These beautiful and soothing flavours come with some additional benefits, too.

The best of all?

It’s super easy to make.

Read on.

The Benefits of Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea has been a favourite relax and sleepy time for years. It’s one of the most soothing tisanes with a deep and sweet flavour that’s popular around the world. Chamomile tea is made of dry chamomile flowers, which, when infused in hot water, release a range of beneficial compounds that may promote relaxation and calmness. It has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for a range of ailments, including anxiety, insomnia, and digestive issues.

But did you know that milk and saffron can actually have an effect of the sleep quality, too (1), (2), making them an ideal addition to chamomile tea for those seeking serious relaxation.

How Saffron Adds a Unique Flavour and Aroma

Saffron is a spice that has been highly prized for centuries for its intense flavour, aroma, and medicinal properties. The unique flavour of saffron is a perfect complement to chamomile tea and to its calming effect.

Saffron, the golden spice derived from the Crocus sativus flower, is one of the most expensive and aromatic spices in the world. Its bold, slightly bitter taste elevates the subtle sweetness of chamomile, creating a complex and comforting blend.

An Easy-to-Make Recipe for Chamomile Tea with Milk and Saffron

To enjoy the soothing and delicious benefits of chamomile latte with saffron and milk at home, there are only a few steps to follow.

Begin by steeping 1-2 chamomile tea bags or 1-2 teaspoons of loose chamomile flowers in half a cup of hot water for three to five minutes. While the tea is steeping, warm up half a cup of milk together with a tiny pinch of saffron in a small saucepan over medium heat until it’s hot but not boiling. Start frothing it with an electric hand whisk immediately to create a silky froth. Saffron is a very aromatic spice, so only use a tiny amount. One or two small threads will be enough. Next, strain the tea or remove the tea bags and pour it into a serving glass.

Add a teaspoon of honey (if you want to use a sweetener) and add hot, frothed milk. Both milk and chamomile are naturally sweet, so unless you prefer very sweet lattes, you don’t need any sweeteners. However, light floral honey is a wonderful choice as it will beautifully enhance the natural floral sweetness of chamomile. 

Print

Chamomile Tea with Milk and Saffron

The best-ever relaxing evening latte that tastes so divine it’s hard to believe.

Course Drinks

Keyword Chamomile, Latte

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• small saucepan
• Kettle
• electric hand frother

Ingredients

• 150 ml boiling water
• 2 teaspoons of loose chamomile flowers or 2 tea bags of chamomile tea
• 150 ml milk
• Just a tiny pinch of saffron, 1-2 small threads will be enough – it’sincredibly aromatic

Instructions

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Steep chamomile flowers or tea bags in 150 ml of boiled water for 3-5minutes.
• While the tea is steeping, add 150 ml of milk and 1-2 small saffron threads to a small saucepan and heat over medium fire. Immediately start whisking it with an electric hand frother to get silky smooth froth. Do not let it boil. If you started whisking immediately, once there are no large bubbles in the foam, the milk will be hot enough.
• Remove the strainer or tea bags and pour the tea into a serving glass.
• If you are using a sweetener, add it now.
• Slowly pour milk into a serving glass and top up with froth.
• Serve immediately.  

Sources

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10229376/

(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10357048/

The post Chamomile Tea with Milk and Saffron: A Divine Sleepy Time Latte appeared first on All That Tea.

What is sticky chai?

Sticky chai is a pre-made chai blend with black tea, spices and a “sticky” ingredient such as honey, agave or maple syrup. Because of the sticky ingredient, spices and tea leaves stick together and have a unique appearance. Sticky chai is usually served with milk, rather than water. It’s the best blend for making a homemade chai or chai latte when you don’t want to make it from a scratch. However, to make a cup of sticky chai, you’ll need to use a lot more tea leaves than for making a cup or regular tea.

What’s in Honey Spice Sticky Chai?

This sticky chai is blended with Australian red gum honey, ginger, black tea, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, and black pepper. This tea looks really interesting, with all the whole spices and leaves covered in honey. It has a beautiful, intense, and really inviting scent.

If you ever made chai from a scratch, you probably noticed that you’d typically use very little spices. However, when making a cup of sticky chai, the amount of spices per cup is very high. That’s because spices for chai are usually crushed and simmered together with tea leaves until they release lots of flavour. When steeping whole spices for a couple of minutes, you’d need to use more to achieve richer flavour.

What does Honey Spice Sticky Chai taste like?

This chai is best prepared as latte. Steep 15 grams of sticky chai in 50 to 70 ml of water for 3-5 minutes and top up with steamed and frothed milk. Steam the milk, because the tea will have a nicer texture, and feel more authentic. Although milk for a traditional chai is not steamed, it still has a beautiful texture and tiny bubbles because of the pulling method. There’s no need to add any sweeteners as it’s already sweet enough.

It brews into a lightly coloured tea with a beautiful scent. It’s less deep and complex than traditional chai, but the flavour is amazing. A slightly lighter flavour is a result of steeping, rather than simmering. Black tea flavour is lighter than in an ordinary cup of chai tea blend, but it’s perfectly sweet and spiced. Cloves are dominant, there are light notes of cinnamon and cardamom, and then a light spicy touch from ginger and pepper and softness from nutmeg. There’s a lot of flavour coming from such a light-coloured tea.

