How To Make Matcha latte

What is the Matcha Latte?

Whether it is a warm sunny day or a cool, chilly evening, matcha latte is a great balance of healthy and sweet that is light and creamy that will hit the spot. This is the perfect drink that is lower in calories and full of antioxidants, leaving you that guilt-free feeling while enjoying it. You can usually find this drink at most expensive big box coffee shops, but why throw away your money on something you can make at home, anytime you want it? Plus, you can control how sweet it is, in case you have a sensitivity to sweet drinks. Matcha is naturally bitter, so you may have to tinker with the sweetener levels you add to your drink to really fall in love with this flavor. You will be surprised at how easy a matcha latte is to make from home, whether iced or hot, it will be an amazing drink your taste buds have ever collided with!

I am sure you may have heard of matcha by now, but do you really know what matcha powder is? Let me see if I can help answer that. Matcha is a type of green tea usually grown in Japan or east Asia. The entire leaf is used, unlike when you steep regular tea leaves for a cup of tea, there is nothing to throw out. Within the last 3-4 weeks of the leaf growth, the tea leaves are covered with a sun shade. During this time, the leaves generally produce more theanine and caffeine. Leaves are collected and dried out either in the shade or indoors and then ground up by a stone into a powder we purchase today. Quality matcha is known to be vibrantly green. Many people purchase the powder for drinks, and incorporate it into recipes such as soups or smoothies and even to top ice cream or frostings.

Why choose matcha over a standard tea?

Matcha has many great health benefits. Not only is it loaded with antioxidants, but it has also been known to do the body good in many other ways. According to a recent article I read, it could possibly help protect the liver, including reducing the risk of liver disease. There have been studies that show it helps boost brain function, improving attention, reaction times, and memory. Another benefit, many believe it can help prevent cancer. It has been known to help with anxiety. It may promote heart health. Drinking green tea in general has shown that it can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. A benefit many of us could appreciate is losing weight. Most weight loss supplements have “green tea extract” in the ingredients. Matcha offers a better energy source without the feeling of being jittery. Matcha is good for your skin. It alsogreen tea, helps with immune function and natural detoxification.

With the number of concentrated antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds this plant offers, I am thinking I will have matcha tea for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Before getting started, it is important to sift your matcha, then whisk it, getting out all the lumps. In Japan, they use a wooden bamboo whisk. If you think this is something you will make often or more regularly, definitely look into purchasing one. If you only have a metal whisk or a milk frother, that will work as well.

Product by: SmallRecipe.com

Categories: Drinks

Serves: 1 Cooking Time: 5 minutes 5 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

* 1 teaspoons matcha powder
* 1 tablespoon hot water
* 2 teaspoons honey, or less depending on your taste
* cup hot milk

Instructions

How to make Matcha latte

Step 1 – Sift the matcha powder into a mug or glass of your choice. Matcha tends to clump easy,

so sifting it will make it easier to whisk, so you end up with a smooth, clump-free drink in the

end.

Step 2 – Add the hot water and whisk until the matcha is dispersed. If you are using a whisk on

this step, you will want to use the back-and-forth or up-and-down motion to get it to foam. The

usual circular motion will not allow it to foam.

Step 3 – Stir in the honey (or sweetener of your choice like stevia, maple syrup, etc.)

Step 4 – Add the milk (warm or not if making an iced matcha latte) and either whisk to combine

or use a milk frother (yes, again); serve immediately.

Keep in mind there are a few different types of matcha you could purchase, depending on what you are doing with it. These are considered different Grades, which is basically the quality.

Ceremonial grade is used for exactly what it states, tea ceremonies and Buddhist Temples. This must be a thick tea with a high ratio of matcha powder to water used.

Premium grade is considered a high-quality matcha used for daily consumption. Generally has a subtle taste, which is good for someone just starting out using matcha in their day-to-day drinks. It contains young leaves from the top of the plant.

Cooking/Culinary grade is the lowest and cheapest grade you can buy. Great for adding to your recipes like soups or smoothies. This grade tends to be more on the bitter side, as these leaves are further down on the lower part of the plant.

For a tastier drink, I would try to stay away from olive or brownish-colored matcha. I strongly recommend spending a few extra cents for a high-quality brand as well for something like this.

Notes

I used light coconut milk, but you could use full-fat coconut milk if you prefer a richer latte.

Supplies

* measuring spoons
* measuring cups
* matcha whisk or metal whisk

Tips

• If you make too much, you can easily put it in a glass jar and keep it in the fridge for drinking throughout the rest of the week!
• For even a healthier choice, use Coconut milk or almond milk in place of regular milk.
• Want that iced drink on a warm day, do not warm up your milk (or coconut milk), instead pour it over ice.
• Try adding a ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice to mix it up and add a fresh flavor.
• Filtered water tends to taste better with teas or drinks in general.