Chai Latte
A warm, aromatic, and comforting beverage, blending strong black tea with a medley of traditional Indian spices and creamy steamed milk, offering a delightful balance of sweet and spicy notes.
Prepare the chai concentrate
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup (240 ml) water, 2 black tea bags, 1 inch fresh ginger, 2 crushed green cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves, and 2 whole black peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
💡 Tips:
- •Crush the cardamom pods slightly to release more flavor. You can adjust the spices to your preference.
Steep the tea and spices
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse and the tea to become strong.
💡 Tips:
- •A longer simmer results in a more intense spice flavor.
Strain the concentrate
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Strain the chai concentrate through a fine-mesh sieve into a mug, discarding the tea bags and spices.
💡 Tips:
- •Press down on the solids in the strainer with a spoon to extract maximum flavor.
Heat and froth milk
In a separate small saucepan, heat 0.5 cup (120 ml) milk over medium heat until it's hot and steaming, but not boiling. If you have a milk frother, froth the milk until it's foamy.
💡 Tips:
- •For manual frothing, whisk vigorously with a whisk or use an immersion blender until foamy.
Combine and sweeten
Add 1-2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup to the strained chai concentrate in the mug and stir until dissolved. Pour the hot frothed milk over the chai concentrate.
💡 Tips:
- •Adjust the sweetener to your taste. For a 'dirty chai,' add a shot of espresso.
Garnish and serve
If desired, dust with 1 pinch ground cinnamon on top. Serve immediately.
💡 Tips:
- •A whole cinnamon stick can also be used as an elegant garnish.
- 💡For a stronger spice flavor, toast the whole spices in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes before adding water.
- 💡Experiment with different types of milk (oat, soy, almond) to find your favorite creamy consistency.
- 💡If you prefer a quicker version, use a good quality chai tea concentrate and simply mix it with steamed milk.
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