Matcha latte at home: a recipe without lumps or bitterness

In a café, a matcha latte usually costs well over PLN 10, sometimes more than PLN 20. At home you can make one in three minutes, and the flavour depends mainly on two things: the matcha and the temperature.

What you need

• 2 g of matcha, a level teaspoon or two bamboo scoops (chashaku)
• 40 ml of water at 75–80°C
• 150–200 ml of milk or plant-based milk
• a bamboo whisk (chasen), a milk frother or a jar with a lid
• a small sieve
• honey, maple syrup or sugar, if you like it sweet

Step by step

1. Sift the matcha through the sieve into a mug or bowl. This is the most important step: matcha clumps easily, and the lumps can't be broken up later.
2. Add a splash of water and work the matcha into a smooth paste.
3. Add the rest of the water and whisk briskly in an M-shaped motion for 15–20 seconds, until a fine foam forms.
4. Heat the milk to about 60–65°C. Don't boil it: overheated milk loses its sweetness and masks the taste of the tea.
5. Froth the milk and pour it into the matcha. Sweeten to taste.

Which milk

Cow's milk gives the creamiest foam. Of the plant-based options, barista-style oat drinks work best: they're slightly sweet and froth well. Almond and soya work too, while coconut will overpower the matcha.

Iced matcha latte

Put 2 g of matcha in a jar, add 60 ml of cold water, screw on the lid and shake for 20 seconds. Pour into a glass with ice and top up with cold milk. Without heat, matcha tastes milder.

Which matcha for a latte

Milk softens bitterness, so you don't need the most expensive matcha for a latte. Ceremonial matcha will still give a clearer, fresher flavour and a prettier green colour. If you drink matcha both with water and with milk, one good tin will cover both.

The most common mistakes

• Water that's too hot. Boiling water draws bitterness out of matcha.
• Unsifted matcha. The lumps stay at the bottom of the mug.
• Too little matcha. With 1 g the tea flavour gets lost in the milk. Start with 2 g.
• Stale matcha. An opened tin kept for months in a cupboard loses its colour and flavour. Once opened, keep it in the fridge.

In our shop: Ceremonial Matcha and the Matcha Set with a whisk, scoop and bowl. More on matcha grades: ceremonial or latte matcha.