Your shopping cart is empty!
FREE SHIPPING OVER 35€
WELCOME COUPON €5 "CIAO5"
Before revealing the recipe for matcha latte, hot or cold, we believe it is important to clarify what matcha latte is, this trendy drink and new trend in the world of coffee. Well, it is a drink that looks like a cappuccino, made with a base of hot milk, usually frothed, flavored with matcha green tea. It could be mistaken for a cappuccino indeed, if it weren't for the green color, but once you taste the flavor, it will amaze you; similar to green tea but sweeter, bold, and enveloping, it will give you all the taste of tea. We talk about Matcha Latte because in English 'latte' refers to a drink very similar to a latte macchiato, more abundant than a cappuccino (generally around 240 ml, and therefore more similar to a cup of tea) prepared with 1/3 double espresso and 2/3 frothed milk. Matcha Latte is prepared with matcha powder, a very particular variety of green tea, highly prized and rich in beneficial properties for the body, following a special preparation method originating from Japan, where this drink is at the center of the 'tea ceremony,' a traditional and spiritual ritual.
Matcha tea, or maccha (抹茶), is a type of green tea originating from imperial China. It is a powdered tea, of very high quality, obtained from the fine processing of tea leaves, which after being cultivated using the shading method, where tea plants are covered with awnings, a process that leads them to produce chlorophyll, which gives nutrients to the leaf, are harvested, steamed, dried, and processed in stone mills, resulting in matcha powder. Matcha tea is a drink with multiple beneficial properties, a concentrate of nutrients that can be absorbed by the body as a whole, since its transformation into a drink involves 'eating' tea leaves, unlike classic green teas where beneficial substances are only consumed through infusion. This is why matcha tea is also used as a spice and flavor in the preparation of numerous dishes and especially sweets, such as mochi, matcha tea ice cream, and wagashi.
If you have never tasted it, and before venturing into the preparation of matcha latte you are wondering what matcha tastes like, it is good to know that it has a very particular, herbaceous flavor, reminiscent of spinach and green leaves, or even seaweed, but with a more sweet, soft, less pronounced aftertaste, a unique and difficult to describe flavor, enveloping and balanced.
Let's see then how to prepare Matcha Latte. First of all, it is good to remember that, just like matcha tea, matcha latte should be prepared by suspension, not by infusion. This means that the matcha powder must be mixed and emulsified with water. In the East, the preparation of matcha tea is linked to the famous tea ceremony, a spiritual and social ritual known as Cha no yu in Japan, or Chadō, a Zen art among the most practiced, which takes place in different ways depending on the tea prepared. The modern preparation of matcha tea originated in China—although today matcha is associated with Japan—where the method of pulverizing tea leaves and preparing them with the traditional whisk was refined by mixing them with water. If you want to know more, we recommend reading our blog article on matcha tea. In recent years, matcha tea has moved away from the strict rules of the tea ceremony and is consumed in various forms, such as matcha latte or matcha cappuccino: what does not change, however, is the traditional method of preparing it. Let's see the recipe together and discover the secrets for preparing a perfect matcha cappuccino.
To prepare matcha latte it is important to know the basics of matcha tea preparation, the right tools to use, and the necessary precautions for a perfect cup of matcha. There are no unique ways to prepare matcha latte: the austere methods of the tea ceremony are of great importance in tea culture in the East, but often they are difficult to translate into the preparation of the beverage in everyday life. We want to suggest a recipe and preparation of matcha latte cappuccino that is as simple as possible, remaining true to tradition and allowing the extraordinary flavor of this tea not to be lost.
To prepare matcha latte, you will need some essential accessories used in the Eastern tradition, which allow you to prepare a perfect cup of matcha and make its nutrients bioavailable:
If you do not have a Chawan, you can also use a wide bowl, but the chasen is an essential tool, designed for the most correct preparation of matcha, and an accessory that we recommend having in the pantry for all matcha enthusiasts. You can find it for sale in our online matcha tea shop or purchase it as part of a matcha preparation set.
Let's see together how to prepare this alternative to cappuccino. For the matcha latte recipe you will need:
For the doses, these will depend on the preferred density: there are two varieties of matcha tea, the koicha, which is the dense matcha tea, for which 4 grams of matcha powder are needed for 40 ml of water, and usucha, the light tea, for which 1.5 grams of matcha powder are used for 70 ml of water.
Once the desired dose is established, to prepare the matcha latte you will need to prepare a base of matcha tea:
If you want a sweetened matcha latte, you can add sugar to the matcha powder and emulsify them together with the water.
If you want to try a variation of matcha latte with a different tea, also discover the hojicha latte recipe!
Matcha tea is a very high-quality tea, so much so that in Japan there is a label that protects the quality of true matcha, as for products with a designation of origin. There are therefore different types of matcha: true matcha is made from Tencha leaves, harvested fresh, but there are different 'grades' of matcha that differ in the harvesting period and the type of leaves from which they are derived: the later it is, the lower the grade of matcha will be.
The highest quality is the 'ceremonial grade' matcha that you can find for sale in our matcha tea section. It is the matcha indicated for the ceremonial preparation of dense, velvety, and precious tea: the one from Terza Luna comes from Uji, in the Kyoto prefecture, where matcha production is famous.
If you want to approach matcha for the first time, you can try the basic BIO matcha, of a lower grade but still a matcha of excellent quality: indicated as 'culinary grade', it is very suitable for preparing matcha latte, as well as smoothies and desserts.
We have selected over 700 products of the finest quality chosen from dozens of producers scattered around the world. Terza Luna is the reference point for all tea, herbs, and spices enthusiasts.
ENTER THE TERZA LUNA WORLD
Many people, when summer arrives, want to enjoy matcha in its cold form. How to prepare a cold matcha latte? The process is very simple, and always starts with the preparation of a base of matcha tea, made according to the traditional method, by emulsifying the matcha powder with water using the chasen.
In a blender, combine the matcha tea, cold milk, and ice cubes, and blend everything: you will get a great matcha smoothie. You can discover other methods of preparing cold matcha in our dedicated article.
A cup of matcha latte will offer you all the properties of matcha tea, with a rich and enveloping taste. Matcha tea is a tea of the highest quality, which allows you to enjoy the benefits provided by the nutrients it contains, as you ingest the leaves directly. Matcha has large quantities of EGCG, an antioxidant polyphenol that makes matcha tea a very powerful antioxidant, more than any other tea. It is believed that a cup of matcha tea is equivalent to 10 cups of any other green tea.
Matcha also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that acts on alpha brain waves and induces relaxation. Combined with the caffeine contained in the leaves, it helps create a state of alert relaxation, counteracting the agitation and anxiety induced by caffeine. Matcha tea is also a natural purifying and detoxifying agent, thanks to the chlorophyll that facilitates the elimination of heavy metals and other toxic chemicals.
The energizing properties of matcha are also important, less known than the beneficial properties on mood and free radicals: it helps improve physical and mental performance, enhances concentration, and is a natural energizer. A matcha cappuccino can therefore be a real panacea!
If you want to prepare matcha latte but don't know where to buy matcha for its preparation, you can visit our loose tea section. Not only can you choose from different types of powdered matcha, of different grades, but you can also buy all the accessories necessary to prepare a perfect matcha latte, from the chasen to the chawan, also available in sets! Explore our matcha section and get ready to make your matcha latte at home!
