That being said, the final call is always made by the tea drinker, so experiment if this one doesn’t work for you or your price range.
Matcha can be super bitter, especially if you go with a less expensive option. Using honey, maple syrup, or agave will counteract any bitterness to make your matcha latte go down smoothly. Although it is traditional to drink matcha without any sweetener after whisking it vigorously in a small bowl-like cup, a finer matcha powder would be used that is inherently less bitter.
Mixing the matcha powder will not only make the drink perfectly sweet, but it will also reduce the amount of sediment at the bottom of your matcha latte. Honey, maple syrup, or agave will work as a binder, distributing the matcha powder nicely when you pour in the hot water and it dissolves. The barrier of a sweetener also insures that you don’t scorch the delicate, powdered leaves!
Just mix one heaping teaspoon matching powder with enough of your sweetener of choice to make a nice, consistent paste in the bottom of a saucepan. Try to concentrate the powder and the honey in one curve of the pan because otherwise it can be hard to stir together. You can avoid this problem entirely by mixing in a heatproof measuring cup, but you will need to add some hot water to melt the honey after combining, and then transfer to a bigger pan. Ultimately, this is more complicated. I recommend using honey here because of its thicker consistency, but all three will work.
Lattes usually have more milk than water, but you can play with the ratios depending on how creamy you like it! The best matcha latte is just creamy enough to go down smoothly, but not so milky that it sits heavy in your stomach. For this reason, the ratios might change depending on your bodily constitution.
Pour one part water in the mug or vessel you plan on drinking from and two parts milk to make a full glass. If you have an electric kettle, you can pre-boil the water to save time in the pan. I like using dairy milk because it’s the creamiest of milk choices, but oat, almond, and hemp are also good swaps. I personally avoid soy or coconut milks here because there are some weird separation and consistency changes when you heat it, or at least with some brands.
If you own a milk steamer, go ahead and melt the honey in the pan with the water and then steam your milk (because you bougie, and you know it). Pour the matcha liquid in a cup and then add the steamed milk to make your matcha latte.
It’s important to stir the latte while it’s heating in the saucepan to ensure that the honey and matcha fully dissolve. I like using a whisk during this step, but a spoon works just fine if you make sure to cover the surface area of the whole bottom of the pan. Heat your matcha latte through until it turns a deeper green and starts to bubble just a bit. Pour into your mug and add a little bit of cool milk to adjust the temperature–some alternative milks even get a nice froth when shaken, so you can have a little foam on top.
There you have it! How to make the best matcha latte. Although the actual making of the matcha latte is pretty simple, the quality of your ingredients really matters if you want it to taste as good as the professionals make them. Trust me, you can make a delicious matcha latte once you get this process down! I can’t wait to hear how they turn out.
In my time of making matcha lattes, I experienced a few different variations on the classic matcha latte that you might like to try! Some customers liked to dust with a little bit of cinnamon at the end. If you have cinnamon powder or a cinnamon stick, you could add to the pan after you add the liquid as well.
Another customer once asked me to add some lavender, which I have to say was pretty delicious. For this variation, add a tablespoon or two of dried lavender intended for consumption when you add the liquid to the pan. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into your cup when heated through. You could use other flowers, too, like rose, chamomile, or calendula, but please make sure they are intended for consumption before ingesting.
Go for that delicious combo of matcha and dark chocolate by adding in some cacao powder and making your matcha latte a matcha hot chocolate. Try anywhere from one teaspoon to two tablespoons, depending on how strong of a chocolate flavor you want. Mix the cacao into a paste with your matcha powder and whisk off the bottom when you add the liquid, or whisk in after the liquid because the cacao powder doesn’t require the heat insulation.
1 heaping teaspoon matcha powder
about 1 tablespoon syrup sweetener, such as honey, maple syrup, or agave
1 part water
2 parts milk of choice, such as dairy, oat, almond milk
1. Mix together the matcha powder and your syrup sweetener of choice to make a consistent, dark green paste in the bottom of a saucepan. Add your ingredients to one side of the pan to make combining easier for yourself.
2. Measure one part water and two parts milk in the vessel you will be drinking from and add to the pan. Pre-boil the water to heat more quickly.
3. Whisk ingredients to combine, heating slowly over medium heat. Make sure to dissolve all of the dark green paste from the bottom.
4. When the liquid turns dark green and starts to bubble a little, remove from heat and pour into mug. Enjoy!
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