Honey Spice Sticky Chai is a beautiful blend. The only downside would be you’d need to use a lot of tea leaves. However, it’s the closest you’ll get to the traditional chai without making it from a scratch.

This tea tastes good when made with hot water only too. It’s sweet and well-rounded. If you like to add sugar or honey to tea, you will like it prepared with water only. However, for the full experience, drink it will milk. It’s great for tea drinkers that prefer lighter teas, but very aromatic at the same time. It’s great for daily sipping when you want a cup of chai latte in a matter of minutes, and it tastes closer to traditional chai than most regular chai blends.

Tea Recap

Water or milk? Milk.

Day or night? Day.

Hot or iced? Hot.

Sweetened or pure? Pure.

Caffeine? Yes.

What’s the price? Starting from 9.00 AUD

Where to buy? Get it from Tea Drop Australia.

The post Honey Spice Sticky Chai Tea – Tea Drop appeared first on All That Tea.

Why Peanut Butter?

Frothy and creamy latte is always a good idea. However, if you are conscious of the nutritional value of your food and drinks, sometimes your options are limited. This is especially true if you are following a specific training regime and trying to meet your daily protein intake goals.

So, what makes this latte special?

• Contains more protein than regular lattes.
• It has a richer and more indulgent texture.
• Tastes absolutely delicious.

Ingredients for making a Peanut Butter Latte

Peanut butter powder – peanut butter powder is a relatively new product. It has less fat than a regular peanut butter and it’s a wonderful choice for making lattes and other drinks. Another benefit is that it will dissolve well and won’t add a layer of fat to your tea. It’s amazing to add not only flavour to lattes, but protein and fibre as well.

Black tea – Choose stronger black tea with smaller leaves. Types with a slightly smoky and malty flavour and black teas with chocolate and nutty notes may all be great for making this latte. You want a strong tea that will add flavour too, not only caffeine. Teas with broken leaves will usually release more flavour and caffeine.

Milk – Full-fat milk is always the best choice for lattes, as it will give a beautiful silky foam and good texture. However, you can replace regular dairy milk with a milk alternative. Barista style milk alternatives tend to have a thicker texture, but check if it has any added sugars. Check out these 5 milk alternatives for tea.

Caramel sauce – using caramel sauce instead of regular sugar or honey will make this latte truly indulgent. You can use a regular caramel sauce, caramel syrup or a skinny caramel syrup and other sugar alternatives. An extra tip? Add a pinch of salt.

Instructions for making a Peanut Butter Latte

Brewing the tea – When making any milk tea, it’s best to start with a strong tea base. This means you’ll need to make a stronger tea than usually. Use 2 teaspoons of black tea leaves and steep for 5 minutes. Use either a teapot, an infuser or disposable paper filters.

Mixing all ingredients – add peanut butter powder and caramel syrup before adding milk. Stir it well so you don’t need to stir it after adding frothed milk. Otherwise, froth will get mixed with other ingredients.

Frothing the milk – there are several ways to froth the milk. You can either use a steam wand on your coffee machine, a special milk steamer or a saucepan and an electric hand frother. Alternatively, heat the milk in a microwave for 1-2 minutes (depending on the watts) and froth it with an electric hand frother. However, you will get the silkiest foam if you do it either in a saucepan over low heat or using a coffee machine steam wand or a milk steamer.  

How to choose the best black tea?

When using black tea as a base for making drinks, it’s crucial to choose the right type.

Black tea is an oxidised type of tea that contains antioxidants, caffeine, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. While all black teas share the same beneficial compounds, each of them will have a different flavour.

And it’s the flavour that will either make or break your drink. So, how to choose the best black tea?

Broken loose tea is a brilliant choice because it will infuse into a stronger tea than whole unbroken leaves and offer a more complex and clean flavour.

Next, check the colour. If it has a light orange colour, it may not be the best choice. Deeper dark copper red or red-brown teas will work the best.

And finally, look for the flavour that pairs well with caramel and nuts:

• Chocolate notes
• Lighter smoky notes
• Malty notes
• Nutty notes
• Earthy notes
• Sweet notes

Our choice? Chelsea Breakfast black tea blend from Whittard made with Sri Lankan and Kenyan black tea.

Print

Peanut Butter Latte Recipe

Sweet, indulgent and sugar-free

Course Drinks

Keyword Black Tea, Caramel, Peanut Butter

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons black tea leaves
• 170 ml water
• 100 ml whole milk
• 1 heaped teaspoon peanut butter powder
• 1-2 teaspoons caramel sauce
• pinch of salt

Instructions

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Steep 2 teaspoons of black tea in 170 ml of water for 5 minutes.
• Strain and pour it into a serving glass.
• Add peanut butter powder and stir well.
• Add caramel syrup and a pinch of salt (optional).
• Add milk into a small saucepan and heat it over low-medium heat. Start frothing it immediately. This will take only a couple of minutes. It’s best to froth the milk once you finish the previous steps.
• Pour hot frothed milk into your tea and serve.

The post Feast for the taste buds – Peanut Butter Latte appeared first on All That Tea.

How to make Mint Matcha Latte

To make this latte, you will need Japanese matcha tea powder, fresh mint, water, milk and, optionally, a sweetener.

Mint – use fresh mint if possible. Dry mint is much stronger, with a very different flavour profile than fresh mint. You only want to add hints of mint. Fresh mint won’t change the colour of the water, so you will end up with a beautiful, naturally flavoured green latte.

