Authentic Matcha Latte Recipe

 

photo creds

As matcha grows in popularity, the price is steadily increasing amongst all cafes and it's simply not justifiable to pay upwards of $7 for a matcha latte that can easily be made at home! Read on for how I make the perfect matcha latte with zero clumps!

Ingredients

• 2tsp matcha powder
• 50ml warm water
• 225ml choice of milk
• ice (if you want it cold)

Tools

• chashuku or scoop
• hand sifter
• chasen (bamboo whisk)
• bamboo whisk holder
• chawan or bowl
• milk steamer (if you want it hot)

1. Let your bamboo whisk (chasen) sit in a bowl of warm water

You only need the bottom half of the whisk submerged in warm water but this preps the bamboo prongs and ensures that it'll be perfectly warm and ready to mix your matcha!

2. Scoop and sift matcha over a bowl (chawan)

I like to use ceremonial grade matcha as it's the highest quality, which you can tell by the fragrant smell and bright green colour! Ceremonial grade matcha only uses ground leaves whereas other kinds may include the stem, giving it a duller colour. The desired amount is honestly up to you and how strong you like your matcha. Most places recommend 2tsp per 50ml of water but I usually do 3tsp as I like a stronger matcha taste. Authentically, people use a Japanese bamboo stick called a chashaku to scoop their matcha but they can get pretty expensive in my opinion. 

Sifting my matcha has been a true game changer. Before, my matcha would always end up a bit clumpy but with the extra step of using a sift, I haven't had that problem since. I would also run into this issue at cafes while trying to order my matcha lattes iced because matcha is pretty hard to mix thoroughly and you can tell they don't use a sift or a whisk.

3. Pour 80-90°C water and whisk in an M- or W-shaped motion

It's important to not use boiling water as you can actually burn the matcha and thus give it a bitter taste. Additionally, be sure to use a matcha whisk which is different from whisks used in baking. These bamboo whisks are designed for matcha and have a flat edged bottom so it can thoroughly mix the tea powder. Matcha whisks are also necessary for properly aerating your matcha as you want to see some bubbles after whisking!  Don't press too hard down while whisking because they're pretty delicate. For some reason, I read to not whisk matcha in a circular motion, but in a W- or M-shape instead.

4. Pour matcha over ice + milk or Pour steamed milk over matcha

I prefer to have iced matcha lattes so at this step, I'll pour milk into a glass and then pour my matcha on top. I actually have no need for sweetener since I use Silk Organic Unsweetened Vanilla Soy Milk but you can use honey or classic syrup if needed. I've searched for so long for a chawan with a spout but they were sold out everywhere! Luckily, I finally found a local store in Vancouver that sells it. This guarantees no mess when making your matcha lattes.

If you want it hot, you'll need to steam your milk as well using a milk steamer or frother. Transfer your matcha to a mug and then you can pour the steamed milk on top!

And that's how I make my authentic, clump-free matcha! Although it is a bit of a process with all the tools, they're equally necessary in ensuring that your matcha is the best it can be. It's simply impossible to mix the matcha well using just a spoon. I also recommend storing your bamboo whisk on a holder after washing it, as they're specifically designed to maintain the shape of the whisk and prevent mold.

Hope everyone has a happy week! Will be posting more as I'm slowly getting back into blogging.

x

Melissa