How to make homemade chai latte?
How to prepare a homemade chai latte?
Chai latte has established itself as a delicious alternative to coffee and classic coffee shop drinks. Comforting, spicy, and enveloping, it can be enjoyed both hot and iced.
But how do you prepare a good homemade chai latte? What milk should you use? What's the difference between a chai and a chai latte? And how do you achieve a balance between sweetness, spices, and intensity?
At Coutume, we have developed our own chai with Awachaï, a blend of spices, French peppermint, and Assam black tea designed for both home and coffee shop use.
What is chai?
Chai, or masala chai, is a traditional Indian beverage made from black tea and spices. Depending on the recipe, it typically includes cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, or even pepper.
Chai latte is a more indulgent version, prepared with hot or cold milk to achieve a rounder, creamier texture.
What does a chai latte taste like?
A chai latte generally develops:
- warm and spicy notes,
- a beautiful roundness on the palate,
- a slight sweetness,
- a comforting sensation.
Coutume's chai by Awachaï reveals balanced notes of ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom, enhanced by a slight touch of freshness from the peppermint.
How to prepare a homemade chai latte?
Small chai latte recipe
For a cup of approximately 150 ml:
- 8 g of chai powder, or about 1 to 2 teaspoons
- 150 ml of milk, dairy or plant-based
Large chai latte recipe
For a cup of approximately 225 ml:
- 12 g of chai powder, or about 2 to 3 teaspoons
- 225 ml of milk
Preparation
- Mix the chai powder directly into the milk.
- Heat gently in a saucepan, stirring regularly.
- Stop just before boiling: the milk should be very hot but not boiling to preserve its texture and the chai's aromas.
- Serve hot.
For an even more indulgent texture, you can lightly froth the milk before serving.
Another tip: to make preparation easier, you can make a chai concentrate by mixing 60 g of powder per liter of water, then bringing it to a simmer for 15 minutes.
How to prepare an iced chai latte?
Iced chai latte is particularly popular during warmer periods.
Iced chai latte recipe
- 8 to 12 g of Coutume chai
- 100 ml of hot milk
- 100 ml of cold milk
- ice cubes
- Mix the chai into the hot milk.
- Let it cool slightly.
- Pour over ice cubes.
- Add the cold milk.
What milk to use for a chai latte?
The choice of milk greatly influences the final result.
- Oat milk: round and naturally sweet
- Almond milk: lighter and slightly roasted
- Whole milk: creamier texture
- Coconut milk: more exotic and gourmet profile
Oat milk works particularly well with the spicy and warm notes of chai.
Why does my chai latte lack flavor?
A chai latte can lack intensity if:
- the dosage is insufficient,
- the milk overpowers the spices too much,
- the preparation is not hot enough,
- the mixture is not properly homogenized.
A good balance between the amount of chai and the volume of milk results in a more expressive and delicious drink.
Our Coutume chai by Awachaï
Our chai has been developed to offer a balance between spicy intensity, roundness, and freshness.
It can be used for:
- hot chai lattes,
- iced chai lattes,
- at home,
- or for professional use in coffee shops.
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