Matcha powder – although you can use any matcha powder, teas with a fresher grassy flavour profile and bright green colour will give the best results. Always use only matcha powder that has a lot of flavour and fresh scent.

Milk – whole milk is usually a better choice for making lattes than semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. You can replace regular milk with a dairy free milk alternative too. Choose milk with neutral flavour, preferably a barista style, as they tend to froth better. Also, some milk alternatives may already be very sweet. Check the flavour before adding additional sweeteners.

Sweetener – choose neutral sweeteners such as white sugar or very light floral honey. Regular milk already has enough sweetness, so unless you prefer really sweet drinks, you can avoid this step.

What type of mint should I use?

There are many types of mint, with peppermint and spearmint being the most common ones. You can choose either, but keep in mind that they have a different flavour profile. Peppermint has a stronger, sharper flavour than spearmint, which is sweeter and lighter. If possible, use fresh mint because it will give a much fresher, brighter and lighter flavour than dried mint. You don’t need to use too much as you only want to scent your latte lightly and not overpower it with minty flavour.

If you don’t have any fresh mint, flavour drops may work well too, better than dry mint. However, opt for those that don’t contain any colourings and add only a drop or two. Intensely green coloured mint flavour drops blended with matcha powder will give a very artificial colour.

When to froth the milk?

To make a proper latte, it’s always best to steam and froth the milk before adding it to tea. Since matcha is very green and naturally frothy, it will be more difficult to get a clean line between tea and the froth. You can froth it once you blend the tea and hot milk and get a green drink with green froth instead.  

Print

Mint Matcha Latte Recipe

Fresh, vibrant and green matcha latte

Course Drinks

Keyword Matcha, Mint

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• electric hand frother
• cup

Ingredients

• 80 ml of water
• 150 ml of whole milk
• 2 smaller fresh mint sprigs
• ½ teaspoon of matcha powder

Instructions

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Wash fresh mint leaves and steep them in 80 ml of freshly boiled water for 5 minutes.
• Sift ½ teaspoon of matcha powder into a cup. Add 2 teaspoons of water and make a thick paste with no lumps.
• Remove mint leaves and pour the mint tea into a cup with matcha paste.
• Froth it using a whisk or an electric frother. If you are using a sweetener, add it now and stir.  
• Heat the milk, but don’t let it boil.
• Pour the milk into the cup with matcha tea and froth it using an electric hand frother.

The post Mint Matcha Latte appeared first on All That Tea.

1. Teh Tarik

Teh Tarik is a Malaysian milk tea. It’s made with condensed milk, rather than regular whole milk. To make a delicious cup of Teh Tarik, you will need only a spoon or two of condensed milk and a strong Ceylon black tea base. Teh Tarik may or may not include spices. Milk is added last, and tea is then pulled – poured from one cup to the other – to create a layer of foam and improve the texture. Teh Tarik is usually quite sweet and served in a glass cup.

2. Thai Iced Milk Teas

Thai Iced Tea is a milk tea from Thailand with an intense brown orange colour. It can be spiced or pure, but it usually contains vanilla flavouring. Thai milk tea is a sweet tea too, made with condensed milk and served over ice. This tea is usually made from a special Thai tea mix that contains broken tea leaves, flavouring and artificial colourings, hence the beautiful flavour. You can make Thai tea at home without compromising the flavour, texture or colour even if you don’t have an original Thai Tea Mix.

3. Indian Chai

Chai is an Indian black tea with milk. Tea leaves are simmered, rather than steeped, and sweetened with a hefty amount of sugar. Chai is unlike any other milk tea – it’s very creamy and complex with a deep texture and silky mouthfeel. Making chai includes a pulling method that aerates the tea and creates a layer of tiny foam.

Find out what are the 7 ways of making chai at home.

© All That Tea

4. Masala Chai

Masala chai, on the other hand, is a spiced Indian black tea. It’s made in the same way as chai, with the addition of spices. Spices are usually crushed and added to water before tea leaves. Masala chai can include different spices, with the most common ones being green cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.

Learn how to make Masala Chai at home.

5. Boba Milk Teas

It’s almost impossible to be a tea lover and not hear about boba tea. Boba is perhaps the most popular of all milk teas. It’s literally everywhere and there are so many flavour and colours to choose from it can make you feel completely confused. And extremely happy too. The traditional Boba tea originates from Taiwan, where it was made with black tea leaves, milk, sugar, and tapioca pearls. Modern boba can be a milk tea or a fruit tea and can contain different toppings such as custard pudding, grass jelly, or popping fruit boba pearls.

Learn how to make Strawberry black tea milk boba at home.

6. Tea Latte

Just like a coffee latte, tea late is made using steamed, silky, frothed milk. Unlike pulled teas, tea lattes have much more foam. The type of foam is also different – it’s made of milk only, rather than brewed tea with milk. While you usually need to use specific teas for making traditional milk tea, you can make a tea latte using almost any tea – including flavoured vanilla, nut, berry, chocolate black teas, darker oolong teas, pu’er teas and some tisanes such as chamomile, rooibos or liquorice.

Learn how to make iced tea latte at home.

