The Power Of Matcha
Matcha latte …. have you tried it? I only discovered this drink about a year or so ago but I have fallen in love with this bright coloured green beverage. It can be made with a range of milks and can come presented with a glorious latte foam top. So what is it?
Matcha lattes are made from the glorious green matcha powder which is itself 100% ground green tea leaves. Because it comes as a powder, it is more intense bringing with it a range of healthy benefits. This highly concentrated form of green tea is said to improve concentration, reduce stress and even boost metabolism. It perks you up with its contained caffeine but has less caffeine than coffee. The caffeine however lasts longer than coffee and so keeps you motivated for longer! This is great for those suffering from anxiety that don’t want the coffee shakes but still want that energy boost.
Superfood…
Matcha is a superfood because of its high level of antioxidants as it contains the EGCG catechin. As well as making you more alert, having a slow release of caffeine and being great for metabolism, it is also believed to be great for your skin by reducing UV-radiation. If you want to know more about matcha including some great recipes, find this great blog from Planet Organic here.
London’s Best Matchas
I’ve had some great matcha lattes in London. Farm Girl Cafe has to be one of my faves alongside Farmacy. You can see photos of my matcha lattes from my breakfast blog here. On my wish list places to grab a matcha are featured in this article by About Time Magazine…
So What Does It Taste Like?
People are often put off by the bright green colour of matcha and the fact that some can taste powdery and strong. When done well, the perfect matcha is creamy, made from all sorts of milks of your choice – almond, oat, cashew, coconut…. the choices are endless. They can be sweetened to taste – including honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar. My favourites include those made with coconut milk when I want a dreamy rich treat. However, when I’m at home I just love to use oat milk! It is really sweet and when warmed, it creates a beautiful froth with a mini electric whisk! I highly recommend getting Oatly’s barista version of oat milk as it froths the best and also is so creamy and luxurious. I put this in my January Favourites blog post and it is still a firm favourite throughout February.
I love to sweeten my matcha latte with a dash of maple syrup. I don’t add much matcha powder as I don’t like it too strong. Some places make their matcha too powerful I feel and I think this puts people off the taste! The beauty of a powder form ingredient is that you can add how much or how little as you like. It is quite an expensive ingredient in powder form but when you only use a small amount it lasts so long! I have had my pouch of matcha for months now and so it really does not work out too costly at all. To make the perfect matcha at home for the fraction of the cost use my recipe below….
Recipe
Method…
Boil the kettle and mix the matcha powder and maple syrup with a dribble of hot water in your favourite mug or glass.
Heat the oat milk for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes in the microwave and then add half to the matcha mix. Make sure you use a small hand whisk to get all the powder combined in the drink.
Then use a small electric whisk to froth up the rest of the heated oat milk. Add the froth to the top of your matcha latte and voila!
I just love how oat milk sweetens the matcha latte and froths up beautifully. Let me know if you try this recipe!
Will you be swapping your morning coffee for a yummy matcha latte?
