Ingredients for 1 cup
- 2 g of ceremonial matcha
- 30 ml of water at 70 °C
- 150 ml of milk (whole, oat or unsweetened almond)
- Optional: 1 teaspoon of agave syrup or honey
Method
- Sift the matcha into the chawan to get rid of lumps.
- Add 30 ml of water at 70 °C and whisk with the chasen in Ws until you have a smooth paste. Starting with little water concentrates the flavour before the milk arrives.
- Heat the milk to 60 to 65 °C. With an espresso steam wand, texture it to a microfoam. Otherwise heat it in a pan and use an electric frother.
- Pour the milk over the dissolved matcha. Add the syrup if you want it.
- Serve straight away.
Why this ratio works
The key is dissolving the matcha in plain water before the milk goes in. Pour milk straight onto the powder and its proteins get in the way of dispersion, leaving lumps. Pre-diluting in water gives a clean emulsion.
Which milk works best
Unsweetened oat milk is what most speciality baristas reach for with matcha: its natural sweetness complements the umami without covering it, and it textures well. Whole milk gives more body. Almond can carry a bitterness that clashes with a first-harvest matcha.