7. Tea Mocha

Rich and creamy cup of black tea with steamed and frothed milk, and a shot of chocolate syrup. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Tea mocha is a tea latte with chocolate syrup, usually without a froth and with whipped cream instead. You can make tea mocha at home using your regular favourite black tea leaves, or flavoured vanilla and chocolate blends. Besides, chocolate syrups are a great alternative to regular sweeteners.

8. Dirty Chai

Dirty Chai, a modern style of chai latte, is made with a shot of espresso and steamed and frother milk. Unlike the traditional cup of chai, Dirty Chai is made by steeping tea leaves in water, or from a chai tea concentrate.

Learn more about Dirty Chai.

9. Pink Chai

Pink chai or Kashmiri chai is a unique chai with pink colour. Unlike other chai teas, pink chai is made with green tea leaves and sometimes spices that are simmered long enough to release a lot of colour and flavour. What would usually look like an over-brewed green tea is transformed into a beautiful drink by adding a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. Bicarbonate of soda will change the pH value of tea and turn it into deep red. To get a mesmerising pink tea, you only need to add milk.

Find out what is the best green tea for making pink chai.

10. Pink Iced Milk Teas

Just like pink chai, pink iced tea is made with green tea leaves, water, milk, sugar and bicarbonate of soda and served over ice. It’s an eye-catching tea for a garden tea party, that tastes delicious too. Serving pink tea over ice is not a traditional way of making this tea, so you can experiment with flavours you like the most.

Learn how to make Pink Iced Tea.

11. Custard Milk Teas

Extra creamy, thick texture and a delicious vanilla flavour makes Custard milk tea a must try at home. It’s one of those teas you can make from a scratch, or adding a pre-made custard mix to your milk tea. Simmer the tea leaves in water and milk first and then add a thickener and vanilla extract or an instant custard powder.

Learn how to make Custard Milk Tea at home.

12. Hong Kong Milk Tea

Another traditional milk tea to try is a Hong Kong milk tea. Hong Kong milk tea is similar to Malaysian Teh Tarik, but with some differences. Hong Kong milk tea is also a pulled tea and uses evaporated and condensed milk. It is less sweet than the Malaysian tea (but not necessarily), and it’s often served in regular cups.

The post 12 Milk Teas You Can Make at Home appeared first on All That Tea.

And a long one? Keep reading.

So, what’s Dirty Chai?

Dirty chai, dirty chai tea latte or dirty chai latte is a drink that was invented by an accident. It’s made with an Indian masala chai tea base and an Italian espresso coffee shot, all served in a latte style. A result? Creamy and frothy, spicy and strong, but sweet drink. Sometimes, this tea can be made from a tea concentrate, just like regular chai lattes. It’s easy to make at home from a pre-made chai blend too.

Does Dirty Chai taste good?

Dirty Chai is a latte and not a traditional Indian milk tea, but this doesn’t make it any less delicious. If you love flat white or cappuccino and spiced milk tea, you will love this latte too. At first, it may seem like a rather odd combination, but once you try it, you will want definitely to drink it again.

Does Dirty Chai have caffeine?

Dirty chai has more caffeine than a shot of espresso or a cup of chai latte. A shot of espresso will have approximately 60 mg of caffeine, although this will depend on many factors, such as how much coffee was used. A cup of chai tea could contain different amount of caffeine – from 30 or less to 60 or more milligrams. This will ultimately depend on the type of tea, amount of tea leaves and brewing technique.

On average, you could expect around 100-150 mg of caffeine per one serving of Dirty Chai.

Unlike coffee, there are no standardized methods of making tea, at least not in western countries – a shot of espresso will always be made in a similar way from ground coffee, usually using coffee machines. Besides, there’s no such thing as a coffee concentrate. And tea, tea can be made from a tea concentrate, tea bags, whole leaves, by simmering and steeping, or from instant tea powders.

Does Dirty Chai have sugar?

Yes, Dirty Chai will usually contain sugar. Even if it’s made without sugar, you will probably need some sweetener to balance the flavour. If you are making your own home-made Dirty Chai using a simmering method, adding some sugar is highly recommended. However, if you are making it by steeping a pre-made tea blend that brews into a mellow infusion and you are using medium roast coffee with little bitterness, you may not even need a sweetener. When making tea from a tea concentrate, check the label to see the sugar content.

Does Dirty Chai have alcohol?

No, Dirty Chai doesn’t contain any alcohol. However, you could try adding brandy, whiskey or even a cream liqueur. If it blends well with spiced milk tea and it blends well with coffee with milk, it will blend well with a Dirty Chai, too.

Are Dirty Chai Lattes healthy?

Since Dirty Chai latte is made with the same ingredients as a regular coffee latte and regular spiced milk tea, it will have the same potential benefits as these drinks. However, keep in mind that it may contain a lot of sugar and it will provide quite a few calories from milk.

When making it at home, you can:

• choose tea leaves and coffee beans you enjoy the most,
• use milk with less fat (although whole milk is the best for lattes)
• use less sugar or a calorie-free sugar alternative
• control the caffeine content and flavour

Where to buy Dirty Chai?

You can get Dirty Chai from some coffee shops, but usually only if you ask for it and if they serve both chai latte and espresso coffee. Ready-to-drink Dirty Chai is available too, although it’s far from a common drink. Pre-made loose tea blends that contain both coffee, tea and spices are available too, and so is a chai latte flavoured instant coffee.

