Whether you're looking to cut down on coffee or just want to enjoy matcha for its incredible energizing and health benefits, making matcha at home doesn't have to be intimidating. With the right tools and a few simple steps, you can enjoy cafe-worthy matcha lattes at home without the cafe prices. Save a few bucks, and say goodbye to bitter clumpy matcha lattes!
What you'll need:
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high quality matcha, of course!
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your milk of choice, and sweetener if desired
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a whisk; either a traditional bamboo whisk (chasen) or a handheld electric frother will do
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a matcha bowl (if using a bamboo whisk)
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a teaspoon and mini mesh strainer
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your favourite mug or cup
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a kettle; temperature-controlled is preferred, but a regular kettle works just fine!
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if you like hot lattes, a milk frother/steamer or a saucepan and stove to heat up your milk
QUALITY IS EVERYTHING
You can follow all the steps below to make a smooth latte but if the matcha isn't high quality, your latte will lack the vibrant green colour and distinct smooth matcha flavour.
Opt for a matcha that is grown and produced in Uji, Japan. It should be in a dark and airtight container to preserve the quality and freshness. Lastly, it should be vibrant green in colour.
HOT, NOT BOILING!
You just spent your hard earned cash on some high quality matcha, don't let your money go to waste by burning the matcha with boiling water! The ideal water temperature for making matcha is 80C(176F).
If your kettle has a 'green tea' or custom temperature settings, great! If not, no worries. Simply let your water come to a full boil and allow it to cool with the lid of the kettle off for 5 minutes.
Another trick we like to use is a traditional Chinese method for heating water for steeping tea and for cooking. As water heats up, the size of the bubbles in the water indicate the temperature. Smaller bubbles during the initial stage are referred to as 'shrimp eyes' which indicates a temperature of 70C. When the water reaches 80C (the ideal temperature for green tea/matcha), the bubbles are referred to as 'crab eyes'. Slightly larger bubbles, or 'fish eyes' indicate a temperature of 85C. This method is handy if you're heating water on the stove or in a transparent kettle!
SIFT AWAY THE CLUMPS
Matcha is a very fine powder made of whole tea leaves, so it's normal for it to clump together during the packaging and transporting process. Always sift your matcha before whisking it with hot water to avoid clumps. Nobody likes dry clumps of matcha at the bottom of their latte!
WHISK, WHISK, WHISK
Whether you want to go the traditional route and use a bamboo whisk, or use an electric frother, that's up to you! Using a whisk will ensure you get a smooth and frothy matcha.
LET'S MAKE A MATCHA LATTE!
Okay, now that you're a matcha pro, let's make a latte!
Using a mini mesh strainer, sift 1 teaspoon* of matcha into a matcha bowl. Add 2oz of hot (80C) water and whisk vigorously with the bamboo whisk in a 'W' or 'M' motion. If you're using a handheld electric frother, simply whisk the matcha and water directly in a mug.
For a hot matcha latte: Heat up 6 to 8oz of your choice of milk. Use less milk if you prefer a stronger matcha latte. Add the whisked matcha to your mug, followed by the frothed milk. Sweeten if desired.
For an iced matcha latte: Fill a glass with ice and top with the whisked matcha and cold milk. Sweeten if desired.
*If you're new to matcha, start out with 1/2 a teaspoon and increase the amount if you prefer the flavour to be stronger