The Matcha Tea Latte is one of my favorite hot beverages. I love treating myself with a fresh, hot, homemade delicious cup of Matcha after working outside on my acreage, or after a long week at work. Most recently, I indulged after spending a few hours outside in -31 Celsius, working on fixing my frozen septic system.

When I taught Foods class, I loved showing students how to make this homemade treat. The basic skills and ingredients required to brew the drink, make it the perfect choice for an introductory lab. Best of all, students marvel at their completed project. Just like professional coffee baristas they would proudly show off their frothy creations. Often surprised by the simplicity and ability to make their own latte, in the kitchen, with simple ingredients and equipment. Easily recreating the lattes at home, in order to treat themselves or a loved one. The recipe can be made with different kinds of tea. Students would try Pumpkin Spice, Chai, or Early Grey as other options.

What is Matcha?

Matcha is a kind of green tea. A Matcha magician harvests and carefully processes a specific type of green tea leaf into a fine powder. The green powder can be used in a multitude of ways. I’ve added it to protein drinks and have even seen it used in baking! Historically, it’s roots can be traced back almost a thousand years to when the Shogun ruled Japan. In fact, the Samurai would drink Matcha tea in ceremony in preparation for battle. It is no surprise that they would choose Matcha. It is a super food riddled with many amazing health benefits. One cup of this antioxidant powerhouse boasts the equivalency of 10 cups of regular green tea. It packs a punch by boosting the metabolism. It is loaded with vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium which are all incredible natural immune boosters. It is also touted to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol.

Kinds of Matcha

There are different varieties of Matcha tea available for purchase. If you are planning to bake with it you can choose a less expensive variety. The ceremonial type is specifically prepared for tea ceremonies and drinking. It has a less bitter quality making it most palatable to drink. I currently have the canister pictured. It is from www.domatcha.ca, located in Vancouver, Canada. I paid $27.50 for the canister at a local health food store. This may seem expensive, however it isn’t really when considering the amount one would pay for a latte at a coffee house. Not to mention that the coffeehouse versions are brewed with fillers, including sweeteners and cheaper variations of the actual Matcha powder.

How to …

My homemade version of the Matcha Latte started as a creation of ‘necessity’. When you live in a rural area the nearest coffee establishment might be hours away. This fact was also what made the recipe so exciting for students. More importantly, I love knowing what I am consuming and being able to control the type and amount of sweetener that I use. I also love that I can make this drink quickly at home. The process doesn’t require any costly, fancy equipment and saves me the money I would spend in the coffee shop.

Ingredients and tools …

1. Matcha tea or other tea of your choice.
2. Almond Milk or other low fat milk of your choice.
3. Sweetener of choice.
4. small – medium Sauce pan
5. Whisk
6. The perfect mug to enjoy your drink

Directions …

1. Start by pouring about 2 cups of Almond milk or another milk of your choice into a sauce pan. Please note that if you want a frothy latte, choose a low fat milk as it will froth the best.
2. Place the saucepan on medium heat. On my stove the setting is 4 – for medium heat. Whisk the milk continuously as it heats. It should begin to froth immediately. The more you whisk, the frothier the milk will get. Be aware that milk burns easily, continuous whisking will mitigate this.
3. The milk should be heated to about 80 degrees Celsius. You can use a kitchen thermometer to measure this. To be honest, I just stick my washed / clean finger quickly and carefully in the milk and test it to see if it is at a temperature that I like. I learned this time honored practice by watching my grandmother in the kitchen. If you are going to try my finger testing method, please do so carefully and at your own risk. Lol!
4. If you want to add sweetener, a sweetener of your choice can be whisked in at this point. Most often I enjoy mine without sweetener. I have used honey sourced from a local producer, and cane sugar. I would start with 1/2 tsp. and adjust as required.

5. Next, add the Matcha powder and whisk well to incorporate. The instructions on the back of my can indicates 1/2 tsp. – 1 tsp of powder per 1/4 – 1/3 of a cup of liquid. Again, the amount will depend on how strong you like your drink. I used 3 scoops the size of the one pictured (about 1.5 tsp) for 2 cups of Almond milk.

6. If you are using a different kind of tea, for example Chai Tea, or another tea that might be in a tea bag skip step #5. Pour the frothed and heated milk directly into a cup, and add the tea bag. Steep the tea until it reaches the desired strength.

I carefully pour my prepared drink right out of the sauce pan into the cup. You can carefully use a spoon to hold the froth back in the sauce pan while pouring. This will ensure the integrity of the froth is maintained. Then scoop the froth out of the pan and onto the top of your beverage.

Enjoy!

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Be well.