Depending on where you live, maybe the only way of trying it is if you make it yourself. So, how to make one at home?

How to make Dirty Chai?

To make this drink you will need to make two separate drinks – masala chai latte and a shot of espresso. The best way to make masala chai tea is by simmering spices and black tea leaves in water and milk, but for making a Dirty Chai, making a chai latte from a chai concentrate or a pre-made chai blend is a preferred method.

Find out how to make a cup of masala chai tea here.

You can make an espresso using either an espresso machine, Moka pot or a Turkish style coffee pot. One shot of espresso usually equals 30 ml of coffee – strongly brewed.

Some ways of making Dirty Chai at home:

• Make a chai latte using a pre-made tea blend and add a shot of espresso
• Make a chai latte using a pre-made tea blend and add two shots of espresso
• Make a proper chai by simmering spices and tea leaves in water and milk and add a shot of espresso – although technically this drink is not a latte anymore
• Make a chai latte using a chai concentrate and add a shot of espresso
• Or you could even use an instant chai mix, blend it with instant coffee and serve with frothed steamed milk – although this is far from an usual way

Get inspired – 7 ways of making chai at home.

Which coffee should I use?

The flavour of any drink will always depend on the flavour and quality of ingredients. Where possible, use freshly ground coffee. Espresso is usually made with stronger medium or dark roast coffee, but you can experiment with different coffee beans to find a perfect match. The best way to choose coffee or tea for making a latte is to choose types you like drinking on its own. Both milk and sugar will enhance the flavour of tea and coffee, but the idea is to get a well-balanced flavour and a good texture.

Which tea should I use?

The best tea for making this latte is the same tea you would usually use for making a regular chai. CTC black tea blends, tea dust or teas with smaller broken leaves will release more flavour and caffeine than teas with whole long unbroken leaves. Coffee is a strong ingredient, so it’s a good idea to use a strong tea too. Pre-made chai blends are a great option for making this tea latte fast – without simmering fresh spices.

Final Thoughts

What makes Dirty Chai dirty is not alcohol, but a shot of espresso instead. It’s a high caffeine, tea, spices and coffee drink that’s usually served in latte style, and is often quite sweet. Dirty Chai is not a common item on coffee shop’s menus, but if you have a chance, definitely try it. It makes for a wonderful cup of morning tea-coffee latte – warming, spicy, creamy and strong.

The post What is Dirty Chai? appeared first on All That Tea.

Try these 7 common cooking ingredients!

1. Corn-starch to make creamier milk teas

Corn starch or potato starch is a must have for baking and cooking. They are used for thickening sauces, making eggless custards and making creamier pastas. Starch is often added to Spanish chocolate to make it thicker are more indulgent, but you can add them to other milky drinks too. How? Use a simmering method and simply add a teaspoon of starch dissolved in a bit of water. Stir while stimmering until it thickens.

Get inspired with Custard Milk Tea Recipe

2. Cocoa powder to make tea mocha

You’ve probably heard of a coffee mocha, but tea mocha is not a common drink at all. Which is quite a shame, actually. Tea mocha tastes delicious, and it’s super easy to make at home. You can add cocoa powder directly into milk, or make a simple chocolate syrup with cocoa powder, sugar and water and add it into a brewed cuppa. Robust black teas are a perfect choice for making tea mocha, so next time you are making a cup of English Breakfast, try it with some cocoa powder or chocolate syrup instead of regular sweetener.

3. Bicarbonate of soda to change the colour

Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda is mostly added to cake and cookies to make them fluffier, but it’s often used for cleaning too. Baking soda is the crucial ingredient in making pink chai as it will change the pH level of green tea and turn the colour into a deep red. It will also change the colour of other drinks, such as Butterfly pea flower.

Get inspired with Iced Pink Tea

4. Flavour extract to get an instant flavoured tea

Flavour extracts are amazing for turning your regular cuppa into something unique. You can use them with pure tea without milk or for milky drinks. Depending on the extract, start with a few drops until you get a desired flavour.

Try out these:

• Green tea and mint extract or lemon extract
• Black tea and almond extract
• Rooibos and orange extract

5. Purees to enhance texture and flavour of lattes

Pumpkin pie spice latte would not be the same without a spoon of pumpkin puree. But it’s not only pumpkin puree you can add – sweet potato puree, taro puree or apple puree are all amazing ingredients as well. They will add both texture and flavour to lattes. The best purees to use will have no visible fibres and will be extra smooth. If your puree is not smooth, you can blend it together with pre-steeped tea to get a nicer texture.

Get inspired with The Best Autumn Sweet Potato Latte

6. Syrups to sweeten it and to add a new flavour note

Flavoured syrups can be a great addition to your cuppa. There are hundreds of flavours to choose from, and you can easily turn your tea from a pure, unflavoured one into a rich and flavoured blend. Syrups are usually quite sweet, so always start with one or two teaspoons. They are great for making iced drinks, as they will easily melt in cold water.

Get inspired with Earl Grey Simple Syrup Recipe

7. Instant powders for texture and flavour

All kitchen cupboards usually contain at least one pouch of some instant powder, such as custard, pudding, or whipped cream. While instant powder may not be your first thought when thinking about condiments, they actually work amazingly well. A heaped teaspoon of instant custard powder can turn your milk tea into an instant custard milk tea.

