After having the Matcha Latte Espresso aka Dirty Matcha in this early October at the newly spotted cafe Cafe Kurasa located at Waterloo Street we are addicted to it and want to recreate one. This Matcha Latte Espresso is a beautifully layered drink of matcha green tea and espresso with milk. This double-caffeinated drink is not only vibrant in colour, but as well as in taste.
Not to sugarcoat this – It’s a little bitter, with a grassy taste, yet I think it’s absolutely delicious. We like using Matcha Hagoromo because it tastes smooth and is not too bitter. We have no affiliation with the company, but it had raving reviews and has met our expectations.
About Matcha
If you’re not familiar with matcha, it’s a Japanese green tea powder made from finely powdered dried tea leaves. It has a slightly bitter, vegetal taste and a vibrant green colour that results from the leaves’ high chlorophyll levels. It’s recently become popular because of its health benefits. Same as green tea it is the powerhouse of antioxidants however matcha contact more of it. The antioxidants it contains may lower blood pressure, reduce your risk of heart disease, and even boost your metabolism.
- Choosing your matcha. Buying matcha for the first time can be confusing – there are so many brands, and they vary widely in quality. We recommend a culinary grade matcha such as Barista Uji Matcha Powder, Green Pot Matcha Green Tea Powder, and Matcha Hagoromo. You can also use sugar-free matcha concentre by Flash Brew for the convienent (which is what we choose as our option this time).
- You might want a matcha whisk. For those who are using matcha power and you make matcha often, we recommend investing in a bamboo whisk called a chasen. Its special design breaks up clumps and creates a frothy layer of foam on top of the tea. If you don’t have one, use a regular whisk or an electric milk frother instead. Whisking or stirring with a fork or spoon will not work here.
- It doesn’t last forever. Please also take note that matcha doesn’t have a particularly long shelf life. Once you open it, use it within 2 months for the best color and flavor. We recommend buying it in small quantities and storing it in the fridge to preserve freshness.
Ingridents you will Need
- Ice
- Milk. (or any other kind of milk if that’s not your thing) You could also choose an non-dairy milk for this drink, Almond milk it’s a bit light in both body and flavor, but does have a distinctly nutty taste. Soy milk with a pronounced soy aftertaste, it’s thicker and sweeter than almond milk. The coconut milk is also a good alternative as it is mildly nutty, but has a slightly sour aftertaste make the drink more interesting.
- Espresso. We uses our beloved Essenza Mini Nespresso Machine to make the espresso, using our favourite Starbucks caspuse – Pike Place.
- Sweetener. (optinonal)
- Matcha green tea powder/ Matcha Concentrate. We uses sugar-free matcha concentre by Flash Brew for this recipie due to the convient, refer to above for more matcha powder option.
Creating the Layers
To make this an Instagram-able drink, creating the layers is an important step here. After many trials and errors, one tip that you need to know is to use A LOT of ice!! Also, the cold helps. Start by making your espresso while you prepare the matcha. This allows time for the espresso to cool down. Because no one wants melted ice and a watery latte. The order of the ingredients also makes a big change here.
First, pour the matcha green tea, then the ice. Then, slowly pour the remainder of the milk. The slower you pour, the more distinct the layers will be! Then, pour the cooled espresso over the top!
Mixing all the components up gives you this Instagram-able drink. While there are times we are too busy to head to the cafe, it’s still simple to make on at home to stratify the craving.
xoxo, Joe
Matcha Espresso
This Matcha Latte Espresso is a beautifully layered drink of matcha green tea and espresso with milk. This double-caffeinated drink is not only vibrant in colour, but as well as in taste.
Ingredients
1 cup ice cubes use more if you have a larger glass
1 tsp matcha green tea powder
1 cup soy milk divided
2 shots espresso
Methods
- Fill your glass to the top with your ice cubes. If you want to go for the layered latte look, as you see in the picture, it works best with a lot of ice!
- If you are using matcha powder: In a bowl, whisk the matcha powder, 1/2 of the milk with a matcha whisk. This can also be done in the blender. Make sure you either whisk it or blend it until it is smooth.
- Pour the matcha mixture to be the first layer.
- Since this is an iced drink, we like ours to cool off as much as it can before we pour it over ice.
- Slowly pour the rest of the milk over the matcha.
- Finally, pour your espresso over the top!
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