Spiced Matcha Latte (Written from Italy)

Creamy and sweet Matcha Latte, made with almond milk and cinnamon, is a great way to change up your coffee ritual to one of less caffeine but with longer lasting energy effects.

In the states, getting a quick energy fix via coffee is a likely default choice.  Instead, for centuries in Japanese and Buddhist cultures, they gravitated solely towards tea, finding a natural slow release of caffeine through matcha green leaf. To modernize matcha as a coffee substitute I went ahead and reimagined its traditional green tea roots: blended it with almond milk, spiced it with cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.  Together the matcha provides the sustained energy, while the almond milk creates the latte base.  The earthiness of the matcha is mellowed by the warming cinnamon and sweet honey - creating a rich, sweet drink.

 Matcha is simply green tea leaves that have been ground to a powder. It is a drink revered in Asian cultures for its ceremonial purposes, high antioxidant levels, and most notably for housing less caffeine while sustaining energy levels longer than coffee: offering a calming sensation instead of intensity and headaches.  As matcha can be expensive, I use it sparingly.  I’ll swap one morning coffee for a homemade matcha latte and reserve a coffee for the afternoon.  This approach allows for a lasting caffeine boost that I can enjoy without the head jitters or wallet pain. 

Serves: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients for the Matcha Latte:

- 1/4 cup water

- 1 teaspoon matcha powder

- 1/2 cup almond milk

- 1 teaspoom honey

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

Start by heating the water in a small saucepan until warmed.  Place the warm water and matcha powder into a small bowl and whisk together to form a watery-paste like liquid (be sure to dissolve all the matcha powder in the water).  Now in a small saucepan, warm the almond milk on low-heat for 2-3 minutes.  At this point I like to froth the almond milk for 30 seconds with a small, inexpensive milk frother (I use this one) to make the drink creamier and reminiscent of a latte.

Now add the cinnamon, honey and matcha-water to the frothed almond milk and stir to combine. Enjoy!

I hope you get a chance to try out this Matcha Latte as a delicious substitute to your weekly coffees.  Feel free to tag #8thandlake on Instagram so I can see your recreations!

xx Marie