Final thoughts on what to add to tea

Tea is more than just a drink – it offers an opportunity to get creative and play with hundreds of flavours and texture. There are many ingredients you very likely already have at home, that can add that extra spark to your regular cuppa, from inspant powders to sugary syrups, starches and purees. Not only will they add a new flavour, these simple and common ingredients may turn the tea you don’t usually like into a real treat.

The post 7 Common Cooking Ingredients To Transform Your Tea appeared first on All That Tea.

How to make a Gingerbread Latte?

Lattes are all about steamed and frothed milk. You can make them with coffee and tea, or different spices and latte powders. Whichever base you choose, a good latte should always have a layer of frothed milk. That’s exactly what makes it different from other milk-based drinks. While black tea is a common base for making tea lattes, oolong tea can be just as great.

Which oolong tea should I use?

Oolong tea is the most colourful type of tea. It can be lightly oxidized and closer to green tea, or heavily oxidized and closer to black tea. Some oolong teas have a strong roasted flavour, some have intense honey notes, and some are aged and may have a very complex flavour profile. The best oolong tea for making a Gingerbread latte will have stronger, roasted or honey flavour. Oolong teas with dark, smaller twisted leaves or dark rolled oolongs may all be great for making lattes. Try it with heavily oxidized darker, roasted oolongs, that infuse into a stronger, deeper tea.

What is the best way to brew oolong tea?

Oolong tea is often described as full-bodied, but it’s lighter of regular black teas that are often used for making lattes. There will usually be more lightness in a cup of oolong tea than in a cup of black tea. The flavour is often more complex, with hints of ripe fruits and honey. To get the best flavour, you can boil the tea leaves in a saucepan, rather than steeping them. To make the creamiest latte, this recipe uses 2 combined techniques, for making a chai and for making a latte, including pulling the tea. Don’t skip the pulling part as it will improve the flavour.

What is a gingerbread spice mix?

Gingerbread spice mix is warm and aromatic mix of spices that includes ginger and cinnamon as main ingredients, and a whole range of additional ingredients – cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, allspice, aniseed and star anise. You can make your own blend by mixing. 3 parts of cinnamon, 3 parts of ginger, and 1 part of nutmeg, cloves, allspice each and ½ part of black pepper. There’s no one way to mix spices, and you can adjust ratios to find your perfect flavour. Alternatively, you can buy a pre-made spices. Pre-made spices are widely available and will give an unmistakable gingerbread flavour to your latte. Gingerbread spice mix is similar to pumpkin pie spice, but it’s more flavourful, contains more ginger, and very often black pepper too.

Oolong Gingerbread Latte Recipe

To make the best Oolong Gingerbread latte, always use flavourful oolong tea, whole milk, and fresh spices. You can replace whole milk with a dairy free alternative with a milk-like flavour and vegan condensed milk alternative.

Print

Oolong Gingerbread Latte Recipe

Homemade Oolong Latte with Gingerbread Spices

Course Drinks

Keyword Festive, Latte, Oolong Tea, Spiced Tea

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Equipment

• small saucepan
• Milk frother
• Kitchen strainer
• 2 cups

Ingredients

• 300 ml of water
• 100 ml of milk
• 1 tablespoon condensed milk
• ½ teaspoon of gingerbread spices
• 2 heaped teaspoons of roasted oolong such as dark Formosa oolong
• ½ teaspoon of brown sugar

Instructions

• Add tea leaves, spices and water to a small saucepan.
• Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Strain the tea into a clean cup and add condensed milk. Pour the tea from one cup into another several until you get a layer of bubbly froth. Add sugar and stir.
• Add milk into a clean saucepan and heat it over low fire. You can add a pinch of spices to flavour the milk too. Froth it using a milk forther.
• Pour the milk into tea.

The post Gingerbread Latte Recipe with Oolong Tea appeared first on All That Tea.

What is Chai Tea?

Chai tea is an Indian milk tea made with black tea, milk and sugar. Even though chai is a very popular drink and India is one of the most important tea producing countries, chai has not been served and enjoyed in India for thousands of years. In fact, the tea production in India didn’t really exist until a few hundreds years ago. Another type of chai, masala chai, is a spiced milk tea, made with spices, milk, black tea and sugar. This type of chai does have roots in Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine with thousands of years of history. However, drinks with black tea, and chai is first and foremost a black tea drink with milk, are quite new.

These days, any drink made with black tea and spices is likely to have the word chai in its name. That includes chai latte too. So, what is the difference? Or, are they the same drink?

Let’s see.

1. What do their names really mean?

Chai may be the most popular spiced tea around the world, but there’s still a lot of misunderstanding behind its name. Both chai tea and chai latte mean tea with milk. Chai actually means tea, which would make chai tea literally mean tea tea. Chai latte means tea latte. Traditionally, tea in India has been prepared with milk, sugar and black tea leaves. Latte in Italian means milk, but when talking about coffee and tea drinks, it’s used to describe drinks made with steamed and frothed milk. Today, chai latte will usually mean spiced black tea, while chai can, but doesn’t need to contain spices. Although, in western countries, it usually does.

2. Chai tea vs chai latte ingredients

The main difference between chai and masala chai is that masala chai contains spices. However, chai latte will always contain spices, not only just black tea, milk and a sweetener.

