Method
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Build your own iced matcha
Glass
Strength
Sweetness
Milk
- Matcha
- 4 gabout 2 tsp, sifted
- Warm water
- 60 ml60 to 80°C, whisk smooth
- Dairy milk
- 200 mlcold, over a glass of ice
- Caffeine
- 76 to 176 mga brewed coffee is about 95 mg
Scaled from this recipe's 4 g to 300 ml ratio. Caffeine uses 19 to 44 mg per gram of matcha (Molecules, 2020: 18.9 to 44.4, rounded); the real figure depends on the powder.
Do you need hot water for iced matcha
Not strictly, but a splash of warm water makes a noticeably smoother drink. Matcha disperses poorly in cold liquid, so whisking it straight into cold milk tends to leave clumps. Sixty millilitres of warm (not boiling) water dissolves the powder and any sweetener, and it is a small enough amount that the drink still ends up properly cold over ice. If you want zero heat, put the matcha and cold water in a jar and shake it hard, a cocktail-shaker approach that works surprisingly well.
How do you get the layered look
Density does the work. Milk is heavier than the thin matcha-and-water mix, so as long as you pour the matcha gently over the ice last, it floats as a distinct green band. Pouring over the back of a spoon slows the stream and keeps the line crisp. The layers are for the first look. Stir before you drink so the flavour is even.
Making a jug for summer
The recipe scales cleanly: for four glasses, whisk 8 teaspoons of matcha with 250 ml of warm water and pour over a jug of ice and 800 ml of milk. Whisked matcha settles on standing, which is normal for a suspension rather than a solution. Give the jug a stir before pouring each glass. Made with water instead of milk, the same base becomes iced matcha tea, a much lighter drink for hot days.
Common questions
Why is my iced matcha clumpy?
Matcha does not dissolve in cold liquid (it suspends), and cold makes clumps worse. Sift the powder and whisk or shake it with a little warm water first, then pour that smooth base over the ice and milk.
Can I use ceremonial grade matcha iced?
You can, and iced matcha made with water alone rewards a good grade. In a milky iced latte, culinary grade holds its flavour through the milk and diluting ice better, at half the price.
How far ahead can I make it?
The whisked matcha base keeps a few hours in the fridge. Shake or stir before using, as the powder settles. Build the glass with ice and milk just before serving so it is not watered down.