Creating A Matcha Latte At Home

A simple guide to a Japanese influenced western institution

Creating a matcha latte at home

Matcha is great for boosting energy and focus and it’s arguably healthier than coffee, making it a good choice for morning drinks. The matcha is less likely to leave people feeling jittery as coffee can, but of course this depending on the amount you consume. Everything in moderation as my mama used to say.

For this recipe you will need the following:

• About a teaspoon of Matcha green tea powder to suite you preference. 
• 50ml / 1/4 US cup of hot water to make the initial paste.
• 250ml / 1 US cup of dairy milk or your preferred milk substitute e.g. Oat or Almond milk
• Either a small electric or a traditional Japanese bamboo whisk. I prefer the bamboo whisk, but that is just my preference.
• A standard mug that holds 300ml or 1 and 1/4 US Cups of liquid. If you have a larger mug or heat proof glass, make sure you use measure the approximate amounts to fit your drinking vessel.
• A measuring cup or beaker
• A high sided bowl or matcha bowl to make the initial green tea paste. I use a bowl as it is easier to whisk, but if you have a small electric whisk, feel free to skip the bowl and make the whole thing in your mug or glass.
• A stove or microwave to heat your tasty beverage.
• If necessary sugar or sweetener for taste – yuk!

CAUTION: Please make sure that you do not to burn your milk or over cook it so it overflows. Never leave your cooking on the stove or in the microwave unattended. If you make your latte in a glass, please make sure it is a glass designed for hot liquids. Some normal glasses can shatter if you pour hot liquids in to them, especially if they were cold to begin with. You drinking glass may also be really hot, even if it is designed for hot beverages so be careful at every step!

I may use a lesser grade of matcha green tea powder to make my matcha latte, because the milk, dairy or otherwise will skew the very subtle flavour of your fine matcha tea powder. 

To make your delicious matcha latte, start by warming your 250ml / 1 US cup of milk or milk substitute in either in a saucepan or a microwave and set it aside. I generally do not measure the temperature of the milk as i would with water, but I make sure the milk is bubbling and piping hot for the best results. Also boil at lease a cup of water in a kettle and set it aside for the next step.

Next, sift the green tea powder into your bowl to stop it from clumping if necessary, but in my experience this hardly ever happens. Add the 50ml / quarter US cup of hot water to the powder and use the whisk to create a creamy paste. Slowly pour and whisk the 250ml / 1 US cup of hot milk you prepared earlier into the bowl until your matcha reaches a smooth and frothy consistency. 

Lastly pour the mixture into your mug or glass, let it cool down to your liking and enjoy your matcha latte with the sweetener if you like.