This meas that both the traditional masala chai and chai latte contain exactly the same ingredients – strong black tea leaves, spices, milk, water and sugar. And not only do they contain the same ingredients, but they can also contain the same ratios, too.  You can make both masala chai and chai latte using instant chai powder, but to enjoy the traditional chai, pure tea and freshly ground spices are a must. Furthermore, instant chai powders usually already contain milk and sugar.

Learn how to make masala chai from a scratch.

Chai latte may sometimes contain more milk than chai tea, and chai tea can sometimes contain more milk than chai latte. That’s because there aren’t any strict rules to follow. However, there some drinks may be more authentic than the others.

Chai tea can also be made with milk only or very very little water. But chai latte will always contain at least 50% water, 50% steamed, although the milk content is often much higher.

3. Is there any different in colour?

Sometimes you may read that chai tea can be made with no milk, or very little milk and that’s the reason it has a darker colour. However, that’s not the case. It may have a darker colour because it’s prepared differently. Chai latte will usually have a lighter colour, but not always.

So why is that? First, a proper chai is made with more tea leaves than latte, and it’s made by simmering the leaves and spices in water and milk. This will give a deeper, more beautiful colour. Chai latte is made by simply steeping tea leaves in water for a couple of minutes. However, if you use more tea leaves for making a latte, then it will be darker than traditional chai. Next, chai latte is sometimes made with powders and concentrates, so there won’t be any steeping involved at all. This will influence the colour too, making it either brighter or darker.

When using real tea leaves, the more milk you add to a chai latte, the brighter the colour will be. However, even is you use the same ingredients and ratios, the colour may still be different.

Learn more about simmering and steeping chai tea and find out why one method is better than the other here.

4. Which one is easier to make?

When making chai from a scratch, chai latte is easier to make. You can simply steep a pre-made loose tea blend or chai tea bag in boiling water, add sugar and steamed and frothed milk. This is the most common method. But to make a proper traditional chai, you will need to boil the tea leaves and spices first, add sugar and milk and use a tea pulling method to improve the texture and flavour. Making a chai latte at home would take up to 10 minutes and making a fragrant chai tea with spices will require over 20. Of course, you could take more time to make a traditional chai and top it up with steamed and frothed milk, and you could make a “traditional” chai by simply steeping a pre-made blend in hot water.

5. The best texture

Even if you start with the same amount of ingredients, when prepared traditionally, chai will have a richer and fuller flavour than chai latte. That’s because spices and tea leaves will be simmered for much longer to release the flavour, the water content will reduce, and the texture will be improved by pulling the tea. Chai latte will have a weaker flavour, less silky texture, but it can still be creamy and rich. Texture will depend on ingredients and steeping time. No matter how well you steam the milk, an authentic chai tea will always have a nicer, fuller texture.

Tea pulling is pouring tea from one vessel into another for several times until small bubbles form.

6. Chai tea vs Chai latte flavour

If you never tried proper chai tea before, you are missing out. It’s more than just a spiced black tea. Proper chai is warming, incredibly rich and has a deep colour. Even the creamiest, best prepared chai latte will feel weak compared to the traditional chai, no matter how much effort you make. To get the best flavour of both drinks, use 2 heaped teaspoons of tea per serving and whole milk. You don’t need to use extra high quality tea leaves. In fact, broken tea leaves and tea dust will work better – they will give a stronger tea base.

7. Which is sweeter?

Another misconception is that chai latte is usually sweeter than chai tea. However, a proper cup of chai or chai masala will always be sweeter and have a more concentrated flavour than chai latte. The sweetness of a chai latte will ultimately depend on your preferences, even if you buy it from a coffee shop. Many of them may taste great and sweet enough, even if you don’t add any sugar. Alternatively, you can choose any sweetener you want, including white or brown sugar, honey, stevia or other sugar alternatives.

Chai tea is made with sugar or jaggery, and not with honey or other sugar alternatives. Without a sweetener, it may be quite bitter and you will notice it definitely needs an extra sweet note to elevate the deep and complex flavour. This is not the case with lattes.

8. Serving difference

Chai tea is usually served from small cups, unlike chai latte that’s mostly available in large servings. Both are best served hot, but you can serve them over ice too. You can store traditionally prepared chai in the fridge and drink when you are ready, but a freshly made cup will taste the best. You can’t do the same with latte without compromising the tea appearance. What makes latte a latte is a layer of foam.

9. The add-ons

You can add some additional ingredients to both of these drinks. A properly made chai tea makes for a wonderful boba tea. All you need to do is add cooked tapioca pearls coated in brown sugar syrup and some ice.

Chai latte taste great iced too, but don’t add boba pearls. Instead, you can serve it with whipped cream or ice cream.

10. Caffeine content in chai tea vs chai latte

Chai tea and chai latte both contain black tea, so they are both caffeinated. However, it’s likely that chai tea will contain more caffeine than chai latte.

First, chai tea is simmered, rather than steeped. Steeping time and water temperature both impact how much caffeine is released. For example, if you use the same tea leaves for 3 infusions, the first one will have the most caffeine, the second one less, and the third one the least. If you steep tea for making chai latte for 3 minutes, you won’t extract all caffeine.

Next, the caffeine content will depend on how much tea leaves you are using, too. If you are using the same amount of tea leaves for making chai tea and chai latte, then it’s likely that a chai latte will contain more caffeine. However, if you use double the amount of tea leaves for making chai latte, then it’s likely it will contain more caffeine than chai tea.

