Matcha Latte

What is Matcha?

Matcha is a green finely ground Japanese tea and part of the Japanese tea culture and tea art. Matcha is the name of the ground tea powder and is made from a tea plant called Tencha, which is carefully attended and protected from the sun to preserve its leaf green and antioxidants as well as possible. This green tea powder is mixed with hot water and whisked into a strong and thick tea. Matcha powder is also used to bring flavor and color to desserts, pastries and other beverages.

If you have never tasted matcha before the taste may feel a bit like seaweed, such as the ones familiar from sushi dishes. But with time the sweet and flowery notes can be detected among the strong leafy taste.

Preparing of Matcha

When preparing matcha, a small traditional bamboo spoon chashaku is used to measure the tea powder. The powder is added to a cop sized tea bowl and topped with a small amount of hot water. The tea mixture is then whipped together with a bamboo whisk called chasen .

Matcha tea can be prepared in two ways; thin and thick matcha.

Thin matcha is made with 1 chashaku spoonful (equivalent to about 1/3 teaspoon) of matcha powder and 75 ml of hot 80 degree water.
A strong matcha is made with 1 regular teaspoon, or three chashaku spoons of matcha powder and 40 ml of hot water.

It's recommendable to sift the matcha powder through a sieve into a mixing bowl because it clumps easily. Add hot water and beat the tea with a bamboo whisk until the mixture is smooth and slightly frothy.

Matcha Latte

(1 serving)

1 teaspoon of matcha powder
2 teaspoons of sugar or sweetener (honey, syrup, coconut sugar, etc.)
3 tablespoons hot water
3 dl of hot milk frothed

2.5 dl of cold milk and ice cubes

Sift the matcha powder into a bowl. Matcha powder is very fine-grained that it easily forms lumps. Add sweetening and hot water. Whisk with a matcha whisk or a battery-powered milk frother until the mixture has dissolved and formed a thick green frothy liquid. Heat the milk and froth it with a whisk, milk frother, or espresso machine steam frother. Pour the green matcha mixture into the bottom of the cup. Pour over the warm milk foam to form a drink that resembles a fluffy cappuccino or latte.

Matcha Iced Latte

Sift the matcha powder into a bowl. Add sweetening and hot water. Whisk with a matcha whisk or a milk frother until the mixture has dissolved to a thick green frothy liquid. Put ice cubes in a glass and top with about 2.5 dl of milk. Pour the matcha mixture over the milk and ice cubes, serve and enjoy!

Versatile Matcha

The gorgeous green matcha is a great option in most classic coffee drinks for those who don't want espresso. Matcha makes a visually spectacular cappuccino, a fluffy Dalgona Matcha Latte, and an exotic Matcha Bubble Tea drink.

Try combining flavor syrups with cold match drinks for some additional dimension and taste.

Dalgona Matcha Latte

The matcha foam is created from egg whites or Aquafaba (preserved chickpea brine) to make a Dalgona Matcha Latte. Whip the egg whites or aquafaba, sugar and matcha powder to a thick foam. Put a dollop of matcha foam on top a glass of hot or cold milk of your choice. Serve and enjoy!