Learn all about Chai Latte:
Chai Latte
You can already order it in many cafés and restaurants: the Chai Latte. It stands for a modern lifestyle and is supposed to taste especially good. But what is chai latte and what makes it so unique? In this article, we'll also show you an authentic chai latte recipe!
What is Chai Tea Latte anyway?
Chai latte is a popular trendy drink. "Chai" means something like "tea" and "latte" comes from Italian and can be translated as "milk". Thus, strictly speaking, Chai Tea Latte is a tea with milk.
However, anyone who has ever ordered a chai latte in a café knows that this is specially spiced tea on the table. It contains cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and black pepper. Chai tea is often made from red bush tea (rooibos tea) or black tea and spices are added. Often some syrup or sugar is added as well as frothed milk - and the Chai Latte is ready to drink.
The origin of Chai Latte
Chai tea originally comes from India, the land of tea culture. Not without reason, India is considered one of the largest tea exporters in the world. Also the spicing of a tea was brought to life by the Indians. The reason: special spices can bring out the individual notes of a tea even more.
However, the milk that is so typical for the chai latte is not an Indian tradition. It is believed to be a result of British colonialism. However, there are Indians who boil their tea right away with milk and sugar.
These are the ingredients you need for a real Chai Latte
A common recipe for chai latte consists of black tea, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, anise and pepper. Honey or sugar are used as sweeteners. From the ingredients you brew a tea with hot water.
Then add a dollop of frothed milk, either cow's milk or a vegan alternative.
You often see chai latte as instant tea, which is only infused with hot water. Alternatively, Chai Latte syrup can be enjoyed, which is only topped with foamed milk. As you can see, there are various chai latte recipes.
What distinguishes the taste?
The variety of spices makes chai latte a very flavorful drink. No spice comes to the fore, as they harmonize well with each other. In the best case, you also taste nothing of the black tea or rooibos tea that forms the basis of the trendy drink.
Chai Latte: The special features
Even in ancient India, people knew that special spices can bring out completely new flavor notes. Therefore, Chai Latte - whether consumed as a stimulant or a health-promoting drink - is a very special taste experience. Moreover, it is hard to imagine Ayurvedic health teachings without the hype drink, in which spices play a major role.
Advantages and disadvantages of the trendy drink
Black tea in high quantities can also lead to tooth discoloration. Thus, you should not regularly drink chai latte by the liter. Moderate consumption, on the other hand, comes with many benefits.
How often should you drink chai latte?
Chai latte has a long tradition in India. Here, the drink is drunk at any time of the day. So there is nothing wrong with drinking a chai latte every morning. Just be aware that the black tea contains caffeine. Thus, it is not suitable just before going to bed. Here you should try a variant with rooibos tea. Tip: Fruit tea is also suitable.
If you want to drink several cups of the popular hot beverage, however, you should be careful. The spices together with the milk can lead to stomach pain in the long run. Drink only as much chai latte as is good for you. A good option is to replace cow's milk with plant-based milk.
With this recipe, you can make the trend at home.
Would you like to enjoy chai latte not only in a café, but also at home? We have a recipe for you with which you can easily make the trendy drink yourself. Instead of conventional cow's milk, you can also use oat, soy or another plant-based drink. The preparation is very simple:
First, put 1 teaspoon of cardamom, 0.5 teaspoon of cloves, 0.5 teaspoon of pepper, a stick of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of anise in a mortar. Grate the spices very finely and mix them with 5 teaspoons of loose black tea. Now pour boiling hot water over the mixture and let it steep for 5 minutes. In the meantime, you can whip the milk or vegetable drink with a milk frother until frothy. It's best to add 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar right away.
Half fill a latte macchiato glass or a large cup with the sweetened milk foam. Now add half a glass of tea. The homemade chai latte looks especially nice with a milk cap. Optionally, you can sprinkle it with some cinnamon powder.
Special tip: if you don't have the time or inclination to make your own chai latte, try our delicious vegan Chai Almond, which you can easily order online or buy at your local supermarket.
Conclusion: Chai Latte is this delicious
Chai latte is popular around the globe for a reason. You can simply drink your chai latte in between meals to relax. If you use quality ingredients for your chai latte, you can also consume it regularly. There are several recipes that you can use to prepare your chai tea latte.