And finally, chai lattes are sometimes made with concentrates or syrups. This will influence the caffeine content, too. That said, it’s likely for chai lattes from coffee shops to contain more caffeine than those that you made at home.

Traditionally, chai tea is made with caffeinated tea. However, if you are making it at home, you may use a decaf tea too. But if you want to buy it from a tea vendor, don’t expect a decaf style. It’s much easier to find a decaf chai latte, both in coffee shops and stores.

11. Which one is more expensive?

When making chai tea and chai latte at home, ingredients for both will cost approximately the same. You can use exactly the same ingredients and exactly the same ratios to make both drinks. The only difference will be the method you use.

However, when buying it from tea shops or coffee shops, a chai latte is likely to be more expensive and always served from a larger cup/mug than traditional chai tea.

12. Calories in chai tea vs chai latte

Both chai latte and chai tea will be calorie rich. While sugar will add calories too, the most will come from milk. Both drinks are also best made with whole (full fat) milk. The type of milk is super important if you want a silky texture. 100 ml of whole milk contains anywhere from 60 to 100 calories. Next, it’s common for chai lattes and chai teas to contain 15-25 grams of sugar per serving, and some may contain up to 35-40. 10 grams of sugar will provide around 40 calories.

Chai tea vs chai latte recap

So, which one is better? Is it the silky and complex chai tea or lighter but silky chai latte? There’s no right answer to this question. If you want a rich flavour and incredibly creamy texture, always make (masala) chai from a scratch. Use fresh spices, strong black tea and simmer it for 15-20 minutes. But if a cup of spiced black tea latte is all you need, chai latte will be much easier to make. Chai latte is easier to customize too, and great for serving iced.

Updated September 21st 2023.

The post Chai Tea vs Chai Latte appeared first on All That Tea.

What is Sweet Potato Latte?

Sweet potato latte is a drink made with sweet potato puree, milk, sweetener, and a tea base. Both sweet potato latte and pumpkin latte are made with purees. Sweet potato puree may be more difficult to find in shops than pumpkin puree, but you can easily make it at home. You will only need 1-2 teaspoon of puree for making a latte, so it may be more cost effective to make it by yourself.

What is the easiest way to make a sweet potato puree?

The easiest and fastest way to make a sweet potato puree is by steaming it. Wash and peel it, cut into smaller pieces and steam in a steaming basket in a saucepan for about 20-30 minutes. Check with a fork if it’s soft, then mash it or blend it. Blending is a better option because it will give a much nicer and softer texture.

Which tea should I use?

The best tea for this latte will be a simple strong Assam black tea. Sweet potato is quite sweet and flavourful, and lighter teas may not give enough depth to your latte. When making tea lattes with purees, it’s always good to use 2 teaspoons of tea leaves to get a stronger base. Alternatively, you can choose flavoured black teas that will go well with the flavour of sweet potato such as vanilla or caramel.

What if I don’t have a caramel sauce?

If you don’t have caramel sauce, you can use brown sugar simple syrup or make your own caramel. It will take 10-20 minutes. Simple syrup is a great replacement for a proper caramel sauce. To balance out the sweetness of sweet potato and milk, add a pinch of salt to either your syrup or latte before adding steamed and frothed milk.

Which milk should I use?

The best milk for making any latte is a whole dairy milk with over 3% of fat or creamier barista milk alternatives that will froth well. Choose more neutral flavours such as cashew milk or dairy-free milk alternatives that taste like real milk.

Print

Sweet Potato Latte Recipe

Autumnal Sweet Potato Latte with Salted Caramel Flavours

Course Drinks

Keyword Autumn, Black Tea, Latte, Sweet Potato

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Equipment

• Steaming basket
• Saucepan + lid
• Blender
• Kettle

Ingredients

• 170 ml of boiling water - for tea
• 100 ml of whole milk
• 50 grams of sugar
• 35 ml of water - for syrup
• A pinch of salt
• 1-2 heaped teaspoon of sweet potato puree
• 2 teaspoons of black Assam tea

Instructions

• Wash, peel and cut the sweet potato into smaller, equally sized cubes.
• Add about 1 inch of water into a saucepan and then place a steaming basket in the saucepan. Water should not touch the bottom of the steaming basket.
• Add sweet potato cubes and cover with a lid. Turn on the heat and steam it for around 20 minutes or until soft.
• Take out the steaming basket from the saucepan, drain the water, put steamed potatoes back into the saucepan and use a potato masher to mash it into a puree.
• In a kettle, bring fresh water to a boil. Steep 2 teaspoons of black tea leaves in 150-170 ml of water at 100 degrees Celsius for about 5 minutes. Strain into a blender.  
• Add sweet potato puree to the blender and blend for a couple of seconds. If you used a blender instead of a potato masher, this step is optional. However, it will give a much nicer texture to your latte.
• Pour the tea into a serving cup.
• Add brown sugar and water into a heavy-bottom saucepan. Let the sugar dissolve completely in a very low heat. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Turn off the heat. Optionally, add a spoon of condensed milk or whipping cream, a pinch of salt and stir.
• Add 1/2-1 tablespoon of caramel syrup into the tea.
• Top it up with steamed and frothed milk.  

The post The Best Autumn Sweet Potato Latte appeared first on All That Tea.