Make Your Own Matcha Latte

As you can see from my previous blogposts, we almost had a truckload of matcha latte during our holiday in Seoul. And back in sunny Singapore, matcha latte is available at many cafes in the price range of around 5-6 SGD, with varying degrees of standard and quality. So, why not make our own matcha latte. Make it the way you like it. Besides, it's fun and quick and you can make so many more cups with the same price as you would get outside in cafes.

I managed to get hold of matcha powder and decided to try it. It is also recommended to use a milk frother (pictured above). It's really not an expensive investment. First, the ingredients:

1-2 teaspoons of matcha powder
70-80 deg C boiled water (boil it then let it rest for 10-20 mins)
Milk (Fresh milk / UHT milk, whichever your prefer)
Sugar to taste

Makes one.

1. Put the matcha powder in a mug and add some boiled water (about 30-50ml) just enough to cover the matcha powder.

2. Using your milk frother, stir the matcha powder solution. You can also use a teaspoon but it may leave lumps in the matcha powder. I find the milk frother is better for the untrained hand. If you are very hardcore matcha lover, you can also use a matcha whisk. This process aerates the matcha powder solution, turning it from koicha to usucha. Instead of the astringent, bitter taste of matcha, this aeration gives a slight sweetness to the matcha, making it smoother. You can also observe the crema (bubbles) forming on top of the solution.

3. In the meantime, heat up some milk (about 200-250ml) until simmering.

4. Pour the milk into the matcha solution and continue stirring it with the frother. You can also add the sugar at this stage to the desired sweetness. Generally I use white sugar, so that it will not alter the taste of the matcha latte. For example, if honey was used, it could lend a caramell-y taste to the matcha latte.

There you have it. Enjoy!!

References:
Mei Leaf: Different ways to make matcha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgbqUv59l9A